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M stands for Monster: New M5 promises to be BMW's hottest production sedan ever
By GREG KABLE
2006 BMW M5
ON SALE: 2005
BASE PRICE: $80,000 (est.)
POWERTRAIN: 5.0-liter, 500-hp, 369-lb-ft V10; rwd, seven-speed manual
CURB WEIGHT: 3900 pounds (est.)
0 to 60 MPH: 4.7 seconds (est.)
Replacing a landmark car is never easy. When the landmark car has whipped every conceivable rival in convincing fashion in its lifetime, the job is even harder. And that's the task the new BMW M5 faces. Its iconic predecessor set the sport sedan standard for six years, until it ceased production late last year.
Rather than rest on its laurels and simply refine a winning package, BMW's M division has dug deep into its development coffers to raise the four-door stakes-again.
The concept behind the new M5 is the same as always: "To blend an unobtrusive appearance with a high-performance engine and premium levels of sedan car comfort." But this execution is different, more courageous than any in the model's 20-year history.
Everything you need to know about Munich's new 155-mph four-door flyer is summed up in the sophistication of the monster engine behind the signature kidney grille. This F1-inspired V10 signals the M division's newfound determination to not only demolish its rivals on driving finesse, but to do so with outright grunt as well.
By replacing the previous model's 4.9-liter V8 with a 5.0-liter V10, BMW elevates the performance potential to a higher plane. Displacement has barely changed, but output has shot up by 100 hp to a tantalizing 500 hp-and in the process, that magic 100-hp-per-liter that has long been an M division forte has been achieved. Torque is up, too, with 369 lb-ft concentrated in the first half of the rev range.
The V10's fundamentals are much like the old V8's: 90-degree architecture, aluminum construction, four valves per cylinder. But numer-ous refinements have been made to the internal structure, variable valve timing (Double Vanos in BMW-speak), electronically controlled individual throttle butterflies and in-house-develop-ed engine management system designed to sharpen throttle response.
Rather than resort to forced induction like rivals AMG and Audi Sport do with the E55 and RS6, respectively, BMW engineers rely on a heavy dose of revs to achieve the 25 percent increase in power. If rumors circulating at the M5's unveiling at Geneva in March hold true, the new engine will rev close to 8500 rpm in production trim.
M division development boss Gerhard Richter masterminded the V10, which is also earmarked for the M6 due out next year. "It really is quite special," Richter says. "There are some trick internals that let it rev quite high. You won't be disappointed!"
Proof of this is reflected in the acceleration. With a projected 0-to-60-mph time around 4.7 seconds, the new M5 is a full 0.6 second faster than its predecessor. Even more impressive is its 0-to-120-mph split, which is put at a sports car-like 12.7 seconds. Like all M cars, top speed is limited to 155 mph, although Richter hints it would be capable of something closer to 185 mph.
By GREG KABLE
2006 BMW M5
ON SALE: 2005
BASE PRICE: $80,000 (est.)
POWERTRAIN: 5.0-liter, 500-hp, 369-lb-ft V10; rwd, seven-speed manual
CURB WEIGHT: 3900 pounds (est.)
0 to 60 MPH: 4.7 seconds (est.)
Replacing a landmark car is never easy. When the landmark car has whipped every conceivable rival in convincing fashion in its lifetime, the job is even harder. And that's the task the new BMW M5 faces. Its iconic predecessor set the sport sedan standard for six years, until it ceased production late last year.
Rather than rest on its laurels and simply refine a winning package, BMW's M division has dug deep into its development coffers to raise the four-door stakes-again.
The concept behind the new M5 is the same as always: "To blend an unobtrusive appearance with a high-performance engine and premium levels of sedan car comfort." But this execution is different, more courageous than any in the model's 20-year history.
Everything you need to know about Munich's new 155-mph four-door flyer is summed up in the sophistication of the monster engine behind the signature kidney grille. This F1-inspired V10 signals the M division's newfound determination to not only demolish its rivals on driving finesse, but to do so with outright grunt as well.
By replacing the previous model's 4.9-liter V8 with a 5.0-liter V10, BMW elevates the performance potential to a higher plane. Displacement has barely changed, but output has shot up by 100 hp to a tantalizing 500 hp-and in the process, that magic 100-hp-per-liter that has long been an M division forte has been achieved. Torque is up, too, with 369 lb-ft concentrated in the first half of the rev range.
The V10's fundamentals are much like the old V8's: 90-degree architecture, aluminum construction, four valves per cylinder. But numer-ous refinements have been made to the internal structure, variable valve timing (Double Vanos in BMW-speak), electronically controlled individual throttle butterflies and in-house-develop-ed engine management system designed to sharpen throttle response.
Rather than resort to forced induction like rivals AMG and Audi Sport do with the E55 and RS6, respectively, BMW engineers rely on a heavy dose of revs to achieve the 25 percent increase in power. If rumors circulating at the M5's unveiling at Geneva in March hold true, the new engine will rev close to 8500 rpm in production trim.
M division development boss Gerhard Richter masterminded the V10, which is also earmarked for the M6 due out next year. "It really is quite special," Richter says. "There are some trick internals that let it rev quite high. You won't be disappointed!"
Proof of this is reflected in the acceleration. With a projected 0-to-60-mph time around 4.7 seconds, the new M5 is a full 0.6 second faster than its predecessor. Even more impressive is its 0-to-120-mph split, which is put at a sports car-like 12.7 seconds. Like all M cars, top speed is limited to 155 mph, although Richter hints it would be capable of something closer to 185 mph.
