At the time of reviewing this vehicle, the E60 based M5 was BMW’s most powerful 5-Series offering. However, at the time of publication of this issue, BMW would have announced the newer and more powerful M5 based on the new 5 series the, F10, and it will be going on sale later this year.
For some, this is biblical. It is the arrival of the true King of motoring. Like Rolex is to watches and Keira Knightly is to anorexic actresses worldwide, the BMW M5 has been the benchmark to executive saloons that had a bit of fire brewing under their hoods. Like the Italians - who fused the most staple of foods, bread, cheese and whatever you can find in the house to create pizza, there has been no other better fusion than when the Germans threw in the sports car and executive sedan together to make the M5. Every other manufacturer from Lexus to Porches to Maserati and to even Cadillac, is competing with very good, and even more tastier saloons, but somehow the BMW recipe always seems to ticks more boxes than the alternatives.
Back in 1985, the boffins at BMW decided that that high speed drama should be family affair, so they put the 282hp engine from their supercar, the M1 into their then hum drum 5 series, the E28 and transformed the world of high speed motoring. This model tested is 3rd generation E60 series based, the first true M5 to come to our shores, and with 500hp it is up there at the top as one of the most powerful and fastest four door saloons available in Sri Lanka. At the time of its launch in back in 2005, it was the world’s most powerful mid size saloon in the world, and the first ever to feature a V10.
Performance
The M5 maybe part sports car, the numbers definitely say so [0-100 km/h in 4.7s, 0 – 160km/h in 10s] – but the way it deploys that power and driver input is of a vastly different nature. In a typical sports car that would pack 500hp, the delivery is intense and the drama that goes along is a ‘in your face’ type of excitement. This is the more tequila, lime and salt approach, where else the M5 is more like scotch on ice, both different ways to skin a cat, but equally potent results. This unique nature is all down to its engine.
Straight from the BMW Formula 1 engine clean room, the S85 V10 engine is out of one of their finest hours. At its introduction it was the most powerful engine made by a German manufacturer, and although MB and Audi soon surpassed that, it won several engine of the year awards from 2005 to 2008. With individually controlled electronic throttle butterflies for each cylinder, the aluminum 5 liter engine revs up to a spine tingling 8250 rpm. The engine was designed to use maximum power out of a wide rev band, and from 4000 to 8250 rpm, boy does it use it well. You would be feathering the accelerator pedal at 3000 rpm doing a respectable city speed, and when the need arises, drop a gear and mash the throttle down, you will be greeted with a sharp bark when the engine automatically blips the throttle and then a sonorous scream starts to build, strangely not only from the exhausts but from the back of your spine as well. The torque of the engine is quite top heavy, so until 4000 rpm its nothing to write home about, but after that the momentum starts to build like an avalanche. During the entire road test, which was done on long stretches of traffic free roads, the car never got out of third gear, the way it gathers speed and stays there is unreal, and there are 4 gears left! Whilst you’re enjoying this adrenalin drip attached to you, the jet fighter style heads up display on the windscreen makes sense, it is very easy to be addicted to that kind of exquisitely packaged and delivered savagery and take no regard of the dashboard whatsoever.
However the experience was limited by the
The steering is very precise and very light, making it a doddle to drive around city traffic, and if you were truly bonkers, you could take bends at highly illegal speeds by just using your pinky to twirl the steering wheel.
Let’s now enter the murky territory of evaluating the looks and presence of this car. The E60 incorporated many design features from then BMW Chief of Design, the controversial Chris Bangle, which led to mixed reviews at its launch. Compared to its predecessors, the especially E39, which was a much more classy and elegant setup that looked the equivalent of a Mafia hit man, the E60 is a much more brash affair, with it swooping headlights and huge kidney grille it’s more the equivalent of a Mafia hit man that had discovered McDonalds, Botox, diamonds and a liking for rap music. Still, with its low body-kit and massive 19 inch wheels, it still has a crowd silencing aura about it, and coupled with that primeval scream of an engine note, you will be snapping necks as you drive past.
This is where the M5 raises its head above all the competition. If there was ever a more a classier and comfortable way for 5 people to achieve 250km/h on the ground, this would be it. This is no small car, so there space that can be measured in square meters, but how you use that space is where the M5 excels. The programmable electric seats include active head rests, and these two seats upfront has this fantastic feature where the side bolsters actually hug you as you take a fast corner, just so that you are on the ball. Your ears are blessed with a Harmon Kardon sound system, and to keep your hands on the steering wheel, it has voice control for the iDrive in car control system. Like any high end executive express, its packed with top of the line features like infra red night vision, active cruise control and heads up display.
Practicality and Value
Driving the M5 is an experience that won’t be forgotten the next day morning. It is one of the rare occasions that I managed to truly confirm the place of the M5 in my top 10 fantasy garage, which also made me quite sad in a way. With our lovely tax structure, we would have to pay Rs 26 million to enjoy one of these, and normally like many of us I just laugh at the ridiculous prices we have to pay for cars and move on, but this was one of those moments that it deeply hit home on how unfair it is. The M5 being denied to a much bigger audience in Sri Lanka because of we have to more than twice for its original value is a crime.
Well if you are in the market for an executive saloon and your budget is 26 million rupees, you are the luckiest person in the island and the decision might be somewhat easier. When top end vehicles like the Mercedes S Class’s and Range Rovers fetch way more than 30 big ones in Sri Lanka, the M5 sound like a great deal, especially if you like your spine zapped with electrons.
