[Cacou]

Hello all,

Sorry for the long post, but I thought this would be interesting to would-be buyers.

I just went for a test drive of the HEA car my dealer received yesterday. I have a F90 Marina Bay Blue in production for European delivery in June. Here are my impressions. My closest points of comparison are the 991 Carrera GTS and the earlier R35 GT-R.

Engine/power:
I was worried it would feel underpowered compared to the other two cars. When we got onto the highway, I stepped on it progressively. The gas pedal has little travel and I quickly hit the floor. This is something you can rarely do on regular roads with the GT-R - it's just too fast and the response is immediate. The M5 accelerated smoothly, but I suddenly got worried my fears would prove true: the pull was far from mind blowing. I released and floored it again a couple of times with the same results. We took an exit and the salesman noticed we were in ECO mode... I switched it to MDM "Sport" 4WD and the beast came alive. Just a note here: that ECO mode doesn't just implement a more conservative throttle curve, it probably caps engine output significantly. Anyways, there was the car I was hoping for. On back road straights, it pulled really hard, as hard as the GT-R, and more than the 911 GTS. Smooth and constant power delivery, but it seemed to start off at higher revs than the other two. I'm not sure if I should call it turbo lag, or if I was just perhaps not really flooring it from take off, but the car is definitely crazy fast. BTW, I did feel a little bad for pushing the car in its break-in period, but it seemed to take it well... on the outside.

Transmission/shifts
Some official reviews had said the response to the paddles was a bit slow. I didn't feel that at all. The transmission seemed as quick as the GT-R's dual clutch in its own standard mode (maybe not its Race mode). In the most agressive mode, the shifts were even a bit harsh as you could expect from a car with this kind of power. In comfort mode, shifts were very smooth and uneventful. Nothing that compares to the Porsche PDK, but I would take this transmission over the Nissan's sometimes awkward and harsh dual clutch any day. Pleasantly surprised here.

Exhaust/sound
On a cold start, the sound coming of the exhaust, even in standard mode, tells you the M5 is a mighty beast. Although this car had the sports exhaust package, I never heard the loud clicks/snaps that we could hear in most video reviews. These are pretty cool when you want to make an entrance, but I was considering the sports exhaust mainly for the better sound it could provide under hard acceleration, and that's basically what it brings. From inside the cabin in standard mode, the exhaust sound when you mash it is really nice, but actually pretty faint. With the valves opened, the sound stayed the same except much louder. The M5 being the first car I try with speaker-enhanced exhaust notes, I actually could tell the sound was partly fake and coming from the speakers close to me. Oh well... at least it sounds good. The BMW audio recordings of the M5 exhaust available on their website are actually pretty in line with what I heard today. Strangely, I have yet to see pictures of a car that doesn't have the exhaust button on the center console. My salesman looked through the parts catalog and didn't see a switch part that didn't have the button. Could it be that a car without the sports exhaust still has an "angry" mode that's entirely sound system-driven? Regardless, I recommend getting the sports exhaust.

Steering/Handling
This obviously wasn't a test drive on a track, so my impressions on handling are limited. First, just like with the GT-R, the car does feel much smaller than it is, at least in 7/10 driving. Beyond that, the weight may show more than with the GT-R (3900lbs), and the M5 is evidently not on par with a 911 in terms of balance and handling. Nevertheless, I never at any point felt like I was driving a large or heavy car, thanks in part to the very well controlled body roll. Getting into the on-ramps and doing some quick side-to-side of the steering on straight roads, the car felt really composed. Impressive for such a heavy car (4300lbs?).
As for the steering wheel, I personally am not fond of the very thick grip. Combine that with the soft leather and I find it makes for a slippery wheel. I'd be worried of it slipping in my hands coming out of a turn when there is lots of torque steer. But here's the worst part of the steering and probably my only serious gripe coming out of this test drive: the paddles are completely inadequate in the context of the sports car that the M5 can be. Sure, they're non-intrusive for the executive-class persona, but at the track, I could see myself having to give up on manual shifting in the high intensity driving. The paddles are simply too small and felt as they were right at the tip of my fingers despite my average-size hands.
The 3 different modes for the steering were perfectly calibrated, offering wide range and very distinct feel, from lightweight easy steering to a purposeful and heavy one.

Brakes/stopping power
I ordered my car without the ceramics, so I was anxious to see how the steel brakes would perform. First off, if you're wondering, the steels calipers are blue and both they and the rotors are virtually as large as the ceramics kit. Thankfully, bite was very good and I doubt stopping power will ever be a problem in spirited driving, although significant fade at the track is likely. Pedal feel was good if a bit too nippy at the onset, but that was probably due to unbroken discs and pads.


Seats/comfort
The seats obviously have an awesome design and look good in every color, but they're really not that sporty. The bolsters are too wide and the padding is quite soft. On those occasional track days, I expect to be thrown around and relying on the steering wheel a lot to hold myself in place. Combined that with the somewhat slippery leather, the seats are nothing like the alcantara ones of the GTS and GT-R. They are very comfortable though and infinitely adjustable. The rest of the cabin is very well appointed and luxurious. The digital dials with the retro trim are awesome, one of my favorite features.

Exterior styling
From the first time I saw pictures of the F90, I thought that the exterior was a bit subdued. That could be never more true than with the black on black car I was test driving. Everything is black, even the wheels, so the body lines don't come out and the CFRP roof doesn't contrast in most lighting conditions. The car in this color combo is a complete sleeper. I honestly wouldn't recommend it unless you want to attract no attention at all.

Other observations
- Ceramic buttons actually look and feel quite nice - they're a "forced" option in the Premium package in Canada
- The display key of the same Premium package in Canada doesn't do remote parking. That is really disappointing. I saw it as the most interesting perk of that big key fob.
- The cabin feels pretty small for a car of this size - this has been said in formal reviews. I don't mind it, but don't expect lots of legroom whether as a driver or passenger.

All in all, the M5 met or surpassed all my expectations for performance and it should be a wildly fun car for the occasional track day and for daily driving/road trips. Well done BMW. Can't wait to pick mine up in Munich!!!

[onfireX5]

Originally Posted by Cacou

Hello all,

Sorry for the long post, but I thought this would be interesting to would-be buyers.

I just went for a test drive of the HEA car my dealer received yesterday. I have a F90 Marina Blue in production for European delivery in June. Here are my impressions. My closest points of comparison are the 991 Carrera GTS and the earlier R35 GT-R.

Engine/power:
I was worried it would feel underpowered compared to the other two cars. When we got onto the highway, I stepped on it progressively. The gas pedal has little travel and I quickly hit the floor. This is something you can rarely do on regular roads with the GT-R - it's just too fast and the response is immediate. The M5 accelerated smoothly, but I suddenly got worried my fears would prove true: the pull was far from mind blowing. I released and floored it again a couple of times with the same results. We took an exit and the salesman noticed we were in ECO mode... I switched it to MDM "Sport" 4WD and the beast came alive. Just a note here: that ECO mode doesn't just implement a more conservative throttle curve, it probably caps engine output significantly. Anyways, there was the car I was hoping for. On back road straights, it pulled really hard, as hard as the GT-R, and more than the 911 GTS. Smooth and constant power delivery, but it seemed to start off at higher revs than the other two. I'm not sure if I should call it turbo lag, or if I was just perhaps not really flooring it from take off, but the car is definitely crazy fast. BTW, I did feel a little bad for pushing the car in its break-in period, but it seemed to take it well... on the outside.

Transmission/shifts
Some official reviews had said the response to the paddles was a bit slow. I didn't feel that at all. The transmission seemed as quick as the GT-R's dual clutch in its own standard mode (maybe not its Race mode). In the most agressive mode, the shifts were even a bit harsh as you could expect from a car with this kind of power. In comfort mode, shifts were very smooth and uneventful. Nothing that compares to the Porsche PDK, but I would take this transmission over the Nissan's sometimes awkward and harsh dual clutch any day. Pleasantly surprised here.

Exhaust/sound
On a cold start, the sound coming of the exhaust, even in standard mode, tells you the M5 is a mighty beasty. Although this car had the sports exhaust package, I never heard the loud clicks/snaps that we could hear in most video reviews. Although these are pretty cool when you want to make an entrance, I was considering the sports exhaust mainly for the better sound it could provide under hard acceleration, and that's basically what it brings. From inside the cabin in standard mode, the exhaust sound when you mash it is really nice, but actually pretty faint. With the valves opened, the sound didn't change and became much louder. The M5 being the first car I try with speaker-enhanced exhaust notes, I actually could tell the sound was partly fake and coming from the speakers close to me. Oh well... at least it sounds good. The BMW audio recordings of the M5 exhaust available on their website are actually pretty in line with what I heard today. Strangely, I have yet to see pictures of a car that doesn't have the exhaust button on the center console. My salesman looked through the parts catalog and didn't see a switch part that didn't have the button. Could it be that a car without the sports exhaust still has an "angry" mode that's entirely sound system-driven? Regardless, I recommend getting the sports exhaust.

Steering/Handling
This obviously wasn't a test drive on a track, so my impressions on handling are limited. First, just like with the GT-R, the car does feel much smaller than it is, at least in 7/10 driving. Beyond that, the weight may show more than with the GT-R (3900lbs), and the M5 is evidently not on par with a 911 in terms of balance and handling. Nevertheless, I never at any point felt like I was driving a large or heavy car, thanks in part to the very well controlled body roll. Getting into the on-ramps and doing some quick side-to-side of the steering on straight roads, the car felt really composed. Impressive for such a heavy car (4300lbs?).
As for the steering wheel, I personally am not fond of the very thick grip. Combine that with the soft leather and I find it makes for a slippery wheel. I'd be worried of it slipping in my hands coming out of a turn when there is lots of torque steer. But here's the worst part of the steering and probably my only serious gripe coming out of this test drive: the paddles are completely inadequate in the context of the sports car that the M5 can be. Sure, they're non-intrusive for the executive-class persona, but at the track, I could see myself having to give up on manual shifting in the high intensity driving. The paddles are simply too small and felt as they were right at the tip of my fingers despite my average-size hands.
The 3 different modes for the steering were perfectly calibrated, offering wide range and very distinct feel, from lightweight easy steering to a purposeful and heavy one.

Brakes/stopping power
I ordered my car without the ceramics, so I was anxious to see how the steel brakes would perform. First off, if you're wondering, the steels calipers are blue and both they and the rotors are virtually as large as the ceramics kit. Thankfully, bite was very good and I doubt stopping power will ever be a problem in spirited driving, although significant fade at the track is likely. Pedal feel was good if a bit too nippy at the onset, but that was probably due to unbroken discs and pads.


Seats/comfort
The seats obviously have an awesome design and look good in every color, but they're really not that sporty. The bolsters are too wide and the padding is quite soft. On those occasional track days, I expect to be thrown around and relying on the steering wheel a lot to hold myself in place. Combined that with the somewhat slippery leather, the seats are nothing like the alcantara ones of the GTS and GT-R. They are very comfortable though and infinitely adjustable. The rest of the cabin is very well appointed and luxurious. The digital dials with the retro trim are awesome, one of my favorite features.

Exterior styling
From the first time I saw pictures of the F90, I thought that the exterior was a bit subdued. That could be never more true than with the black on black car I was test driving. Everything is black, even the wheels, so the body lines don't come out and the CFRP roof doesn't contrast in most lighting conditions. The car in this color combo is a complete sleeper. I honestly wouldn't recommend it unless you want to attract no attention at all.

Other observations
- Ceramic buttons actually look and feel quite nice - they're a "forced" option in the Premium package in Canada
- The display key of the same Premium package in Canada doesn't do remote parking. That is really disappointing. I saw it as the most interesting perk of that big key fob.
- The cabin feels pretty small for a car of this size - this has been said in formal reviews. I don't mind it, but don't expect lots of legroom whether as a driver or passenger.

All in all, the M5 met or surpassed all my expectations for performance and it should be a wildly fun car for the occasional track day and for daily driving/road trips. Well done BMW. Can't wait to pick mine up in Munich!!!

Great write up !

Does the exhaust button on the console control the muffler valves or the speaker fake sound ?

[Cacou]

In the cars with Sports Exhaust, it does both. On cars without Sports Exhaust, I'm not sure if the button is still there, but it would likely only control the sound system contribution.

[onfireX5]

Originally Posted by Cacou

In the cars with Sports Exhaust, it does both. On cars without Sports Exhaust, I'm not sure if the button is still there, but it would likely only control the sound system contribution.

It is on the standard exhaust too in the States....bummer if both.

[frankchn]

Originally Posted by Cacou

In the cars with Sports Exhaust, it does both. On cars without Sports Exhaust, I'm not sure if the button is still there, but it would likely only control the sound system contribution.

The exhaust button should be standard on all F90 M5s.

The only difference between the sport exhaust and the standard exhaust is the exhaust midsection (part # 18308071157 for standard, and part 18308092607 for the 1MA sports exhaust) and the black chrome tips.

From the same parts diagram, the actuators for the exhaust flaps are standard on all F90s, so I assume the button will control at least those two flaps.

[eclipxe]

Originally Posted by onfireX5

It is on the standard exhaust too in the States....bummer if both.

I have standard exhaust. It controls the flaps and the ASD. The sound inside and out was definitely changed with the button on and off.

[uniqueMR]

Great write-up

[esquire]

Great write up, and better yet: great writing STYLE.

I suspect you'll be able to get aftermarket shifter paddle replacements quite easily. EAS makes them for the m3. They might be persuaded to make them for the m5.

[A47]

You don't mention anything ride.Any comments?Thanks

[MTHX]

I fully agree with you. The paddle shift is the same little one as the g30.

I think bmw should have been a little less conservative and work a little more on the fact that this M vehicule is supposed to be sportier. they borrowed 90% of the component from the g30 .. they could have gone down to 85 and give more puch for the sporty side .. wheel, paddle shift, etc .... but hey .... it's still a real sleeper

[Cacou]

Thanks all.

esquire, I took a look at AES's website, I didn't know about them. Good that there will likely be alternatives available for the paddles. Thx.

A47, on the ride quality, in comfort mode, the suspension soaked up the spring potholes we have here really well, with what seemed to be good damping (the wheels didn't feel like they were bouncing much in the most severe bumps). In Sport Plus, I would say it felt like the GT-R's suspension in its comfort mode, which is really quite stiff, with the difference being that the quiet cabin made it seem much more comfortable. As with the steering, I was glad to observe a wide range between the Comfort and Sport Plus settings. Not sure if you'll get what I mean here, but I did note the car would lift a bit or "feel light" at times under hard acceleration, as opposed to being constantly planted on the road, but it did not give me the impression I had less adherence or traction. The backroad I was on at that time may have had something to do with this.

[A47]

Is there not a setting between Comfort and Sports Plus?Thanks for the reply.

[eclipxe]

Originally Posted by A47

Is there not a setting between Comfort and Sports Plus?Thanks for the reply.

There is.

Comfort -> Sport -> Sport Plus

[elitex]

Originally Posted by frankchn

The exhaust button should be standard on all F90 M5s.

The only difference between the sport exhaust and the standard exhaust is the exhaust midsection (part # 18308071157 for standard, and part 18308092607 for the 1MA sports exhaust) and the black chrome tips.

From the same parts diagram, the actuators for the exhaust flaps are standard on all F90s, so I assume the button will control at least those two flaps.

Well this makes it easy to upgrade!

[soooma]

Originally Posted by Cacou

In the cars with Sports Exhaust, it does both. On cars without Sports Exhaust, I'm not sure if the button is still there, but it would likely only control the sound system contribution.

Great write up indeed!
Is it me and I am the only one who thinks that M performance pacakge actually adds a punch to the exhaust?!
Silly me I just discovered the Valve button wouldn’t work unless SPORTS PLUS is on!! And I now like the POPS and CRACLES a lot, very loud and don’t know what the Sport M exhaust will offer that this doesn’t ?!

[04cobra]

Originally Posted by Cacou

Hello all,

Sorry for the long post, but I thought this would be interesting to would-be buyers.

I just went for a test drive of the HEA car my dealer received yesterday. I have a F90 Marina Bay Blue in production for European delivery in June. Here are my impressions. My closest points of comparison are the 991 Carrera GTS and the earlier R35 GT-R.

Engine/power:
I was worried it would feel underpowered compared to the other two cars. When we got onto the highway, I stepped on it progressively. The gas pedal has little travel and I quickly hit the floor. This is something you can rarely do on regular roads with the GT-R - it's just too fast and the response is immediate. The M5 accelerated smoothly, but I suddenly got worried my fears would prove true: the pull was far from mind blowing. I released and floored it again a couple of times with the same results. We took an exit and the salesman noticed we were in ECO mode... I switched it to MDM "Sport" 4WD and the beast came alive. Just a note here: that ECO mode doesn't just implement a more conservative throttle curve, it probably caps engine output significantly. Anyways, there was the car I was hoping for. On back road straights, it pulled really hard, as hard as the GT-R, and more than the 911 GTS. Smooth and constant power delivery, but it seemed to start off at higher revs than the other two. I'm not sure if I should call it turbo lag, or if I was just perhaps not really flooring it from take off, but the car is definitely crazy fast. BTW, I did feel a little bad for pushing the car in its break-in period, but it seemed to take it well... on the outside.

Trackhawk does the same thing, power is neutered in ECO mode, like 400hp max output.

[devondragon]

As a guy with big hands I love the steering wheel, fits me nicely, have no issues getting to the paddles even during high stress maneuvers Also I highly recommend driving gloves for aggressive driving. Even reliable grip regardless of temperature, sweat, dry skin, etc...