DRIVEN: New BMW M5 is a real bruiser

The old adage that a bad day at the track beats a good day at the office, probably only holds water if you are not the guy that pays the bills when it is a bad day at the track.

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Because when you put a multi-million-rand car in the wall, it is not going to beat sitting in the office, unless of course you are that guy that bought a bunch of BitCoin recently in the hope to make it big quick.

Then I guess both of you are going to be having a bad day, no matter where you are sitting. BMW SA invited us to the Kyalami race track to sample their new M5, now fitted with M developed xDrive, so putting a very powerful and expensive car in the wall, was very much a reality.

But possibly one of the biggest differences on a day like this, is that the previous, rear-wheel driven only, M5 was very much a car that made you find religion fast when you turned the traction control off.

And when you left it on, the traction control light lit up like a Christmas tree even at speeds beyond the national speed limit of 120km/h, while the torque and rubber on the car, and the law of physics engaged in a constant battle of wills.

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With the torque winning every time.

So, when we were told years ago that a BMW M Car would never be anything but a high revving naturally aspirated machine, the saying, never say never, comes to mind.

We were also told that no BMW X model would be an M Car.

Again, never say never. And today we are now driving a BMW M sedan that is not only turbocharged but also features allwheel drive in the form of BMW’s xDrive system.

Next will be electrically assisted M-cars.

Never say never. But is this a bad thing? I honestly don’t think so.

The world is moving to smaller, more powerful, yet more efficient, turbocharged engines, and for those of us that live up on the Reef, this just means more power and massive amounts of torque.

And having lots of power and not being able to put it down onto the road, means nothing, ask MercedesAMG, who have had some seriously monstrous powerful cars in the past, yet they were barely drivable.

Our intro to the new BMW M5 was very brief, we were given an out lap and two hot laps and one cool down lap at the track.

I did wait until everybody had their drive and then asked for another go at the track with the car much later in the day.

So, I can’t tell you a massive lot about the car in terms of what it would feel like when driven normally on a daily basis, or even what it might feel like when driven hard on a normal bumpy type Johannesburg road.

This information will all come when we get a car on test for a week in the near future.

Like all M models, the new BMW M5 was honed on the world’s most challenging race circuit, the Nürburgring Nordschleife.

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The suspension features M-specific kinematic and elastokinematic elements as part of its commitment to dynamic excellence.

And even with M xDrive, the new car weighs less than its predecessor.

This has been achieved through features such as the lightweight carbon fibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP) roof and a weight-minimised exhaust system.

The front apron of the new BMW M5 has been completely re-designed.

Large apertures ensure the engine, charge air cooling, transmission and brakes are even supplied with sufficient quantities of cooling air during track driving.

You also get fitted as standard, M compound brakes with blue painted six-piston brake callipers at the front and single-piston floating callipers at the rear.

Even more effective M carbon ceramic brakes with callipers painted in a gold colour can be specified as an option and provide a 23kg weight saving to go with the extra stopping power.

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What I can tell you though from actual experience is the newly developed M xDrive that debuts on the M5 makes for a car that can get around a track with a whole lot more confidence than the previous generation car did.

There is a hint of understeer if you are overly aggressive with the steering when turning into corners at pace, but boot the throttle and the car pulls hard out the corner in a fuss free manner.

Try that in the old car, and you would either have the traction control cutting the power or you would be turned around facing the other way in a split second.

In the interest of preserving their test cars, we were not allowed to mess around and switch the traction control systems off.

But the new M5 does offer various M xDrive modes (4WD, 4WD Sport, 2WD), so you are spoilt for choice.

And in 2WD, with all the power to the rear, you can burn expensive rubber and still scare your guardian angels should you choose to do so.

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Power is courtesy of the latest generation of the 4.4-litre V8 engine with M TwinPower Turbo technology and punches out 441 kW of power and 750 Nm of peak torque.

This power and torque is channelled through a new eightspeed M Steptronic transmission with Drivelogic.

So, gone is the double clutch unit of before, but I must say, BMW’s performance Steptronic boxes are really good and ultra-smooth and fast shifting too.

Fitted as standard you get polished 19-inch five-double-spoke wheels in Orbit Grey (front: 9.5 x 19, rear: 10.5 x 9. Tyres are 275/40 R 19 at the front and 285/40 R 19 at the rear).

The options list includes seven-double-spoke rims in 9.5 x 20 format at the front and 10.5 x 20 at the rear (front tyres: 275/35 R 20, rear tyres: 285/35 R 20).

And the BMW M5 can be specified exclusively with the paint shade Marina Bay Blue Metallic as part of a varied spectrum of colours including several matt finishes.

BMW claim their Bavarian bruiser can hit 100km/h in a lightning-fast 3.4 seconds and get from 0-200km/h in a mere 11.1 seconds.

Top speed is electronically limited to 250km/h or – if desired – you can opt for the M Driver’s Package that moves the limiter to 305km/h.

Inside and as standard fitment, the car comes with leather upholstery and M seats for the driver and front passenger. New M multi-function seats can be ordered as an option.

Added to which, the M5 can also be specified optionally with all the assistance systems available for the BMW 5 Series and trust me, there are far too many to mention here in the space I have.

Yes, I only drove the new BMW M5 on the track, and it is not exactly an out-and-out track weapon, as capable as it is, it’s probably more of a very fast and dynamic street car.

And it is also a proper improvement over the old car in terms of harnessing all it has to offer.

The new BMW M5 is on sale right now at a basic price of R1 762 806 (includes 15% VAT and CO2 tax).

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The exclusively equipped First Edition costs R2 024 006.50 (includes 15% VAT and CO2 tax), but they are all unfortunately already accounted for.

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