Road Test
commuter says yes
BMW M5 review: Company car favourite just got a £90,000 upgrade – and it’s faster than an Aston Martin
The BMW 5 Series has been given a power makeover with the new M5 - but is it worth the money?
THIS is the all-new BMW M5 - and it's been over 30 years in the making.
It's the fastest, most powerful and tech-laden one yet.
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Normally living life as a sedate company car, this pumped up 5 Series has performance to frighten any Aston Martin.
The 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 churns out 592bhp clocking 0-62mph in 3.4 seconds and a limited 155mph top speed.
For £2,095, BMW will de-restrict the car to let you hit 190mph. Wow.
This sixth-generation M5 also has a price tag to match - with "base" models starting at an eye-watering £89,645.
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There's also a head-spinningly long options list that'll easily push your total bill to well over £100,000. Ouch.
Fair to say this isn't something your regular sales manager is going to be commuting in.
Whichever way you cut it, it's a hell of a lot of money for a car but then it does tick a lot of boxes.
The new M5 is good-looking, practical, comfortable, gets four-wheel-drive (a M5 first) and is absolutely jam-packed with tech.
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Head-up display, 10-inch touchscreen and gesture control are all standard plus safety systems like lane departure and park assist.
On the options list you'll find a £3,090 Bowers & Wilkins surround sound system, rear-seat screens (£1,995) and £1,595 for night vision.
But what's it like to drive? After all you don't buy a M5 just to look at your toys inside.
First impressions are that it's fast. Like really fast.
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Floor it and with the xDrive four-wheel-drive system in place you'll get all of the power and rocket off the line. There's a generous roar from those quad exhaust pipes, too.
If you've gone for the £7,495 carbon ceramic brakes (with gold calipers, obviously) you'll stop as quickly as you started.
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If you're feeling a bit naughty you can switch off all the tech goodies and light up the rear wheels for some good old fashioned "M" fun.
It's smooth and in comfort settings rides like any self-respecting 5 Series.
The eight-speed auto gearbox is slick - even when nudged into manual and you're racing through gears with the flappy paddles.
You could happily take the kids to school, drive to the office then go nuts at a trackday at the weekend. What's not to love, right?
Facts and figures
BMW M5
Power: 592bhp
0-62mph: 3.4 seconds
Top speed: 155mph (190mph de-limited)
Economy: 26.9mpg
CO2: 241g/km
Price: From £89,640
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Correct but the trouble is the M5 doesn't feel special enough - certainly not £100,000 special anyway.
Since the first M5 burst onto the scene in 1984 it's had a certain reputation for being a bit of a wild child.
And this generation - while a great car - is missing an ounce of fun that'll help it take the fight to its biggest rival: the Mercedes AMG E63.
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