Meracious performance in the BMW M5 comes courtesy an incredible 600 PS available from 5,600 revs up until 6,700. The peak torque of 750 Nm starts from as low as 1,800 and stays strong and flat till 5,600. The red-line is above 7,000 rpm and — you better believe it — the M Dynamic Mode knows just how to make the most of that area. Furthermore, the M Driver’s Package is standard on this one and that means a more focused choice of sport mode set-ups as well as easier access to fine-tuning, essentially in the form of two individual modes with their individual buttons — named M1 and M2 — on the wheel, and a top speed limited to 305 km/h.
Our test conditions were far from ideal. It was a hot day and wind was present but only just. M Dynamic Mode engaged with 4WD for maximum traction off the line, gear-shift set to level three and “S”, the BMW M5 roared off blitzing the tarmac. “Blitz” I say because that’s what it feels like. I was momentarily disoriented with the acceleration, so much so that I forgot I had to flick the paddle to shift up. It had held first gear, and the revs at 7,200 rpm, bellowing like a whipped demon withholding its fire-breath. Run aborted quickly, it was time for another go. Nought to 100 km/h was dismissed in 4.7 seconds and it demolished the quarter-mile in 12.4 seconds. Kicking through the gears, the M5 managed to successfully “obliviate” any memories I had of speed. It felt far more ferocious than a certain feral feline I embrace as the most engaging one I’ve ever had, and more like a wild bull I had the chance to thrash around a racing circuit. Such is the intensity of the driver involvement that motion blur is an apt real-life description. The only decipherable vision being the fast-diminishing grey tarmac and the fast-counting numbers on the HUD heading well into triple digits with sensory overload preventing me from blinking.
And it’s not just fast in a straight line. Its balance and composure, and those carbon brakes, give you enough reassurance to throw it into bends at speeds on the edge of reason, knowing full well that the weight and its distribution will keep it planted and on course. It’s far from a barge and far too close to a supercar to be taken lightly. Through it all, there I was, grinning at the sight of the surrounding blur, the orchestral engine note, the feel of my hands on the soft wheel, and the caress of those M sports seats.
Switch back to Comfort, and the sweet noise disappears, the steering lightens up, and the bumpy road surface floats away. The gauge reads 6.5 km/l. That was a hardcore run. Given its versatile mapping, smooth start/stop and cylinder deactivation, it will return almost twice that on highways. At Rs 1.44 crore plus personalisation, options, and taxes, the BMW M5 makes you sit up and take notice. There are no real negatives. It does everything you want it do and it does it well. It’s a sport-luxury family saloon that can hold four adults and their luggage in absolute comfort and beat some pretty big names at the drag strip before making its way to a glitzy corporate bash. Show it tarmac and it will thrill you endlessly. BMW M don’t cut corners, they simply blitz them in the classiest manner possible doing what they do best. Physics be damned.
Need to Know – BMW M5
Price: Rs 1.44 crore (ex-showroom)
Engine: 4,395 cc, V8, 2x twin-scroll turbos, direct injection, petrol
Max Power: 600 PS @ 5,600-6,700 rpm
Max Torque: 750 Nm @ 1,800-5,600 rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed, dual-clutch automatic, all-wheel drive/selectable rear-wheel drive
Suspension: Double wishbone front, five-link rear, adaptive, with variable damper control
Weight: 1,865 kg
Performance: 4.78 s 0-100 km/h, 305 km/h top speed, 7.8 km/l overall
