The 2012 MMMM5
When it comes to ultimate driving machines, BMW goes beyond the tag line. With stiff competition from Audi, Cadillac’s CTS-V and the Euro-hatch Porsche Panamera Turbo in recent years, the class leading Bavarian bad boy sedan was due for a much anticipated update to regain its spot at the top of the list. With the 2012 M5, the title of world’s fastest sedan is soundly back in Bavarian control.
For a car that invented the category, the fifth generation M5 continues to push the envelope further, refining what we have come to expect since it was introduced in 1984. Raw power, elegant yet sporty styling, best in class handling and doing it all fast as hell while carrying five full grown adults and four doors – that is quite a feat. As capable on the track as it would be traversing the I-4 corridor, we could not give up the opportunity to get to know this Monte Carlo Bimmer.
The design of the 2012 M5 is classic in the BMW sense. Based on the already handsome 5 Series, there are no controversial lines or creases, just pure perfection and beauty. Beyond the sculpted surface, color, paintwork and material, excellence is expressed via an aerodynamic design that is both functional and bold. The designers and engineers at BMW M Division know that form and function go hand in hand, and they work to create solutions that combine these two aspects into a car that is nothing short of a spectacular work of art. New signature M touches include a fender vent and turn indicator, flared wheel arches, rear lip and four exhaust pipes that let everyone behind you (which will be the majority of the cars on the road) know that you mean business.
The interior evokes the playfulness a sports car, yet yields the refinement and style of an elegant sedan. From the fine grain Merino leather upholstery, flawless brushed aluminum, elegant controls and well curated cockpit – the cabin makes no compromise. Oriented towards the driver, the intuitive controls can be managed by voice command and the iDrive fob near the shifter that is ergonomically positioned to make the driving experience flawless fun. With seats that literally grab you, you and four friends just strap in and enjoy the ride.
Under the hood you’ll find the twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter V-8 engine that is quickly becoming a BMW calling card. It is the first turbocharged engine to ever be fitted under the M5’s hood and the first appearance in an M car outside the X5 M and X6 M SUVs. Horsepower is up five from its already impressive predecessor and torque is up two from the two aforementioned SUVs to 560 hp and 502 lb-ft, respectively. This makes the 4.4-liter V-8 in the 2012 M5 the most powerful engine ever fitted in a series-produced model from BMW M division. It also provides the most efficient balance between performance and fuel consumption for an M. Want to know what 0–62 mph in 4.4 seconds, 0–124 mph in 13.0 seconds, and a top speed limited to 155 mph (but capable of 190 mph) feels like? Now you will. And best of all, it achieves these statistics while requiring 30 percent less fuel than previous models.
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BMW has now confirmed that both the seven-speed dual-clutch transmission and do-it-yourself six-speed manual transmission will be available here in the States. While you will have to wait until 2013 for that trick, it will be well worth the wait. Initial models will feature a button on the center console adjusts the engine’s management system for the desired performance characteristics - Efficient, Comfort, Sport and Sport Plus. Each with their own feel and factory ready settings, you will be able to customize the type of driving experience you have every day. Either way, it all boils down to one thing – you won’t drive anything else like this car.
There are those that thought it could not be done, but BMW continues to improve upon the formula it created over 28 years ago when it first introduced the M5 to us. With this faster, more efficient, more powerful incarnation of the car that defined the segment, those crazy Bavarians show us that no matter what the competition does to imitate, they will never innovate as fast as they do. The 2012 BMW M5 is the ultimate driving machine, hands down.
