- Doors and Seats
4 doors, 5 seats
- Engine
5.0i, 8 cyl.
- Engine Power
294kW, 500Nm
- Fuel
Petrol (98) 9.8L/100KM
- Manufacturer
RWD
- Transmission
Manual
- Warranty
NA
- Ancap Safety
NA
1999 BMW M5 (E39) review: Quick drive
Stealth on wheels
PIGEONHOLE: World's most powerful sedan.
PHILOSOPHY: Discreet steel fist in velvet glove.
WHO'S BUYING IT: Corporate captains, self-employed success stories and wannabes with cash flow.
WHY YOU'D BUY IT: You have 12 points left on your licence and can afford to lose some. You have a genuine appreciation of engineering finesse but, above all, you like leaving aggro kids in hotted up Asian cars wondering what the hell happened.
WHY YOU WOULDN'T: Keeping your licence will require concentration and willpower. The M5 is not much good as a symbol of conspicuous consumption, either. The sober exterior gives no clue that you've just spent $220,000 on the ultimate big boy's toy.
STANDARD EQUIPMENT: Full luxury kit includes Nappa leather with polished timber or brushed "titanium" trim, rain-sensing wipers, xenon gas discharge headlamps, black chrome alloy wheels, remarkably restrained body kit and the usual climate control, power everything interior. Heated sports seats, too.
SAFETY: Five Series donor body has achieved good crash test ratings in independent tests. The M5 uses the same technology, which includes eight airbags, an innovative body structure and anti-lock brakes. Great dynamics give the M5 first class active safety.
CABIN: Space is identical to the cooking model 5 Series although the trimmings are deluxe. Handy cockpit storage, good boot. Satellite navigation and of course, the in-dash television set. Sensibly, the picture shuts down when the car moves.
SEATING: More aggressive M sports buckets with electric seat back, length, height and thigh-rest adjustment, lumbar support, electric heating and memory seat position. All seats should be this good. Rear pew is contoured for two and although comfortable, legroom could be more generous.
ENGINE: Forget that Chevrolet lump in the new Commodore, this is a V8! Fitted to the all-alloy non-moving castings are 32 valves, eight throttle butterflies, four adjustable camshafts, three oil pumps, a switchable two-stage exhaust system and enough computer grunt to file the tax returns for a dozen postcodes. The result is 294kW and 500Nm - extremely silly numbers - capable of snapping your neck in the first four gears. From rest to 100km/h (in 5.3 seconds), the performance will frighten many Ferraris.
TRANSMISSION: Heavy duty six-speed manual. There's no automatic. The clutch and shifter can be hard work in city driving as they're not quite co-ordinated. Clutch durability with this much torque is not likely to be a strong point.
STEERING: Thick-rimmed M Sport wheel connects to a heavily modified suspension. When the exhaust system automatically switches to sport mode the steering ratio speeds up which seems like German engineering overkill. Precise, crisp response is the order of the day.
RIDE: Firm but fair. This is heavy duty hardware and can feel like it on broken or patched surfaces.
HANDLING: Sensational grip and poise aided by an electronic safety net incorporating traction control (you need it, trust me) and computerised automatic stability system. Only by switching off the traction control does the enormity of the engine performance become obvious. The M5 leaves its own black road markings. The only downside is 1,800kg of kerb weight.
FUEL: Extremely thirsty when driven in anger. More than 20 litres per 100km. Even more on a racetrack.
BRAKES: Fantastic, even when hammered hard for lap after lap at Phillip Island raceway. Innovative disc construction disperses heat. Anti-lock control is not obtrusive. In their own way, the brakes are just as impressive as the engine.
BUILD: As good as any BMW 5 Series that has been hand-assembled by the best technicians at a special factory. That said, BMWs don't stand the test of time quite as well as arch-rivals, Mercedes. The trim bits don't seem as durable.
WARRANTY: Two years/unlimited which is a lot less than offered on a $13,990 Hyundai.
ANTI-THEFT: The Reserve Bank vault would seem easier to crack. The M5 has the latest immobiliser technology and locking hardware.
AUDIO SYSTEM: Didn't listen. Was too busy with engine music. The specification includes Dolby DSC and the latest gadgets.
COST: Round figures? Officially $198,500 plus on-road costs. The service costs may make your eyes water, particularly as this complex car ages. Service is free for the first two years but after that the minimum wallet damage is around $1,000. The tyre bill will be big. BMW has more orders than cars for next year so full retail prices will hold firm.
VERDICT: Stealth on wheels. It looks like a cruiser for fat cats but drives like a well-mannered howitzer round. Politically incorrect and enormously potent, it is a wonderful statement of high German technology but it is also totally wasted anywhere in Australia - except on a racetrack.