Where will it end? It's a question I found myself asking as I tore away from a set of lights in the new BMW M5 Competition. My question was a rhetorical one and while it initially pertained to the unrelenting acceleration, once things had calmed down to a mild panic, I was asking the automotive industry as a whole. This sort of brutal acceleration and savagery is not for the inexperienced hand, yet anyone can walk into the showroom, sign on the dotted line, part with a substantial amount of folding matter, and walk out with what many will argue is the current pinnacle of BMW performance.
I disembark at my destination and step back from the M5 Comp and consider the package presented in front of me. The term 'sleeper' springs to mind; an unassuming presence that packs an almighty punch.
Styling
Those in the know will immediately identify the F90 M5 as being just that, an M5. For the layman though, the G30 5 Series doesn't make a song and dance about its lineage or capabilities. It does what it needs to do in the most undercover way possible. The F90 M5 only just elevates the 'business athlete' profile with larger wheels and enlarged air dams. The changes are subtle but duly noted by the motoring enthusiast.
It's much the same with the M5 Competition; the changes are small but significant. You certainly aren't paying for outlandish bodywork.
The Competition is finished off in Frozen Dark Silver Metallic and the accents are brushed with gloss black, doing away with the chrome trimmings. The kidney grille, side gills and mirror caps are all treated to this gloss black treatment, as is the rear apron, and the tiniest of Gurney flaps on the rear deck lid. A black M5 badge on the boot lid lets others know that you paid a little extra for your M5.
Rolling stock is in the form of a set of lightweight, 20-inch diameter, multi-spoke forged alloy wheels shod in sticky Pirelli P Zero tyres. Measuring in at 275mm wide in front and 285mm wide at the rear, they have their work cut out for them when the M5 Competition is put through its paces. You'll hardly notice that the M5 Competition is 7 mm lower than a regular M5.
This alone is not enough to alert passersby as to the potential hidden within.
The Drive
So we've assessed that the BMW M5 is fairly unassuming, sliding in under the radar, for the most part, barely raising an eyebrow as it burbles along. This is part of the appeal of the M5; being able to cruise along sedately in a quiet, comfortable fashion. It does this rather well too and comfort levels are only marginally hampered by the large wheels and tyres that feedback a little more than one would want from a long-distance cruiser. Employ the M5 for the daily commute and this will hardly bother you, the suspension doing admirable work of absorbing the bumps and undulations of the road. Provided you have it set up for this, of course.
The BMW M5 Competition has a smorgasbord of settings for everything from the engine response, suspension dynamics, steering weight and response, gear change severity and yes, the all-important Active Exhaust setting, allowing you to find the best fit for your mood and the driving conditions.
As a GT car, it's sublime, eating up mile after mile of tarmac without even breaking a sweat, leaving you in isolated comfort, hardly any effort required to get you to where you need to be. The 8-speed M Steptronic gearbox is hardly even noticeable as it selects the next gear. The Competition is more tautly sprung than the non-Competition M5 but even this doesn't detract from the ride quality.
Performance
It's hard to ignore the two gleaming red M buttons on the steering wheel, labelled M1 and M2. These two, evil little buttons will taunt and tempt you into behaving like a right hooligan. Pressing either of these will select a more aggressive drive mode, open up the quad-exit exhaust and see the 'box shift down a cog or three. It's akin to a pressure cooker, priming you for a flurry of noise and speed, the throttle pedal being transformed into hair-trigger. Both of these settings, M1 and M2, can be customized by the driver, most choosing a relatively safe, but aggressive setting for M1 and then disabling the driver aides and activating rear-wheel-drive mode for M2 – for the boldest of bold only.
You read correctly, a rear-wheel-drive setting – the party-piece of the BMW M5. Equipped with a rather smart M xDrive all-wheel-drive system, the M5 allows you to select a mode that will disable drive to the front wheels and plumb it to solely to the rears, allow you to hang it out in spectacular fashion.
It will do this rather easy though as the power provided by the 4.4-liter twin turbo V8 errs on the side of 'too-much' (for a road-going, daily driver at least). The standard M5 produces an impressive 441 kW (591 hp) with 750 Nm of torque on hand but the Competition takes it that one step further with an output of 460 kW (617 hp), dropping the 0 – 100 km/h sprint time from 3.4-seconds down to 3.3-seconds – that from a 1855 kg executive sedan!
The pull is relentless and each gear is taken with a firm and purposeful shove. Boot it off the line and, even with the M xDrive in the all-wheel-drive mode, the M5 Competition will wiggle and squirm as the tyres scrabble for traction. You should never see the burn of the traction control light in an all-wheel-drive vehicle but in the M5 Competition, it's a constant companion, earning its keep every step of the way.
Stopping the M5 Competition is as easy as getting it going even if you do feel the weight of the large saloon car. Gargantuan brake discs fill the wheels and six-pot callipers clamp down to bring the M5 Competition to a stop.
Space and Comfort
Breathe, calm yourself down and let your heart rate drop back down to respectable levels and you'll be able to absorb the environment that is the 5 Series cabin. Large and spacious, the BMW M5 Competition is as suited to shuttling four adults along in splendid comfort as it is blasting around a racetrack.
The electric, memory seats do a stellar job of providing lateral support through the corners and then doubling as a lounge-suite for the commute. Passengers in the rear are treated to a similar level of comfort and the cognac coloured leather of our press vehicle does wonders to elevate the impression of space inside.
Safety
It's not all about careening around with your hair on fire, the M5 Competition is a sublime daily driver, a commuter and a cruiser. Mixing it with lesser mortals on the road is not an issue thanks to the multitude of driver assistance systems and safety features of the M5.
Six airbags, crash-active head restraints and a host of electronic aides are at your side, guarding you in the event of an accident. Dynamic Stability Control with M Dynamic Mode, Cornering Brake Control, and Dynamic Brake Control are all there to help prevent the accident in the first place.
The standard array of lane departure, lane keep and active, adaptive cruise control with blind-spot monitoring help guard you on the move while a 360-degree camera and park distance control helps you wiggle in and out of tight parking paces.
Fuel Consumption
Seriously? Fuel consumption in an M5?
Well, in the name of being thorough, the manufacturer claims an average of 10.6 l/100km on the combined cycle but let's be serious here, fuel is a small price to pay for the sheer lunacy of the M5 Competition. Might I suggest a 120d if you're looking to be economical?
Price
Performance comes at a price, it always has and always will and as such the BMW M5 Competition is not a cheap car. What it does represent is value. An impeccable build quality, sublime road manners and eye-watering performance bundled into a manageable package that can slot into just about anyone's lifestyle.
The BMW M5 Competition is listed at R2 062 433 before you've added a few options for connectivity, heated seats and the likes. Expect a repayment of R41 385 per month with a 10% deposit over 60 months at an interest rate of 12%.
The Verdict
The BMW M5 Competition is a remarkable offering from the German manufacturer. They place a lot of emphasis on their heritage and product lineup and the M5 has always been somewhat of a halo car for the firm. As such, much thought and development have gone into making the M5 as competent as possible, and it shows. It's a tough product to fault and the small idiosyncrasies melt away when the throttle is pressed and the M5 Competition is thrown into a corner.
The Competition model builds on the M5 foundation but manages to do so without compromising the appeal of the regular M5 – its manageability and flexibility. It's a 4-door cruiser with enough space for several sets of golf clubs and yet it will still rocket to 200 km/h in a fraction over 10-seconds.
A sweeter spot is yet to be struck.
