M5 gets great review

The Sunday Times, UK's biggest-selling quality Sunday paper reviewed the new
M5. Loved it and declared it the best sporting saloon in the world.

http://driving.timesonline.co.uk/sec...,12389,00.html

DAS
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"Dave Plowman (News)" > haute in die Tasten:

> Autocar loved it too.
>

So did Auto Motor Sport. They even showed some embarassment that they were
not able to find negative things, so they pointed out that you cannot order
factory installed fog lights, because the engine needs all the air it will
be able to get. Okay, it was only a brief first ride, not a complete test.

Frank

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>
> I think that SMG makes a lot of sense - with 7 forward gears
> it is easy to make a wrong shift - I bet that with manual box
> we would hear comments how hard it is to engage right gear
> in spirited driving.

why does it need seven gears?? a six speed would be fine. Or are they using
seven because thats what F-1 uses?

"Trey" > wrote in message
...
>
> >
> > I think that SMG makes a lot of sense - with 7 forward gears
> > it is easy to make a wrong shift - I bet that with manual box
> > we would hear comments how hard it is to engage right gear
> > in spirited driving.
>
> why does it need seven gears?? a six speed would be fine. Or are they
using
> seven because thats what F-1 uses?
>
Sorry, but a six speed manual is insufficient. After all, how else is BMW
going to justify its $85-95K price tag!

"Dave Plowman (News)" wrote in message

>
> I'd guess it had to be a new box to handle the torque, and they
> couldn't afford to do both.

An unrelated question about the new M5 - why have the designed it with a
go-faster button? Apparently UK examples will be restricted to 400bhp every
time they're started, until you press the magic button to give you access to
the full 507bhp [1].

Why?

On Tue, 21 Sep 2004 01:40:34 +0100, "Grant" > wrote:

>An unrelated question about the new M5 - why have the designed it with a
>go-faster button? Apparently UK examples will be restricted to 400bhp every
>time they're started, until you press the magic button to give you access to
>the full 507bhp [1].
>
>Why?

Just a guess - so that the illusion that the E39 M5 gives of a 'kick'
in responsiveness and power when you press the 'sport' button is
translated into something real?
--
Dan Drake

> Sorry, but a six speed manual is insufficient. After all, how else is
> BMW going to justify its $85-95K price tag!

hmm... toss in a 325 as a free gift?

Dan Drake wrote:
> On Tue, 21 Sep 2004 01:40:34 +0100, "Grant" > wrote:
>
>> An unrelated question about the new M5 - why have the designed it
>> with a go-faster button? Apparently UK examples will be restricted
>> to 400bhp every time they're started, until you press the magic
>> button to give you access to the full 507bhp [1].
>>
>> Why?
>
> Just a guess - so that the illusion that the E39 M5 gives of a 'kick'
> in responsiveness and power when you press the 'sport' button is
> translated into something real?

for most the driving that will take place (commuting,/traffic) you really
dont need 500HP, so why burn fuel at a 500HP rate? back off the timing to
make the engine run a little cooler, then lean out the fuel just a little to
get it back up to temp, your now at 400HP, and saving a little fuel... or am
I way off target?

"Grant" wrote in message

>
> An unrelated question about the new M5 - why have the designed it
> with a go-faster button? Apparently UK examples will be restricted to
> 400bhp every time they're started, until you press the magic button
> to give you access to the full 507bhp [1].
>
> Why?

Missing footnote alert.

[1] I *really* like the fact the engineers made it _exactly_ 507bhp. Can I
suggest 635bhp for the next one.....

"Trey" > haute in die Tasten:

> for most the driving that will take place (commuting,/traffic) you
> really dont need 500HP, so why burn fuel at a 500HP rate? back off the
> timing to make the engine run a little cooler, then lean out the fuel
> just a little to get it back up to temp, your now at 400HP, and saving
> a little fuel... or am I way off target?
>

From what I've read the 500 HP switch also changes the engine response
characteristics from "ordinary engine" to "nervous racing engine". This
may be not convenient when your wife and your mother-in-law happen to sit
in the car. AFAIK it was always a merit of the BMW M5 concept to deliver
both: A good sports car and a good sedan. German car mag Auto Motor Sport
described cruising around in the new M5 as surprisingly calm, quiet and
soft - as long as you do not hit the sport button;-)

Frank

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