LONG-TERM TEST:
BMW M5 Competition Package
Johannesburg - It was almost exactly a year ago when we first tested BMW’s latest M5 in vivid metallic Sakhir Orange with added Competition Package trimmings, added boost pressure, and added tyre smoke.
At the time we were relieved to discover that the extra power that comes courtesy of the Competition Pack deal reflected at the drag strip, where our Vbox test equipment confirmed that 12 more kilowatts equates to three tenths of a second from 0-100km/h. That’s 4.3 versus a normal M5’s 4.6 to be exact.
This was an absolute hoodlum of a car capable of carrying five passengers not only in executive class comfort, but also in huge sideways sliding arcs, if you so wished. It heaves mid-range torque like an Olympic hammer thrower, and, if spinning up the rear tyres in third gear on the highway is your thing, the M5 CP will happily oblige.
This is a 423kW/680Nm ballistic behemoth intent on facial distortion, and now we’re going to find out what it’s like to live with on a daily basis for the next year.
WATCH OUT, IT'S A SLEEPER
The latest vehicle to come through this publication’s revolving long-term test car door is another M5 in Competition Package trim, fitted with the same special lightweight 20” alloys, free-flow exhaust, and electronically adjustable shocks with stiffer springs as that flamboyantly orange model we drove in May last year. The only difference is this one’s been delivered in sleeper-spec, with a much more cloak-and-dagger style Singapore Grey paint hue.
And we kind of like it this way. There’s something to be said for driving a car that leaves tar squiggles at robots and can overtake a line of three trucks in a single bound, without advertising its abilities in flashy colour schemes. Our M5 sits humbly behind an unassuming shroud with only a set of modestly styled bumpers, a slim rear spoiler and four darkened tailpipes to designate what fire lies beneath its sheet metal. I’d also remove the M5 bootlid badge if it were my car ...
RAISING THE TOP END
As of October all BMW M5s (and M6s, M3s and M4s) bought with Competition Packs in South Africa also come with complimentary M Driver’s Packages, meaning that electronic governors are set to 305km/h (280 in M3 and M4) instead of the usual 250. This, was apparently a big deal among local customers, who, regardless of their stance on speed-limit compliance, were jumping up and down at the fact that Mercedes AMG had already offered similar de-restrictions in its cars.
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It’s also important to note that this governor lift can be performed as a retrofit option on all current M derivatives (for R44 499), and it was a strategic decision from BMW SA to give us a pre-October model without the electronic delimiter in place. After six months we’ll send our M5 to an authorised dealership where a simple plug-and-play modification will see the already frighteningly fast Beemer’s speedo needle make a full sweep across its dial face.
BIG PLANS
We’ve got some big plans after that and, though we can’t yet divulge full details, there’s a certain 294.68km/h Jaguar F-Type which should keep a close eye on its recent South African production-vehicle class land-speed record. Let’s just say that if we were to have a go at claiming that accolade for ourselves and BMW SA, we don’t think the 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 under this M5’s hood would have much problem snatching it away. Consider that a fired warning shot.
At this point we’re still in acclimatisation mode and though the boss and I have saved our respective seating positions with the handy memory function, we’re still arguing over the standard Harman Kardon stereo system’s bass and treble settings – not to mention who hangs on to the keys over weekends. There is a way to save individual driver profiles into the complex iDrive system, so that I can enjoy my Blink 182 and he can enjoy talk radio, but to be honest we’ve so far been pre-occupied with the more entertaining driver control settings. Did I mention sideways sliding arcs?
We’ve got a lot to learn about the M5, including just how fast it can go in a straight line, but we’ve got a year to do it. Stay tuned. -Star Motoring
Engine: 4.4-litre, biturbo V8 petrol
Gearbox: Seven-speed M dual-clutch
Power: 423kW @ 6000-7000rpm
Torque: 680Nm @ 1500-5750rpm
0-100km/h (Tested, Gauteng): 4.3 seconds
Top speed (claimed): 250km/h
Consumption (claimed): 9.9 litres per 100km
Price (as tested): R1 590 791
Maintenance Plan: Five-year/100 000km
ALTERNATIVES
Audi RS7 Sportback (421kW/700Nm) - R1 596 000
Jaguar XFR-S (405kW/680Nm) - R1 444 690
Mercedes E 63 AMG S (430kW/800Nm) - R1 644 591