2025 Fat A** BMW M5

[vagabond]

Hmm.. I really like heavy, fast cars. Odd man out here but I think BMW has done well with these cars. They feel really good cruising with that much power and that much weight. Even if heavy, it's still tossable on the track. I almost bought an M5CS vs. the Blackwing last year. It was the manual transmission and emotional experience that pushed me toward the Blackwing.

 

[mfcentex]

Hmm.. I really like heavy, fast cars. Odd man out here but I think BMW has done well with these cars. They feel really good cruising with that much power and that much weight. Even if heavy, it's still tossable on the track. I almost bought an M5CS vs. the Blackwing last year. It was the manual transmission and emotional experience that pushed me toward the Blackwing.

I think you got it right "cruising". The M3 and M5 are good highway cruising cars. Fast, but feel like big long cars. Driving the M3 felt heavy, I can't imagine what the M5 feels like.

 

[Mutz]

Hmm.. I really like heavy, fast cars. Odd man out here but I think BMW has done well with these cars. They feel really good cruising with that much power and that much weight. Even if heavy, it's still tossable on the track. I almost bought an M5CS vs. the Blackwing last year. It was the manual transmission and emotional experience that pushed me toward the Blackwing.

I have my suspicions that 5000+ lbs is “tossable”. Maybe you can toss it into a gravel trap or wall on track.

 

[SIX 40]

I still want a BW and I'm still on the list at Sewell but if I'm being honest, I love my M5C. 2 years in and it's still tight as a drum. It's been virtually trouble free except for the coolant expansion tank which I'm sure you BMW fans know about. They finally issued a recall but I haven't received the letter yet. It's whisper quiet inside with very little road or wind noise until I open the exhaust, then it's just quiet. The gas mileage is decent and my local dealer has 100 loaner cars if I need one. I've always purchased/driven American cars so this all was a pleasant surprise.

Having said that, while it's nice to cruise home in after a long day at work or to take the family out, I'm never compelled to just get in and drive on a Sunday morning. That's where the BW comes in (someday lol).

 

[NorCal Blackwing]

It's not over for the M division. There are too many BMW fanboys and too many people that have drank the coolaide that there will always be people to buy these cars.

Yup, I was going to say the same thing - the portion of actual enthusiasts buying brand new BMW M products is probably quite small. Most enthusiasts don't have much money but some have a whole lot. For those, they will release a lighter and better CS variant in very limited numbers for absurd markups. I guess it's working because everyone else is trying to copy them...

 

[SIX 40]

Yeah, my F90 will likely never see a road course and the G90 less so. I would like to find an abandoned landing strip one of these days, however.

 

[565565]

Is it weird I kinda want it? At least the wagon.

 

[BimmerFan]

A few thoughts, if I may. Me, also a previous E39 M5 owner, as well as an E28 M5 and lots of others... and current CT5V-BW owner.

BMW makes a great car. I strongly disagree with whoever said that this new fat pig won't survive a day at the track - I'm sure it will. They are designed and built for that kind of abuse. I've driven the F90 M5 and it is an awesome thing. I think it's too expensive though, and so the last 5 series I bought was a 550, which is very close to an M5 but like $50K cheaper. But not once did I feel like I was driving a "real" M car either...

That said, very few people are going to take their new $130K car to the track. Or their $30K car. We are the outliers, not them. Me personally, I believe that these cars are built for that purpose, and to not drive them at least once on the track is a sacrilege. But I get that it's not for everyone. And it's dangerous, and expensive, yada, yada, yada.

I think the reason that most BMW M owners have not gravitated to the BW line is, aside from availability, that there is just still a lot of baggage on the GM product and Cadillac especially. I confess that I initially discounted the BW because I knew I wouldn't be able to get one, and the OG CTS-V was just so hideous inside that I couldn't believe that it would get much better. Fortunately I was wrong on both counts.

 

[BimmerFan]

Is it weird I kinda want it? At least the wagon.

No, I don't think that's weird. It's like when you see a really hot woman (or man, if that's your thing) and you just know that they are going to be a train wreck and you'll probably get a disease but you can't help to think "yeah, but what a ride!"

 

[mfcentex]

Is it weird I kinda want it? At least the wagon.

A utility vehicle is nice to have. I mean it weighs almost as much as a half ton truck. Might as well have some hauling capability.

Full transparency, I drive a half ton 4 door truck 50% of the time.

 

[1Evil55]

Is it weird I kinda want it? At least the wagon.

Nope. Wagons are just baddass IMO.

 

[Super Saloon]

A few thoughts, if I may. Me, also a previous E39 M5 owner, as well as an E28 M5 and lots of others... and current CT5V-BW owner.

BMW makes a great car. I strongly disagree with whoever said that this new fat pig won't survive a day at the track - I'm sure it will. They are designed and built for that kind of abuse. I've driven the F90 M5 and it is an awesome thing. I think it's too expensive though, and so the last 5 series I bought was a 550, which is very close to an M5 but like $50K cheaper. But not once did I feel like I was driving a "real" M car either...

That said, very few people are going to take their new $130K car to the track. Or their $30K car. We are the outliers, not them. Me personally, I believe that these cars are built for that purpose, and to not drive them at least once on the track is a sacrilege. But I get that it's not for everyone. And it's dangerous, and expensive, yada, yada, yada.

I think the reason that most BMW M owners have not gravitated to the BW line is, aside from availability, that there is just still a lot of baggage on the GM product and Cadillac especially. I confess that I initially discounted the BW because I knew I wouldn't be able to get one, and the OG CTS-V was just so hideous inside that I couldn't believe that it would get much better. Fortunately I was wrong on both counts.

Time will tell how it performs on the track. This car is over 1,000 lbs heavier than the outgoing version. I’m not sure how many 5K+ lb cars are designed and tested at the track. Could it put up impressive numbers for a lap or two? Probably. But how would it manage a 20 min + session? Not so confident here. You are asking a lot from the tires and brakes with that kind of power and weight. It in turn will generate a lot of heat. I can’t imagine this being a good track car.

 

[Orange Whip]

A few thoughts, if I may. Me, also a previous E39 M5 owner, as well as an E28 M5 and lots of others... and current CT5V-BW owner.

BMW makes a great car. I strongly disagree with whoever said that this new fat pig won't survive a day at the track - I'm sure it will. They are designed and built for that kind of abuse. I've driven the F90 M5 and it is an awesome thing. I think it's too expensive though, and so the last 5 series I bought was a 550, which is very close to an M5 but like $50K cheaper. But not once did I feel like I was driving a "real" M car either...

That said, very few people are going to take their new $130K car to the track. Or their $30K car. We are the outliers, not them. Me personally, I believe that these cars are built for that purpose, and to not drive them at least once on the track is a sacrilege. But I get that it's not for everyone. And it's dangerous, and expensive, yada, yada, yada.

I think the reason that most BMW M owners have not gravitated to the BW line is, aside from availability, that there is just still a lot of baggage on the GM product and Cadillac especially. I confess that I initially discounted the BW because I knew I wouldn't be able to get one, and the OG CTS-V was just so hideous inside that I couldn't believe that it would get much better. Fortunately I was wrong on both counts.

By coincidence, there's an E39 on BaT: https://bringatrailer.com/listing/2002-bmw-m5-233/

Just looking at it makes it clear how much BMW has lost the plot.

 

[BimmerFan]

By coincidence, there's an E39 on BaT: https://bringatrailer.com/listing/2002-bmw-m5-233/

Just looking at it makes it clear how much BMW has lost the plot.

OMG, that's just crazy (auction ended at $101K + premium). I've owned three of those things, each one was problematic in its own special way. Add onto that that it is now a 22 year-old car, and things that don't fail just because of BMW will fail just because of age.

I mean, don't get me wrong, I'd still love to have my first one (also LeMans blue) because it was such a special, unique car, but the idea of buying one like this auction that you can't drive because it will depreciate too much, and will probably have a CEL every time you start it (because it sits/sat too much) and ... well, I don't collect cars. I drive them.

FWIW, brief history, my first E39 was a 528 (issues...) then the one-owner 5 year-old 2003 LeMans Blue (w/16K miles) that got totalled, then a three-owner 2000 w/15K that burned oil like a freight train and had bad paint and didn't run quite right, then a 2003 multiple owner with about 120K on it that was OK, but never lit my fire like the first one. I was actually able to flip the second and third cars for a minor profit, but it wasn't worth the hassle.

 

[dizz81]

OMG, that's just crazy (auction ended at $101K + premium). I've owned three of those things, each one was problematic in its own special way. Add onto that that it is now a 22 year-old car, and things that don't fail just because of BMW will fail just because of age.

I mean, don't get me wrong, I'd still love to have my first one (also LeMans blue) because it was such a special, unique car, but the idea of buying one like this auction that you can't drive because it will depreciate too much, and will probably have a CEL every time you start it (because it sits/sat too much) and ... well, I don't collect cars. I drive them.

FWIW, brief history, my first E39 was a 528 (issues...) then the one-owner 5 year-old 2003 LeMans Blue (w/16K miles) that got totalled, then a three-owner 2000 w/15K that burned oil like a freight train and had bad paint and didn't run quite right, then a 2003 multiple owner with about 120K on it that was OK, but never lit my fire like the first one. I was actually able to flip the second and third cars for a minor profit, but it wasn't worth the hassle.

I swear whenever you talk about cars it sounds you have the most miserable experiences with them. lol

 

[quikag]

Still waiting for BMW to say it was a misprint as the quoted 5,400lbs is gross weight, not curb weight or something. But, nothing yet.

I just don't see how BMW added 1,000lbs by hybridizing the F90 M5, but apparently they did. Just wow.

Also, BMW has done well recently with making track capable cars, but laws of physics will dictate how well a 5,400lb fatty stuffed full of turbo V8, electric motors, batteries, etc. is going to hold up for a hard 30 minute track session in hot weather. Tires, brakes, cooling systems are going to get worked HARD. Harder than a 2-Euro whore outside of a Munich beer hall during Oktoberfest.

 

[BimmerFan]

I swear whenever you talk about cars it sounds you have the most miserable experiences with them. lol

LOL, I do tend to dwell on the negative, don't I?

 

[Dirkbg]

Along with my emails from Cadillac wanting me to buy the newer year BW or SUV, I get ads from Chevrolet wanting me to buy a Corvette. This thread got me interested in seeing the weight difference of the Corvette E-Ray versus the base car. So per Car and Driver the base hardtop Corvette is 3647 versus 3965 for the E-ray (2024). So the drive tunnel battery and front motor is only 300 lbs more (and AWD to boot). I'm not sure what all the BMW is adding, but the Corvette didn't pay a hefty price for electrification. I'm a little surprised though how heavy the Corvette is in general for a two-seater. The CT4BW is 3851, so only 200 more than the base 'Vette and 100 less than the E-ray.

 

[Orange Whip]

Along with my emails from Cadillac wanting me to buy the newer year BW or SUV, I get ads from Chevrolet wanting me to buy a Corvette. This thread got me interested in seeing the weight difference of the Corvette E-Ray versus the base car. So per Car and Driver the base hardtop Corvette is 3647 versus 3965 for the E-ray (2024). So the drive tunnel battery and front motor is only 300 lbs more (and AWD to boot). I'm not sure what all the BMW is adding, but the Corvette didn't pay a hefty price for electrification. I'm a little surprised though how heavy the Corvette is in general for a two-seater. The CT4BW is 3851, so only 200 more than the base 'Vette and 100 less than the E-ray.

900 pounds: https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a61444983/2025-bmw-m5-plug-in-hybrid-system-weight/

 

[Super Saloon]

Along with my emails from Cadillac wanting me to buy the newer year BW or SUV, I get ads from Chevrolet wanting me to buy a Corvette. This thread got me interested in seeing the weight difference of the Corvette E-Ray versus the base car. So per Car and Driver the base hardtop Corvette is 3647 versus 3965 for the E-ray (2024). So the drive tunnel battery and front motor is only 300 lbs more (and AWD to boot). I'm not sure what all the BMW is adding, but the Corvette didn't pay a hefty price for electrification. I'm a little surprised though how heavy the Corvette is in general for a two-seater. The CT4BW is 3851, so only 200 more than the base 'Vette and 100 less than the E-ray.

882lbs from the battery and I’m guessing the rest is from the increased size as the car got bigger.

From Car and Driver “the M5 has grown 1.2 inches longer overall, 2.7 inches wider, and 2.1 inches taller. Its wheelbase is also stretched by 0.9 inch.”

https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a61444983/2025-bmw-m5-plug-in-hybrid-system-weight/

https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a61314879/2025-bmw-m5-revealed/