Has anyone owned both 4vBW and 5vBW?

[348SStb]

Range is not something you hear about non-EVs.

The small gas tank and huge turning radius are the only things that annoy me about this great car.

My 5 is atrocious in the city. It will only go about 200 miles on a tank. But on a road trip i can do 300 or more. Amazing difference.

I would say it handles great. Look at the 5's lap times in Car & Driver's Lightning Lap - a good indicator she's pretty nimble too.

Lightning Lap Results 2006 to 2023: Every Car, Every Lap Time

We've tested hundreds of cars over more than a decade at Virginia International Raceway, which has proved itself the ultimate test of modern machinery.

www.caranddriver.com

There are a surprising number of forum members that have both cars, so you should be able to get some good input.

I’d say gas mileage is not something often talked about on non-EV high performance cars. But many of us who more consider the practical side of driving have sometimes learned the hard way to look at gas tank sizes and fuel economy before buying a car. I don’t want to go to the gas station every second time I drive a car or multiple times on a short day trip.

Here’s how I learned the hard way.

Back in 2009, I bought a 2009 M3 Convertible. Didn’t pay attention to potential driving range. Heavy car, great V8. Fuel tank size was 16.6 gallons. EPA says 13/20-16 (combined). Yea, right. If not driving it like a tampon but not crazy either, I was seeing 12 consistently. (With very aggressive driving it was 9). So 12 x 16.6 is 199 miles. With a guzzler like that one needs to be considering looking for fuel at least 50 miles out. So the effective range was around 150 miles, at best. That’s a joke. Every 3rd or 2nd time I was in the car: gas station. I like to drive — I don’t go for 15 minute to the suburb shops and go home.

I choose to allocate most of my free tome to my cars, but that’s absurd. I sold the car after 5 months.

A few years ago I was heavy into buying a new 2021 Shelby GT500, but I paused to look at these figures. Horrendous. Decided not to take the allocation.

It’s not about fuel economy per se, it’s about the range and how much inconvenience to which a person wants to expose himself

 

[CBH]

I'm used to ~150 mile range on my bikes, but stopping for gas is such a mild inconvenience. A trivial price to pay for enjoying a great ride or drive.

With the bikes, gassing up before the day trip is ritual. Gassing up again when you get there is just another part of it.

Like you said - it can be tricky to plan your route so that you aren't stranded with no gas, but google Leakey Texas. One of the best driving areas on planet earth, yet even bikes can refuel here, and at Campwood, and in Madina. Even though both of them have only one station.

I hope nobody buys pleasure cruisers for great gas mileage. I wish the 5BW had more fuel capacity too, but it just doesn't rise to the level of inconvenience to notice.

 

[348SStb]

Points taken, but it’s not about the gas mileage. It’s about the range. And avoiding dumb gas tank sizes.

I am blessed to own more than 5,618 horsepower across 12 performance cars, so I know about gas mileage and gas guzzling. Fortunately, I don’t own one that gives me a range of 150 miles.

It’s not a minor inconvenience to me to always be at the gas station because an automaker failed to put a good sized fuel tank in a car. It’s dumb engineering, so I buy elsewhere. Take a look at Ferrari gas tank sizes — they have always been huge. My 2007 599 GTB had a 27.7 gallon tank. It needed it at 8 miles per gallon. Porsche also has large gas tanks even though their cars are very fuel efficient.

Where I like to drive in the mountains of Western NC, I couldn’t even take a car like Shelby GT500 for the day. It’s not feasible and it’d be highly annoying. To each his own, but dumb design is dumb design.

I don’t think we are in that category with CT5 Blackwing, fortunately.

 

[Sebring20]

yup, like some euro exotics, they get terrible mileage but they have also have 24 gallon fuel tanks so you don't have to fill up all the time

 

[1Evil55]

Fuel efficiency never even crossed my mind when shopping BW's. It still doesn't

 

[Savethemanuals]

I will say the 5bw does give me “range anxiety” every time I fill up and it’s less than 200 miles to empty but agree with comments that the experience makes up for it. I would’ve paid extra for a larger fuel tank in a heartbeat.

 

[Squischer]

Which M cars? I think

i generally agree with this. My complaint with the 4BW is that it is too capable. Its AWESOME on track, but hard to be a hooligan. I feel like the M cars want to be sideways whereas the e-diff and general computing in the 4BW are like “that is not fastest way around this corner” when you try to be an imbecile, which is kind of ironic…. How very german of it.

That said, my only complaint is my car is too capable = i am keeping it forever. My tuned 335 RWD 6MT will trade ends whenever I want

I have had the E46, E60, E90, and 2 F80's. I get the whole fuel economy/range thing but this means nothing to me. There is really not much else out there, realistically. The IS500 is too soft, the Alfa Guila Quadrifoglio is too unreliable and our dealer is crappy service-wise, the M3's face is fugly, the M2 is too lego-y, and any AMG is too soft.
The one thing I do not understand about one comment Farah made about the 4BW was something to the effect of "The only downside to the 4BW is knowing that there is a 5BW". To me, that's like saying "The only downside to an E46 M3 its knowing there is an E39 M5". Both legendary cars in their own right, but its not like they are in the same "class".
And is the 5BW really $30K+ "better"?? That being said, I am leaning heavily towards the 5BW.......First world problems, I know!!!!!

 

[AC2024]

I have had the E46, E60, E90, and 2 F80's. I get the whole fuel economy/range thing but this means nothing to me. There is really not much else out there, realistically. The IS500 is too soft, the Alfa Guila Quadrifoglio is too unreliable and our dealer is crappy service-wise, the M3's face is fugly, the M2 is too lego-y, and any AMG is too soft.
The one thing I do not understand about one comment Farah made about the 4BW was something to the effect of "The only downside to the 4BW is knowing that there is a 5BW". To me, that's like saying "The only downside to an E46 M3 its knowing there is an E39 M5". Both legendary cars in their own right, but its not like they are in the same "class".
And is the 5BW really $30K+ "better"?? That being said, I am leaning heavily towards the 5BW.......First world problems, I know!!!!!

I am not going to say the 4BW is “better than the 5. That would be silly. However, having driven both I would say they are totally different cars (and probably for different buyers-I am guessing not many cross shop the BWs). This not so different from an e46 vs 39 or e60 vs 90.

The 5:
Other worldly fast. Like super car fast-in a sedan, that seats 4 grown men comfortably, no less. It’s unbelievable
The modern day brute in a suit- if I had to describe the 5 in one word—- brute
You definitely feel the size
Better as a luxury car if you want to cruise
Hard to use all the power for more than a few seconds

The 4:
The turn in and agility is considerably better and more engaging. Like driving a 3800 lb dragonfly.
It’s more fizzy and frantic-playful
You
Can use everything it’s got almost all the time

Sure, there is a significant price differential, but there is also a very different experience.

 

[668LT4]

The one thing I do not understand about one comment Farah made about the 4BW was something to the effect of "The only downside to the 4BW is knowing that there is a 5BW".

Regardless if you are a 4 guy or a 5 guy, there is no denying that the 5 is more exhilarating. It has a level of "bombastic" (to quote C&D or whichever mag penned that memorable title) from the supercharged V8 that the 4 does not have. And that is no knock on the 4, just a testament to the awesomeness of the 5.

 

[Roadhawk]

Regardless if you are a 4 guy or a 5 guy, there is no denying that the 5 is more exhilarating. It has a level of "bombastic" (to quote C&D or whichever mag penned that memorable title) from the supercharged V8 that the 4 does not have. And that is no knock on the 4, just a testament to the awesomeness of the 5.

I agree....though I've never driven the 5....I think I get it. However, I'm tempted, just for arguments sake, to claim and make a case for the 4 being a "better" car. Though I agree with ac2024 that would be a silly argument. What constitutes "better" anyway? Is faster always better? Are the headlights brighter? Is the carpeting softer? I could go on.

Better is largely a matter of subjectivity...though I could agree there are measurable values that could be compared (and to some gas mileage would be quite a negative for the 5). Anyway I get why the 5 is more special. But I feel very strongly that the 4 is the "better" overall car for me based on what I value most in a car and as a driver. Its performance is plenty joyful and in many ways I don't think it loses much to the 5 in most real performance driving situations.

I've driven large/powerful AMGs and Audis...and while I get that the 5 is "sportier" and has other desirable features like MT and a very special engine....I really prefer driving smaller cars that are are more nimble even if not as powerful etc, I played a part in talking a friend into selling his massive powerful AMG a few years back and him going back to driving his modded MK IV Jetta. Every time I see him he reiterates how happy he is driving his Jetta and that he didn't get the same joy out of the AMG. He's driven my 4 BW and drove it quite hard and was super impressed. He thought it was about the perfect car in every respect. I wouldn't be surprised if it was his next car.

 

[AC2024]

Regardless if you are a 4 guy or a 5 guy, there is no denying that the 5 is more exhilarating. It has a level of "bombastic" (to quote C&D or whichever mag penned that memorable title) from the supercharged V8 that the 4 does not have. And that is no knock on the 4, just a testament to the awesomeness of the 5.

I dont disagree in a sense-but i think we get into a dictionary fight. The sheer power of the 5 is unmatched and very special - and yes, incredibly exhilarating. However, you give me a canyon or mountain road or tight technical track and the 4 will give me more goosebumps (and is more exhilirating/awesome? ). They’re just different cars. The sheer size of the 5 made it never on my list to consider (i had the opportunity to drive one and took it for shits and giggles-and giggles there were plenty of!). Hell, even the 4 is too big for my tastes (although it does shrink around you when you start to push it whereas i felt like the 5 does not). So, yea, i still think 2 totally different and largely unrelated and incomparable cars and buyers.

But yes, id agree the 5 is certainly the bombastic brother. While fizzy, the 4 is for sure more composed (I've posted elsewhere one of my only gripes is the 4 is sometimes too composed and i would appreciate some more antics from time to time).

 

[668LT4]

I have never stated the 5 is a "better" car than the 4. I have owned and praised both cars. Different cars, different personalities. The attributes of the 5 are much more appealing to me than those of the 4.

A lot is made about of the lighter, more nimble 4. What is the weight difference here, 200 lbs? That's like one passenger. I don't know, short of a track, I don't drive on any twisting mountain roads in Colorado that I would rather have the 4 over my 5. And I have never made corners on public roads at the rate that I have on a track, so better turn in really does me no benefit as the streetcar. I would love to see videos of guys carving up public roads in a 4 that they could not do in a 5. I'm probably not as good of a driver as most everyone else here, and the 5 suits me just fine for my daily use.

I wish I loved the 4 as much and saved myself 60k. But for me, that extra 60k brings me an experience that I cannot feel in the 4. And it's absolutely worth it.

 

[1Evil55]

I think now we're just arguing differences of turbo's versus superchargers.

 

[668LT4]

I think now we're just arguing differences of turbo's versus superchargers.

Anyone who owns either of these cars is abundantly blessed. Praise God!

 

[Roadhawk]

Anyone who owns either of these cars is abundantly blessed. Praise God!

GM/Cadillac really need to be commended for building and offering these cars. And for the whole V line really for the last 20+ years. The cars are purpose built with attention to detail that is commendable and speaks to folks like us who value those performance aspects these cars strive for and achieve. I'm grateful to be in this family of drivers who appreciate what these cars offer (and who can look beyond an M badge or such and understand what truly makes a great drivers car).