2019 BMW M5 Competition: Greatest M5 Ever?
BMW announced the M5 Competition earlier this spring, and the ‘Competition Package’ makes the F90 even better.
The F90 BMW M5 has been around for over a year now. After initial nervousness centered around the move to an all-wheel drive powertrain, the verdict is in: The car is great. So with another benchmark-setting sport sedan on its hands, what do the Bavarians do? Well, they make the car even better. Say hello to the 2019 BMW M5 Competition.
BMW announced the M5 Competition earlier this spring, and it’s just hitting dealerships now. There are some notable benefits on paper. But potential buyers may be asking themselves whether or not the $7,400 package is worth it. According to YouTube reviewer Schmee, it is.
Schmee was among the first journalists to drive an M5 Competition. Filming at the Ascari Race Resort in southern Spain, he has unique insight into the differences between the base F90 M5 and the Competition: He estimates that he’s driven close to 10,000 kilometers in a base car. Here, he drives a pair of Frozen Dark Silver Competition models, and he’s thoroughly impressed.
In a quick rundown of benefits, the M5 Competition cranks 617 horsepower out of its TwinPower Turbo 4.4-liter V8. That’s a 17 horse bump over the base M5. The suspension has been revised for a seven-millimeter drop over the base car, stiffer springs, and more front camber. Zero to 62 miles per hour comes in just 3.3 seconds, and zero to 124 comes in 10.8.
Driving Impressions
Schmee then takes the car out on Ascari, following BMW DTM Works driver Joel Eriksson for some hot laps. While he says Ascari is “a circuit that will punish you if you get it wrong,” he praises the car for feeling glued to the ground. He says that the car “just gives you that “M” smile every time.”And as he points out how to put the car into rear-wheel drive mode for some real fun, Eriksson nails a perfect, long drift right in front of him. For M car fans everywhere, it’s a thing of beauty to see.
Coming off the track, Schmee says the Competition is “everything we love about the BMW M5, only at a higher level.” Outside, the only giveaways are the gloss black kidney grilles, spoiler, and diffuser trim. Inside, it’s a typical M5, meaning it’s comfortable, quiet, and laden with BMW’s latest tech. On the road, he says the car feels “pretty effortless.” He’s impressed by its “multi-charactered” demeanor and is amazed that it transforms into the comfortable cruiser from what he drove on the track.
At nearly 25 minutes, this video gives you everything you need to know about the new M5 Competition and then some. We highly recommend you give it a look. If anything, you should at least hear the roar of its V8, a sound that Schmee calls far “fruitier” than the base car.
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