GT Premi

That's the whole point. If it's brought up as an issue enough, BMW will reengineer later versions to have better fuel economy. People complained that the M5 wasn't going to have a proper manual transmission, and look what happened; it sprouted one like a salamander.

GT Premi

In a different direction but same title, is it me or does the M5 seem enormous? Back when I was still browsing, I'd see some M5s on the lot and they just seemed massive. The wheels seemed massive, the body seemed massive... There's not a size difference between the M5 and the rest of the 5 line, is there? I mean, I have a 550i Sport with the same aero package and 19" wheels, and it doesn't seem as huge.

Is it just a psychological thing that the M5 just seems "larger than life" to me, or is it actually a bigger bodied car? Then again, it could just be because they were sitting on the paddock with an overhang and columns, and the frame of reference was off compared to seeing them sitting out in the open. <--That's probably it.

westcoast550

The rear tires are larger, read higher, and the Ms do sit higher by about 3/4 of an inch vs Sport 550s, the trunk finisher also adds a perception of mass at the back end. In front the fenders are slightly wider as well.So you are correct about the "percieved mass"

Cheers

Westcoast M5

I'll keep my fingers crossed

GT Premi

Thanks for confirming that I'm not crazy! I thought it seemed taller, too, but was skeptical that the 550i Sport would have a lower stance than the M5.

melimel

Hi... Im a girl and i absolutely LOOVVVEEE the way my 550 drives.. i drive it daily.. throw my kids in it.. its a sick car... M5 is sweet too.. but for a daily ride I too would stick with the 550.. dont stress about it dude.. there both awesome cars anyways.. Mel

bobster52

I started looking at an M5, then drove the 2008 550i. Ended up buying a 535i. Doesn't have the sex appeal but it drives really well. I think for around town driving it has more low end grunt than the other two. The V8 and V10 need to be in the top half of their RPM range where the TT I6 is strong right off of the bottom. If the 535i came with the Mtech body kit it would be damn near perfect. If you could get the body kit and a dinan flash from the factory the 535i would be a perfect sport sedan IMHO.

GT Premi

There's no way you drove a 550i and came away with that impression! This is the second time I've seen this statement made in as many days. The 550i DOES NOT have to be in the upper RPM band to get its juice. That's an M5 condition, NOT the 550i. The 550i may have its "peak" torque in the upper RPM range, but overall it has more torque under the curve than the 535i. That inherently makes it more responsive to drive around town. If your claim was true, that would make the 535i a quicker car than the 550i. It is not. And the 550i feels WAY stronger on the bottom end than the 535i. I considered the 535i Sport, but driving it after the 550i Sport left me wanting more. So I bought the 550i Sport. The 550i Sport feels much more planted on the road and around turns. And it's track numbers prove it to be true.

Lamont

I chose the M5. I picked it up last night. I had 140 miles to drive before I got home and loved the entire drive. On paper, it is somewhat easy to pick apart some of the trade-offs for performance, but once you are in the car, none are apparent (except MPG) IMO. The M5 is an awesome piece of machinery (so is the 550) and is a joy to drive whether it is intown or on the highway.

The specs: 2007 M5, 11k miles, black/black, 6-speed, perf merino leather w/vented seats, comfort access, multi-function seats, power rear sunshade, fold down rear seats, heated rear seats, head-up display, HD radio, sat radio

Joe

BrianTx5

Congratulations on the M5 Joe!!
Happy Motoring!!