Hi, I'm somewhat confused (easy to do)? what is the difference between a bonafide M5 or M3 and a 5 or 3 series "M Sport"?

Is it a marketing ploy?!

 

M5 & M3 are completely different cars compared to M Sport 5 & 3 series!

Is this a ploy?

 

Maybe M body parts without the engine?

 

If it has a M VIN, it was built with full M parts. M sport are built with a subset of M parts to accent the options list.

 

Msport is basically sporty suspension better looking bumpers, side skirts, shadow line trim on the windows and nicer looking alloy wheels. It is worth noting that an Msport may look similar but it is nothing like an M5, the M cars are totally different league (that being said the 550 isn't too far off performance wise). The Msport is also more expensive to buy than the SE or other basic models, they are more desireable hence why alot of people on here have retrofitted the msport kit to their SE myself included.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_M

 

my N54TT is faster than a 550.



ready, GO.

 

Thanks guys. I wan't naive enough to think that M Sport meant M tuning, but just wondered why BMW did it. All clear now, they're after reeling in those who will be hooked by the big "M"!!

 

As one who has a 550i Sport who has ran with M5 at meets; I have to break the news to you that in a straight line, once you are above about 30-40 mph, the M5 is in a totally different performance league than the 550i Sport. It is not even close. At wide open throttle above 30-40 mph, the M5 pulls away from my car like it was standing still. In the extreme twisties, my car can run with the M5s. But as soon as the road straightens out and the game is about power, not grip, there is absolutely no contest once at speed -- the M5 is the ultimate BMW performance sedan.

As for the 535, a stock one is a tad slower than a 550 but once tuned and the turbo boost increased, it will pull away from the550 (although it will never have the 550's wonderful engine sound).

 

And an Alpina knocks spots off the M5 :-)