OK, I was browsing YouTube today and watched a few E39 M5 vs E60 M5 races. In each one I watched, one thing seemed constant.

The E39 was quicker off the line and had a jump on the E-60 in each race- but, by what had to be the 1/4 mile mark, the E60 had overtaken and passed the E39 by half a car length or more.

So, my questions are,

Is the E39 M5 quicker and the E60 M5 faster?
Is the E60 M5 quicker and faster than the E39 M5?
Was this a case of the E60 M5 drivers not being able to launch properly, and having to rely on the 100 HP advantage to make for down the stretch, what was lost on the launch?

In most races (In the US) it's red-light to red-light. So, with that, as a re-light warrior, if your goal is to have the quickest sedan available- and the CTS-V isn't on your wish list, which M5 is the best to have (Stock). E39 M5 or E60 M5?

Does anyone have both in the garage, and an objective opinion? That would be cool too.

 

the E60 is heavy and doesnt have that much torque giving the E39 the advantage... Compared to the 545 the M5 pick up off the line in everyday driving is the same if not feels worse than the 545... but once moving there's a huge difference.

 

+1. The stock 550 is faster off the line up to about 20-25 than the E60 M5. The E60 M5 has little low end torque. But once it gets going and the engine is revving and the car is in the heart of its powerband, the E60 M5 is unstoppable and will run away from a 550 or an E39 M5 like they were standing still. But off the line, the E60 M5 is gutless.

 

Very amusing indeed...

If only BMW could read your pathetic comments, it would make a good morning laugh for them.

 

I would venture a guess that the E60 M5 could be quicker off the line. You probably need to launch it at 3500 RPMs+ to achieve the 0-60 mph of 4.1 seconds (best I've seen in mags). I've ridden in an M5 & an M6 that smoked the tires on the launch. If you can do that, you're on your way.
On the other hand, the E39 M5 could melt the tires at 1800 RPMs. Trust me, I did that. A 1600 RPM launch was good for 1 second of good wheel spin and you were off. Its best road test 0-60 was 4.6 seconds, IIRC.

 

Oh yes. The M5 can smoke the tires. Sideways and on launch. Watch this video: . 2:00 into the vid is a launch from in the car but watch the whole video. BTW, he's obviously a BMW Performance Center instructor.

 

The E60 M5 weighs 4,012 lbs and has 383 ft-lbs torque at 6,100 rpm.
The E39 M5 weighs 4,024 lbs and has 368 ft-lbs torque at 3,800 rpm.

Depending on the driver, the E39 could be quicker off the line (for maybe 60 feet), but the 106 HP advantage of the E60 M5 eventually gets to work and the results are not close.

 

Well said. I am still at how fasty the E60 M5 is it under way and revving. It's astonishing. That's why as much as I love my 550, I'd swap it out for a M5 if I could find someone to assume my lease.

 

Hopefully they will read it and remember to give us some torque on the F10 . C'mon you have one you must realize that our cars have very little low end torque(relatively speaking). That's the biggest shortcoming of the v10. From a dead stop its beatable but from a roll its an absolute monster.

 

It seems that with the engine that is most likely to be dropped in the F10 M5, lack of low end torque will not be a problem with that car (at the expense of one of the best engine sounds in the business).