Lighter and faster
PERFORMANCE IMPROVED WITH LESS WEIGHT IN THIS TRACK- AND TOURING-WORTHY PACKAGE
I spent eight hours and hundreds of kilometres on a road trip. The ride is smooth and steady, and the adaptive suspension works to keep dramatic body movements to a minimum. — Justin Pritchard
Improving a vehicle’s performance is typically about adding things. More power, more torque, higher boost pressure, wider tires, bigger brakes, thicker stabilizer bars — the list goes on.
The thing is, there’s an even smarter and much easier way to increase performance. Making a vehicle lighter simultaneously makes it faster, better-handling, and more efficient. Carve out even a few hundred pounds and you can improve performance metrics across the board while decreasing fuel consumption.
The BMW M5 CS is not only the highest-performing M5 ever built, it’s also the fastest and most powerful car BMW sells. Under the hood, a retuned 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 makes 627 horsepower — 10 more than the M5 Competition.
The M5 CS (Competition Sport), also ditches 100 kilograms of curb weight, thanks to extended deployment of carbon-fibre body parts, a carbon ceramic braking system, and two-piece M Carbon sport bucket seats.
Further weight reduction comes from the removal of some sound insulation, and obscure parts such as the centre console storage bin and cover.
To capitalize on the improvements, engineers recalibrated the chassis for the new power-to-weight ratio. The M5 CS gets stiffer engine mounts for more direct power delivery to the road, and there are firmer springs, revised ball-joint mounts, increased front negative camber, and a six-millimetre reduction in ride height.
With AWD traction and sticky P-zero Corsa tires, the M5 CS’S launch-control function will rocket you from zero to 60 mph (96 km/h) in three seconds flat.
With less sound deadening and the stiffer engine mounts, you feel and hear more of what’s going on under the floor in the process, and launching the car hard is an incredibly mechanical experience. Full throttle sees the M5 leap, then surge ahead, as the turbochargers get up to speed. The effect is a linear and rapid build to maximum output, as if you’ve lit the fuse on a rocket.
Stopping power works to similar effect. Once familiar with the carbon-ceramic brakes in a track setting, you’ll be staring down impossibly short braking zones with confidence before each corner.
Warn your passengers though: the deceleration can border on uncomfortable.
Programming of the stability control system in Sport mode takes a handsoff approach for even moderate slips and slides, as more novice drivers get used to the car. Keep your performance driving basics in mind, and the stability control sits on its hands unless you really muck up something. It’s an enjoyable combination of “safe” and “fun” that encourages you to explore the limits with confidence in an appropriate setting. Later, just click the M5 into its most laid-back settings and glide home. Despite its track-ready spec sheet and console racing-game styling, my tester was a surprisingly relaxing highway cruiser.
I spent eight hours and hundreds of kilometres on a road trip. The ride is smooth and steady, and the adaptive suspension works to keep dramatic body movements to a minimum. At 120 km/h, the range of a full tank of fuel seems more than adequate for a day’s cruising, and noise levels are hushed enough that there’s no need to raise your voice to have a conversation via Bluetooth or with a passenger.
Although the carbon bucket seats will be challenging for some drivers to get in and out of, I noted no issues with comfort or support, even after eight hours of cruising. Once you’re in and settled, these racy perches are more comfortable than you might think.
While the easygoing side of a car like the M5 CS is important, numerous racy cues constantly remind drivers of its immense capability. It starts even before you’re in and seated, with the racy looks and colours, and that eyeball-grabbing combination of matte green and bronze. The added body cladding and wheels give the M5 CS an exclusive appearance that screams “custom.” You get your second racy cue as you slip into your seat, pivoting your thigh over the thick, stiff bolster, and being locked into place once you’re settled in.
Through a series of onscreen menus and dedicated buttons, drivers can custom tune the drive, right down to the feel of the brake pedal, the speed and impact of the gear shifts in the transmission, throttle response, steering response, suspension control, even the information on the various displays.
Though the highest return on investment in this car will go to drivers planning to participate regularly in closed-course driving in a motorsport setting, it is also a whisper-quiet touring car that’s friendly enough for everyday use.