Lesson 1: figure out which button to press so that its
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The paddle-shifters are brilliant in concept but a little sluggish in application. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press)
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400-horsepower default setting can be overridden to a full 507-horsepower. Turns out, this is really easy. On the centre console just to the left of the stubby SMG shifter is a button that says "POWER"! Even I can figure this one out. While idling, pushing the power button on and off doesn't really make much of a difference, but even at steady throttle a switch to its full-juice mode immediately causes a reaction. It's like the car is suddenly on hyper-alert, ready for action and, with the flick of the throttle, leave any poor soul who dare see how much power his Audi RS6, Mercedes-Benz E55 AMG, Maserati Quattroporte, or even his Ferrari 360 possesses, whimpering on the sidelines. Or maybe not. To be clear, there are plenty of cars that can out-accelerate the M5 from standstill to 100 km/h, but from 80 km/h to 120, or thereabouts, there are few that come close, and fewer still at its relatively affordable price point.
Yes, $115,500 is hardly bargain basement pricing, up against
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| Sure, it goes fast, but it's got cross-drilled brakes and extra-powerful calipers to bring it back down to reality fast. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press) |
Porsche's 911 with a few features, Jaguar's new XKR and Maserati's Coupé GT in base trim, and when fully-loaded at $128,200, it targets supercars such as Dodge's Viper SRT-10 and Maserati's Quattroporte. Of course, the only true four-door competitor on this aforementioned list is the Maserati sedan, with other super-sedans such as M-B's E55 AMG or Cadillac's CTS-V or STS-V fully capable of vying for a podium position. None of these competitors offers the same levels of technical sophistication as the F1-inspired M5, but all delver smiles for miles as promised by their respective automakers. The E55 costs more than the M5 and brings less to the table (although maximum torque is much higher), a common formula that has caused the German rival to slip behind BMW in sales numbers. The Cadillacs are especially interesting, with the CTS-V targeting the M3 in price, at almost $50,000 less than the M5, but nearly matching the midsize BMW for interior roominess. Maximum output of its comparatively rudimentary OHV V8 is lower at 400-horsepower but torque is a bit higher at 395 lb-ft, while the much larger STS-V features a 469-horsepower supercharged dual overhead cam, 32-valve Northstar V8 with 439 lb-ft of torque; again, much more low-end oomph than available with the M5. The STS-V sports a slick six-speed automatic transmission with manual mode while the CTS-V goes one step farther than even the BMW, offering a six-speed manual.
Sportier than a seven-speed sequential-manual? Yup. Actually, while
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| SMG 2.0 is the only gearbox that the M5 can be had with. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press) |
it's difficult to find fault with the M5's 5.0-litre V10 powerplant, that never seems to want to stop revving all the way up to 8,250 rpm and sounds sensational when outside the vehicle near the fat, quad tailpipes, an M-series signature, the SMG transmission shifts too slowly, despite having been given a 20 percent shift-speed upgrade. Even Audi's comparatively bargain-basement A3 2.0T fits in a much more enticing sequential-manual gearbox, delivering lightning-quick shifts. The M5's SMG isn't anywhere near as smooth as Audi's DSG, to the point of making its driver and all passengers bob back and forth in their chairs thanks to the annoying
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| While the transmission is a little frustrating, the engine is perfect. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press) |
hesitation between intervals - even at its fastest non-race spec Drivelogic setting. I tweaked it as far as it could go without canceling its traction and stability control features, something I wasn't willing to do given the rainy test day. If only it had a manual gearbox I could have modulated the clutch to smooth out the shifts so that those riding along wouldn't have been so uncomfortable. It's difficult to say whether I could have changed gears any faster with a DIY mixer, but I would have made it smoother and I definitely would've felt more in control. This in mind, under full throttle the hesitation wasn't quite as pronounced. Downshifting blips the throttle which makes you sound like a pro to passersby, yet more importantly matches the engine's revs to the chosen gear. Of course, the little Audi does this too, as do the sequential-manual transmissions in Ferrari and Maserati models.
