Thermal, CA - For the past few years, BMW has periodically held test days – what it calls Test Fests - at different times of the year, during which folks like us can put several cars to the test at once. In our line of work, this is the kind of day we look forward to.
And not just because we get to have fun behind the wheel of vehicles that are, after all, fun to drive. Of course, that fun make work a pleasure. But also, it's a chance to put to the test several models in one single day. Talk about efficiency. At other times, it’s not always possible to fit a test drive into our schedules; some vehicles never make it to our neck of the woods for a test drive.
In short, a test fest is an opportunity to reacquaint ourselves with models and make some comparisons with past editions. My most recent visit to BMW's performance centre in Thermal, California (Palm Springs area) was such an opportunity, and I used the time available to test drive several models.
Here was the deal: basically, I got an hour with each car. Enough time to pick up the car and check out its insides, take a few photos, and then about 45 minutes with it on the road. Relaxing it ain’t, but enthralling it is. Here we go:
1 — BMW M5 CS ($168,852)
My day started off on a high note, so to speak, because when I arrived at where the vehicles available for testing were parked, an M5 CS sat, unclaimed. I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to slip aboard.
For the uninitiated, the CS version is the most powerful car in the M5 range. With 627 hp, it eclipses the M5 Competition, which offers “only” 617. Under the hood of the CS sits a 4.4L twin-turbo V8, which can take the car from 0-100 km/h in just 3 seconds.
Do I need tell you that acceleration is mind-boggling? In fact, it's beyond belief. A Chevrolet Chevette with a V8, that's how violent it is. And because we’re almost into 2022, the magic of electronics makes you stick to the road as if the tires were covered with Velcro. It's a pleasure, obviously, but after a few crazy accelerations, you quickly come back to reality. On a daily basis, this is a model that will frustrate North American drivers, simply it’s impossible to exploit it to its fullest potential on our roads.
