E60 M5 Video Guide Blog

E60 M5 Shows Disadvantage Of A Porky Body

Brooks — Wed, 02 May 2012 10:49:45 +0000

Found on the M5 Board, here’s a video of a race between a Corvette Z06, an E60 M5 and the new F10 M5. We’ve already seen on a post here how far the F10 M5 leaves the E60 M5 in its wake in terms of acceleration. Meanwhile, the Z06 has a 500 horsepower V8 in a lightened body. Compared to the E60 M5 which is almost 4,000 pounds, the Z06 weighs in at a little under 3,200 pounds. Right off the top of our heads, we can see that the power to weight ratio is definitely in favor of the Corvette.

The video in fact shows how seemingly porky and slow the E60 M5 is, being left behind from the start of the race. It only catches up because the Corvette driver doesn’t seem to know how to shift properly. Given a better driver, it doesn’t look like the E60 M5 would be able to catch up. In the end though, the newest M5 still carries the day, as the gap it opens up on the Z06 is enough to carry the F10 M5 through to the end of the race.

Color Makes The Difference In E60 M5 Tuner Car

Brooks — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 12:09:43 +0000

Scanning for E60 M5 tidbits online, we came across this modded E60 M5 from Lumma Design which calls its version the CLR 500 RS. It’s an old kit, admittedly a few years old, but it goes to show how color can make a world of difference when it comes to personalizing your ride. The first thread we came across was an orange E60 M5 with matching orange seat bolsters and interior bits. It was universally derided, although the 21-inch wheels and fittingly-designed body kit gathered some positive comments.

Then, there’s this matte black E60 M5 with the same CLR 500 RS treatment that looks worlds apart from the orange-colored one. Whereas the orange Lumma Design car looks like a ricer toy, the matte black CLR 500 RS looks all business. Even with a stock drivetrain, it has enough grunt in it to put a host of other cars in their place. Interestingly, the body kit seems to reduce Vmax, because the CLR 500s reportedly have a top speed of 203 mph, whereas a delimited E60 M5 can do 205.

See CLR 500 RS variants here and here.

535d Not An E60 M5 But Pretty Fast Too

Brooks — Sat, 21 Apr 2012 06:12:00 +0000

With BMW’s recent release of diesel-powered sedans bearing the M badge, attention has been refocused on diesel engines and their place in the minds and garages of performance-oriented enthusiasts. Even we were initially affronted by the very thought of diesel-powered M-badged cars. But one has to keep an open mind if we are to call ourselves gearheads, and BMW’s multi-stage, triple turbocharged diesel wonders certainly merit serious interest.

The owner of the BMW E60 in this video didn’t wait for these new turbodiesels to hit the market to sample a high-performance diesel. Instead of an E60 M5, this owner had his E60 535d tuned and judging by the video below, it certainly is no slouch. Going up against an S4 B8 (supercharged 6 with 330 hp), this mighty diesel isn’t left standing still and in fact stays side by side with the performance-oriented Audi. Later in the clip, you’ll see this E60 burying its speedometer needle to 310 km/h at a relatively low 4,000 rpm. With the latest diesels showing performance like this, a lot of traditionalists are probably gnashing their teeth.

E60 M5 Matches Up Against F10 M5

Brooks — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 12:27:43 +0000

Inevitably, a head-to-head race between the E60 and F10 M5s was bound to happen, and here we see one taking place at the M5 Board’s favorite venue, which is a long strip that allows most high performance cars to hit their limit. As they are wont to do, the race begins with a rolling start and then the drivers floor it. Good practice for saving all those expensive drivetrain components.

To those who know their M5 numbers, the outcome isn’t really a surprise, as the F10 M5 has a much better torque figure compared to the E60 M5. Anyone who has driven an E60 M5 knows that you have to rev the car to get to the hefty part of the powerband. Although we E60 M5 aficionados will be saddened to see our beloved V10-powered sedan thrashed, no previous BMW M5 has outperformed the one that succeeded it. In this regard, the newest M5 is just maintaining that tradition. What’s new is the use of forced induction to power M5s and to traditionalists, the E60 M5 is possibly the last that upheld the philosophy of high-output, naturally-aspirated engines.

E60 M5 And Its Brother Race A Porsche Turbo

Brooks — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 15:48:15 +0000

Beginning with a rolling start from 120 km/h, these three cars do an impromptu drag race on some stretch of road. Involved are a BMW M6, an E60 M5 and a Porsche 997 Turbo. Both BMWs have modded exhausts, allowing their V10s to breath more heavily and bellow louder. The Porsche is supposedly tuned, which makes its performance in this video a little odd because it doesn’t (or can’t?!) demonstrate its superior performance. From the start of the race, all three cars are neck and neck. Our hero is of course the “heavy” four-door sedan because it just stays with the two sports cars, until it hits a wall in the form of its speed limiter. With its limiter removed, the M6 actually edges the Porsche a bit, until both cars slow abruptly, probably due to an obstacle in front. With speeds of more than 300 km/h, you really have to be on the lookout for upcoming traffic, as it’s too easy to hit them with your car going at twice or thrice their velocity.

Once again, the S85 V10 shows itself to be an amazing engine, responding effectively to a few freer-breathing mods that enable it to run with a twin-turbo Porsche that has been a yardstick ever since it was unleashed on the world.

E60 M5 Owner Does A Really Cool Thing

Brooks — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 11:58:41 +0000

Making the rounds of automotive forums (and problem other non-auto forums as well) is this video which gives us a background on the Your Ride Is Here Program. Basically, it’s about a group of enthusiasts who arrange and share their rides in order for transportation-challenged cancer patients to get to their treatments. And we’re not talking about everyday cars here. One of the principals of the program has a modded E60 M5 that he freely shares for use by cancer patients. There are Aston Martins that have been shared, as well as the inevitable Ferrari, including an Enzo.

If you are like most enthusiasts, you don’t let just anybody get into your ride, and servicing a sick, possibly terminally-ill cancer patient would be the last thing you would use your pride and joy for. But these guys share their expensive and pampered exotic cars with cancer patients and patiently wait for them til they’re done with treatment. Seeing owners of these exotic cars sharing their cars is something that’s truly inspiring and should move other enthusiasts to offer their cars in ways like these. Makes hammering your BMW M5 down the track or backroads much more fulfilling.

New E60 M5 Owner Looks For Factory Maintenance Sked

Brooks — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 05:49:26 +0000

Here’s a guy who’s got nice toys in his garage. Having a 540 horsepower Supra and a 2001 BMW M3 that he takes out on the track, he’s now got himself an E60 M5 and is looking for BMW’s factory-recommended schedule for his 2006 BMW M5. As one commenter has pointed out, BMW’s electronics now allow for a condition-based maintenance schedule, so much so that more accurate intervals can now be followed, depending on how the car is driven. But this new owner is quite surprised because the computer is indicating a plug change at 37,000 miles. Based on his experience with his tuned Supra and M3, the plugs should have a longer service life, specially with platinum plugs that are rated at 100,000 miles. But with a high compression ratio and aggressive cam profiles when the S85 is driven hard, it’s not unusual for the engine to eat plugs. As other helpful hands have pointed out, a 30,000 mile interval for a plug change is pretty normal for the E60 M5.

Compared to the cost of buying and then maintaining an E60 M5, plugs are easy to replace and relatively cheap for the performance this detuned F1 engine gives you.

Find the thread here.

E60 M5 Distinctively Unique Because Of Its V10

Brooks — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 11:06:52 +0000

This thread is about a guy asking opinions on which BMW M5 is better, the E39 or the E60. Both are really, really great cars and as you will surmise, there are favorable opinions for both models. But as you will see, the overwhelming response seems to be in favor of the E60 M5. And the deciding factor, the fabulous F1-derived V10. Deciding to fit the S85 engine into the E60 M5 was an inspired choice for BMW’s M division, and it totally transformed the car when compared to the other e60 variants.

On the other hand, the fact that the E39 M5 is even considered as comparable to the E60 M5 speaks volumes for the quality and performance of the car. The E39 M5 harkens back to a simpler time when a car didn’t have to be loaded with electronics to keep its owner happy. But simply because of its awesome engine, the E60 M5 will go down in history as one of the most unique M5s BMW ever unleashed on the world.

See E60 vs. E39 M5 opinions here.

Fifteen Seconds Of Bliss In An E60 M5

Brooks — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 23:32:52 +0000

Fifteen seconds. That’s all it takes for an E60 M5 to get to 200 kilometers per hour. As the accompanying video shows, there’s no drama involved in getting there. From the comfort of seats that grip you actively, you just need to flick your finger to achieve rates of velocity that are more commonly found in sports cars. And the intrusion into the cabin of the V10’s growl only eggs on the driver to keep on flooring it.

It could be said that the E60 M5 is the last of the politically incorrect BMW M5s. Raucous engines and stiff suspensions are anathema to what conventional thinking thinks an executive sedan should be. Sure, the F10 M5 defeats the previous M5 in all performance aspects. But like a Ferrari vs. Porsche comparison, one of those cars has a lot of soul while the other is almost just a tool.

E60 M5 A Wolf In The Urban Jungle

Brooks — Sat, 31 Mar 2012 08:27:16 +0000

You could say that the driver of this E60 M5 is reckless and although it’s not something we would condone, drivers where this scene was shot aren’t that much different from drivers in a lot of other countries. What one will see from this video though is that when you’re driving a BMW M5, most other cars are just sheep. In an urban setting, one would say that it’s but natural to be impatient will all those cars trudging along, blocking your progress.

As you will see in the video, it takes some measure of confidence to weave through traffic with inches to spare. First, confidence in being able to judge gaps correctly and secondly, confident in the thickness of your wallet that any damage you will cause to your car can be easily repaired. About halfway into the video, you’ll see the driver of this E60 M5 playing tag with a Mini, which would be a more suitable ride in this urban jungle. But this M5 driver is able to slip through traffic with seeming ease, so much so that the smaller and nimbler Mini is left behind.