2006 BMW M5 Test Drive

Five Hundred HP Behind Angel Eyes

The latest M5 is overwhelming, with boggling speed, agility and gizmos galore.

The letter "M" is emblematic of BMW's magic, whether it stands for "motor sports" ─ including participation in heady Formula One competition ─ or "motor," as in the German company's full name ─ Bavarian Motor Works. Sound the trumpets and cue the parade, because here comes BMW's latest M machine ─ the fourth-generation M5.

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An M badge on a BMW trunk lid isn't common — a subtle label that announces BMW's uppermost echelon of engineering and design. For a company whose "standard" vehicles are stellar enough to outshine most everything in their respective classes, high-performance M variants are all the more stunning.

To convert the superb 5 Series sport sedan into a vaunted M machine, BMW engineers designed and developed an all-new five-liter V10 engine that pumps out a hearty 500 horsepower at a screaming 7,750 rpm. It's harnessed to a new seven-speed sequential manual gearbox (SMG).

The chassis is tuned with multimode steering, suspension, differential and stability systems for optimal delivery of power to the 19-inch wheels, which are wrapped in Z-rated tires good for 149 mph-plus. The M5 is decked out with every imaginable gizmo, some of which augment the driving experience — the Electronic Damper Control system's three suspension settings, for instance — others of which exist mainly to confound the competition — such as a Drivelogic platform with 11 different gear-change parameters for shifting points and expediency.

The net result is one of the fastest, most sophisticated sport sedans ever, with a price tag to match. The M5 starts at $81,200 but indulging the options list can hike the price within spitting distance of $100,000.