BMW M5 2007
January 1, 2007
When introduced in the mid-1980s, the BMW M5 set the standard for what a sport sedan should be: a seamless combination of performance and luxury. The M5 established itself as an overachiever in both categories, and over the last two decades each new edition of this midsize sedan with sports car moves earned nearly universal acclaim. The latest M5 is no exception. It takes the previous model’s already extraordinary performance envelope to a new level with a 500 hp V-10 engine and a zero-to-60 time that BMW places at 4.5 seconds. Though initially offered only with an F/1-style transmission—BMW’s SMG (Sequential Manual Gearbox)—the M5 gains a conventional manual transmission this year, an option many drivers will appreciate. Though the SMG looks great on paper—offering both paddle-actuated manual shifts and an automatic mode with 11 shift programs—its technology has yet to be perfected, and gear changes are less than perfectly integrated.
PRICE: $83,195
ENGINE: 5-liter V-10
TRANSMISSION: 7-speed SMG (Sequential Manual Gearbox) or 6-speed manual
POWER: 500 hp at 7,750 rpm
TORQUE: 383 ft lbs at 6,100 rpm
CURB WEIGHT: 4,012 pounds
0-60 MPH: 4.5 seconds
TOP SPEED: 155 mph (limited)
PRS: Brilliant blend of speed, handling and four-door luxury
CNS: Much of its potential can’t be exploited on the road
www.bmwusa.com
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