@@jackgotspeed wildest how? It’s quite slow and lacks in torque, if by wild you mean that it has a v10 sure - but the car itself is really not that wild or fast. Sounds great but that’s about it
@vz6235 sound is important, speed without a beautiful soundtrack is the same as being with a woman, and you going full send...and she's on her phone checking instagram lol. Yes in the end you going to get to the finish line, but you get what I'm saying. And the V10 sounds wild compared to any M5 before and after.
I was a motorcyclist for 11 years before breaking my back. Now a paraplegic since 2010...my e61 M5 has given me a similar pleasure to being on my 600rr and 848evo. 12 years of trouble free s85 ownership and will never sell it!
I had an E34 1992 3.8 Litre M5 with the Nurburgring pack over 20 years ago, along with multiple E32, E36's and E34's (wonderful cars) and we currently have a newish 2 and 7 (which are not impressive to me), so I am well versed in the different generations. I don't really understand Andrew's point that the new car is much more useable than the E34, unless he means they are old now and may need a lot of looking after. If you get a mint E34 M5, representative of how they were new, I feel they are every bit as useable as a new car ( I have 2-300,000 miles in the E32's and E34's and they were a joy to drive and appreciate as uncynical, honest, balanced, well designed and built drivers machines). The new ones annoy me. The only modern necessities 80's, 90's cars need and don't have (maybe; I mean I did fine without them over twenty years ago) are a way to connect your phone, play your music etc and use a sat nav, but the single Din slot means you can do that now, Blaupunkt make two radios which look like an 80's and 90's model, match the dash design language, and you can use your phone for everything, which while not as "good" as carplay is a small price to pay and it works very well. Its not like the BMW iDrive is a pleasure, its annoying. The 80's BMW dash and cabins were an ergonomic masterpiece and a pleasure that never got old and can bring huge satisfaction still. The newish 2 series which I use most annoys me to death. The modes are ill judged and pants, about 20% of the time the traction control is not off when it should be, and when very cold it stays on because I imagine, some possible liability. The steering modes are rubbish, you do not need your steering to be heavy at 2 mph to let you know its sporty, and you do not need it to floppy in the normal modes at 70mph in a crosswind in the normal mode. I leave it in the "sportiest", traction control off mode most of the time, because at least at speed the steering has some resistance though the feel is terrible. Quite often in the sport modes the steering stays in the floppy mode (an error) even though the traction is off. The only time I enjoy this car is in the autumn and winter when it starts to feel like the old BMW's which were such fun year round and in summer I have to provoke the h*** out of it to get it to slide round the roundabouts and I like to slide round every roundabout in an understated and safe way that goes mostly unnoticed; the tyres are just ridiculous, much bigger than an E36 M3, of which it has about the same power, and the E36 was criticised for not having the finesse of the E30 M3. E36 brochures state the tyre width as 215mm from 316i to 325i. The E36 325i and 328i had the same balance as the 316i but were adjustable on the throttle; a delight, while the 316i was not adjustable on the throttle at all except on ice. In the period the 316i was criticised as not having the power to bring the chassis to life, the huge tyres on the 2 series make it feel the same as an E36 316i that goes fast in a straight line, and in the dry you have to really provoke it to get it to play and then it can bite a little, no balance, though it is there underneath and you can reveal it in autumn and winter, though it still has nowhere near the gentle adjustable balance of an E36 325i on 215 mm tyres. At the end of winter I start to begrudgingly like the 2 series, a few weeks in to summer I actively hate the thing. An E36 325i / 328i was a joy - full stop. These criticisms go for all the new BMW's. The newish 7 (its about 4-5 years old) is so ill judged I don't drive it and I loved the E32's. Long winded way of saying I think any E30, E34, E36 or E32 including the Motorsport cars are fully useable year round and an absolute joy. If I could go into a showroom and choose between any model of new 2 series versus a brand new E30 325i with a Z3 steering rack fitted /E36 328i, or any new 5 versus a brand new E34 525i 24v, 535i or M5 3.6 or 3.8, or any new 7 versus an E32 735i straight six I would leave very happy in either a new E30, E36, E34 or E32 and I wouldn't consider the new ones for a single second (and thats with the experience of owning them). The old ones are fundamentally good cars with beautiful straight sixes, not turbo'd bland 4 cylinders which are out of breath above 80 on the motorway. The new ones are ill judged, compromised by the awful cultural winds of our time and anything good about them comes from the old ones, and in the old ones you can have the good without the bad. The E39's are very impressive, the finessed feel from the rear end, that you can feel through any roundabout is a lovely feeling, but they are also more detached and they have a slight hint of what was going to go wrong with the later cars.
E30 and E34 are the best. E39 and E46 are pretty nice, E60 is special but still too big and heavy and it goes way downhill from there. The F90 CS is a great car, but too big, too heavy, too dependent on electronic help. It's the best car of the modern saloon age, but that ain't saying much
I've had a chance to drive an E34 525i M20 with a clunkomatic, an E60 530d, an E39 530d, a couple of E46 320d's, an E83 x3 2.0d, and had a chance to be a passenger in an F30 M540i (and some other modern BMWs which I didn't even care to remember), and out of the bunch, I liked the E34 the most. It felt SOOOOO GOOOD, driver focused, but comfortable at the same time, it was a pleasure to drive, only thing I hated about it was the clunkomatic that had no idea when to shift and what to do, other than that, it checked all the boxes for me. My lottery car would be the E34 M5.
It might not happen now, but it happened back then, with the audi s8, and also the s6, if you ignore the bonkers fast and extremely well performing audi rs6.
@@augustortizThe E34 had an engine based in motor racing. It was the last M5 that was hand-built by M GmbH. It was also the last M5 with the famous sharknose and classic round head lights. The design is much more mature and stylish than the 90's jellymold E39.
The E60 ///M5 represents peak Motorsport derived, sky high revving, ITB equipped N/A engine development for the ///M division. The hype surrounding the E60 ///M5 at launch, was off the charts and remains unmatched to this day by any other subsequent M car release and the same can be said for the E92 ///M3 with it's glorious S65! Out of the more modern turbo V8 M5's, the F10 takes the cake for me as it's the only one with a dual clutch and has an angrier demeanour in competition spec than its replacement.
The M5 CS is a huge sendoff and a commemoration of what the M5 has accomplished throughout the years. It's really telling that everyone likes it. If M5 were a television series, the CS would be the grand finale. On the other hand, the G90 feels like a reboot or a spin-off. It's a regulations compliance car, I'm not sure anyone will cherish it in 10 years.
F10 M5 not enough character? Madness! Put it in MDM or traction fully off and it can be pretty scary. That mixed with no opf and the DCT- it has lots of character
As a mid way house that's a hell of a lot cheaper I'd probably go F10 competition pack for about £25k. 600hp daily usability and the Competition chassis upgrades..👍👍
Everyone loves the CS! They must've done something right with that. 😅😅 I'm used to cars with no torque, and I know it's kind of fragile (not in all cases), but I'd still take the V10...God knows how much I love that car. Little exhaust/intake mods and you're good to go. 🤩
@@fastdays_1I have two V10 m5's and two M6, over 8 years period not a single breakdown or serious issues apart from regular and preventive maintenance work. Best engine in any BMW ever!
As @fastdays_1 stated, regular and preventative maintenance is key. Plus, the S85 is quite easy to work on, even for a non-professional mechanic like myself.
E34 is the swag car for me, sports cloth, manual gearbox. Objectively not the fastest but a reminder of all the things that made BMW so desirable & special.
F90 CS is such an extreme car and has such a limited production run that a comparison with standard and competition M5s would have been more of a representative comparison. But tx for a well made vid, I had been looking forward to part 2. BTW, I love e34 but it's the e39 for me.
E60 M5 touring manual is my lottery win road trip car. Would need a specialist to give it a once over before you attempted any of the road trips of course😅
@@The_North0because they have a ton of expensive problems. Throttle actuators, rod bearings, VANOS pump, fuel pump, SMG pump, oil cooler, differential issues and those are just the things that are so common that they will almost certainly hit your wallet.
@@flacjacketI don’t agree with that, I’ve had my e60 m5 for 12 years, in that time I’ve done preventative maintenance which include, actuators, rod bearings and clutch and had no issues with the car, it’s the best car I’ve owned.
@suprac19 that's the thing with cars like this, you HAVE to do preventative maintenance, it's not a corolla. If u understand that when you buy one, it should go well. If I had the money, I'd get one...and a corolla for daily
@@javierjimenez3627 the E60 was basically built around the engine and the 5 series part of it was somewhat of an afterthought. The F10 was built first as a 5 Series to correct the short comings of the E60 hence it got heavy then they suddenly remembered to put the M in. The F90 is half and half because they used the F10 as a test bed, you can only put so much power down with RWD hence the F90 is AWD. The weight of the F10 meant the chassis was off dynamically, the F90 is lighter to negate that and lighter still in the CS.
@@KgothatsoTlhabadira I understand your point but again I disagree, the E60 M5 comes from an era where BMW was putting everything in F1, hence why the V10 S85 could be develope, when it comes to the f10 m5 is was "cheaper" to develope a new turbo powertraine instead of going with a naturally aspirated engine, the E60 M5 feel more raw vs the F10 M5 because they prioritized the comfort, but anyway the f10 is faster, and consume less fuel, in the end is a better car, I'll say is a perfect daily, I like both of them, they are unique in their own world, I prefer the F10 M5 vs the F90 M5
First of all thanks for the great videos on these fantastic cars. But... The M5 CS may be the fastest and best handling M5 ever but there are two major issues with it which to me don't allow it to be the best M5 ever. The price which was ludicrous and only having four seats. The use case for an M5 is gone and the CS is a niche product which, as fantastic as it is, not a delivery to the M5 ethos. The E60 is very very special. When spent time with it is probably the most special M5 ever and it's engine is indeed a masterpiece. Everytime you drive one you are amazed at what it can do. It really should be second and the E34 number one. 1- E34 2 - E60 3 - E39 4 - E28 5 - F10 6 - F90 CS (arguably the best car here but doesn't tick the box in this comparison)
Agreed. The CS is a limited edition special. Very expensive, and a very big car with only 4 seats. Most likely many will be bought by people who want an investment not a form of transport (and while I appreciate the first 4 gens are also in that category now, they were not in their day). If you want to buy one and actually use it, the standard F10 M5 is still superb value. But for me the E34, E39, and E60 - in that order - are the best overall.
The launch price of the M5 CS was $143K. Currently, a used M5 CS is very hard to find, and the price is over $300K. The value will keep going up, and this car could have been the best investment to their owners.
I think the whole series was kind of ruined by the fact that the f10 and the f90 were not the regular spec m5 version versus the previous 4 generations tested.
There were noise regulations way back then,plus the E60 was meant to be the gentlemans racer.I have a Dinam ECU and intake and an exhaust on mine,570BHP and a world away fron todays sad bangs and pops.
The launch price of the M5 CS was $143K. Currently, a used M5 CS is very hard to find, and the price is over $300K. The value will keep going up, and this car could have been the best investment to their owners.
I own an E60 M5 with a 6MT. Truly a special car to drive. Usually an afterthought in videos like these bc it’s very uncommon, but with that gearbox I think it’s the best M5 ever made.
i agree, the base F10 M5 was a bit soft side....can feel the body roll .....more to comfort...then ...i upgraded the front sway bar to competition bar but back i remain stock because i wanted comfort for my kids at the back...and upgraded the spring to Eibach Pro-Kit Spring Set.....then the car became more stiff and handling is greatly improve....much less body roll....totally a different car handling...
E60 is a cracking car and the engine itself shouldn’t be disrespected. It’s a super fun car to drive and you can’t knock the performance. The SMG box isn’t great but you get used to it, performs well using the paddles in M mode.
What sort of engine have y'all got in it? Looking to get one as well (currently own an E46 and I love the 6 cylinder so I'd really like to get a 6 cylinder again which basically leaves the 535i and 530/535/550d but I do not like what I read about the N-series engines).
I've had the E39 M5 and the E60 M5 and now a stage 2 F90 M5 and it's the best allrounder and so fast. It can do work, family and nordschleife miles all in one. Sometimes I do miss a manual gearbox but the 8HP does fit the car really well 99% of the time.
I own an F10 M5. It’s quite easy to bring a standard car to 30 Jahre level, even easier with a Competition pack. Comp pack is already there, the extra 25hp wouldn’t be hugely noticeable. Chassis and suspension mods are the same. Standard car needs a touch more work, but not much. CP pack swaybars, lowering springs, and get someone to code in the diff, gearbox and shock settings from the comp. Total cost around $1000USD for new parts and coding. A tune on either pushes these cars way past the 600hp of the 30 Jahre. 700rwhp cars with an off the shelf Stage 2 and a set of high flow down pipes are quite common.
@@FurkanCemTurfanda yes but they're searching for the greatest m5 at the end of the day, they should have drove the regular f90 too to compare it to the CS
Fantastic videos, Part 1 and 2--thanks for putting them together. I completely understand the enchantment with the CS, and it's clearly a coveted phenomenon of a machine, by any measure. But honestly, in terms of what most people are accessing and in terms of the comparison with other models here, the F90 Comp deserved more discussion. It was dismissed toward the end in a way that simply didn't do justice to its virtues--dynamically (where it's class-leading if you put it up against a E63s or RS6) or acoustically (where it sounds much better, in fact, than the CS itself, which was thoroughly restricted by '21 EU noise regs). I'd wager that the majority of drivers would find it no less driver focused in 95% of real-world situations, given the general paucity of opportunities we have in the UK nowadays to exercise these four-door missiles to anything like their upper limit on public backroads. Not every M5 driver is chasing track times either. Sure, the CS is astonishing and remains a testament to M's engineering prowess. But the Comp, in its own right, is hardly 'forgettable' or lacking character. Indeed, as any carshow regular will tell you, the Comp has brought joy to more enthusiasts than the CS ever will, thereby allowing the exoticness of a contemporary V8 supersaloon in this day and age not to be the preserve of the exclusive few. It therefore deserved a more judicious chapter in what was otherwise a detailed, balanced, and engaging account.
I agree with the presenters. But man I love that once there was a 5 series with a screaming V10. Such an anomaly and all good examples will be future collectors classics. Just like all the previous E series M5's.
I couldn't care less whether my personal favourites weren't declared winners or not - and looking at some of the comments I think a few people need to chill out and grow up 😂 - These guys have driven 200x more cars than any of us, and they just drove them all back to back. Who else is likely to have a more fresh and valid comparison in their mind at this moment? - And as for the criticism of the E60 M5 wasn't some special edition (I can't remember if there even was one?) like the other 2, it's so, so difficult to get all dream cars across the country to the same location on the same day. - The video production costs a fortune, these journalists are top of their game and we're all watching for free. Lighten up and support quality content whether you agree with the opinions or not!
No YOUR definition of perfection is based on the narrative of old cars. Your car is not perfect because it’s not modern. Turn tables. And yes I’m from the new generation.
You missed an opportunity to shame the new one! While the Bangle-era E60's headlights and strange trunk treatment took getting used to, I don't think the new one will age so gracefully.
@@gmain1977 no denying they will sound amazing with the cats removed but the comparison to “sounding like F1 cars” is overused. They rev half as heigh, half the power and twice the weight.
The testers make the classic mistake with the E60 M5 SMG. There is no need to get off the throttle for upshifts. Needing to do so is a sign the gearbox needs to be adapted again or the clutch is on the way out. It’s by no means an automatic gearbox BTW with buttery smooth or lightning fast upshifts. It’s just the box doing the manual shifting for you. So don’t compare them.. 😊
Excellent presentation, chaps. A small critique: I'd have preferred to see the base level cars receive more weighting in this comparison even if some couldn't actually make it to the show in person. The CS in particular seems a model whose "greatness" is severely limited by it's lack of availability and astronomical cost.
I get the noise thing with the v10 (perhaps BMW's attempt at making it 'luxury' and refined), but it is just so hard to go past that era of ridiculous tech mated with ridiculous displacement. Everything was pushed to its limits, and that to me makes the e60 such a special M car. Having said that, I think the problem with the e60 for those keen on a high revving NA saloon experience with genuine daily useability.....is the e90 M3. 4 doors, same practicality, DCT and manual options, and the v8 iteration of the screamer in the e60. A bit lighter and more pointed, too. Owned one a while ago and its the one car I wish I had never sold.
The current and outgoing BMW generations make Bangle's work look rational, deliberate in every decision and deceptively well balanced. Nowadays, BMW design has completely gone out the window - just aimless, chaotic confrontation that's all about attention for attention's sake...
@@JohnSmith-in1ttThe E63 M6 looks like a derpy beaver from the front, with a very awkward looking backend. That rear spoiler didn’t traslate well from the Bangle Z9 Gran Turismo Concept. I think Fisker fixed the design slightly with his coach built M6 called the Latigo (the grill still is “meh”).
F10 M5 is so underrated. E60 or F90, would still choose F10 over them. Its the best looking and favorite daily! DCT RWD V8 TT pure madness but still comfy enough for daily.
Interesting points about the V10. I own another high-reving engine (2013 RS5) that's not the most torque-y, but coupled with a dual clutch, it's an amazingly fun combination because you can go from cruising to peak torque (4000 to 6000 rpm) lightning fast and smoothly. And you still have loads of rpms to go up to almost 8500.
I did about 36k miles in my e39 M5 and it’s still the best car I’ve owned. Does absolutely everything well and I’ll take a manual gearbox over paddles for involvement any day of the week.
I can't believe I've found your channel just now after such a long time. Liked and subscribed. Anyways, doesn't make much sense to pick those of the most special editions for this test, such as 30 jahre or the CS as most ppl won't be able to come anywhere near that. Other than that, it's a great video for sure with more interesting content on your channel!
Kudos for a car reviewer who finally understands the SMG is basically a fucking MANUAL TRANSMISSION with a hydraulic pump--- and should be driven like one. Nobody could understand it at the time and many idiots chiming off on how it's "jerky and sucks" have no clue that feathering the throttle is a thing.
Fully enjoyed this, the e34 winning did surprise me but I do agree having had a normal 6 pot e34 and how much fun that was to chuck around- I’d absolutely love the M5 cs but I just don’t think I could live with the hard bucket seats and hard ride over the uk’s brilliant roads every day- I’m afraid I’m still going to stick with the e39- the soundtrack is just music to me.
Agree with some other commenters that it’s a little unfair to compare base models with a much more expensive and limited edition model. I’m sure the CS is fantastic and the most driver focussed M5 but didn’t the reviewers also say they wanted every day usability? As an M6 GC competition owner, my experience is that the modern comp spec cars strike a great balance between drivers car and daily driver. That said, I think the E34 would be my favourite. I’ve never driven one but I drove my dad’s 535 sport back in the day and that generation of BMW holds fond memories for me - it’s probably the main reason I now own an M6. I also think the power level, weight and performance on offer in a classic car is probably spot on for spirited road driving.
The e34 and e60 are the most M like cars I terms of engine. The rest is just made more for confort and daily use. Main reason the E39 is so loved it's because it's more of a normal car.
I think it's North Wales - on the "horseshoe pass" near Llangollen. We have been known for closing the odd road for a little while to allow a road-tests to be done! It's a good road (no barriers and quite a drop down the mountain if you get it badly wrong!), surface is smooth, but undulating as you can see by the suspension working hard on the road test cars. Great road in the dry, absolutely terrifying in the wet (for me anyway) as the water runs off the mountain and the road is just awash
so the newest most expensive car currently available is the best... An excellent video as always but I kind of think you've missed an opportunity to explore the impact that the aftermarket has made to the E60. Manual swaps are no available, carbon plenums, Bilstein EDC coilovers / dampers to address all the short comings of the E60. Also, the S63 engine has been plagued with reliability issues, far more so than the unreliable S85.
I have a manual E63 and have owned or driven most of the others cars in this. There is simply no comparison. The F10 manual literally made me swear to never buy another turbocharged car ever again.
The problem for the F10 M5 is that the M6 Gran coupe exist. Better looks, carbon roof, and better cabin. Looks more special as well. The F90 is a powerhouse but the is a lot less motorsport feeling about a big awd automatic car. E60 takes the cake.
For me the E39 & E60 M5s were my favorite. Especially, E60 M5 with its beautiful sounding V10 with sky high rpm’s. Wish the engine was more reliable though. And a good exhaust system can do wonders for the M5 V10. BMW was too conservative with the exhaust from factory. And F90 was widely praised only in its CS form. One can only imagine what an E60 M5 CS would have been! It would be wild! But aftermarket created some amazing E60 M5 V10s with modified engines & suspensions too. E39 M5 & E60 were good in their regular versions. It wasn’t reserved for super special limited versions.
Ffw 25 years later and F90 CS will remain the benchmark. The new model was pushed to a different root that will never reach the excitement of the F90 CS 🙆♂️
I haven't driven the newer M5cs, probably would be my pick as well if I ever was lucky enough. But I was lucky enough to daily the E39 M5. It was my dream car and it always will be connected to fun and happiness. Hard to believe I switched to the Audi TT Quattro when my lease was over, which was because of the styling and 4 wheel drive at the time. Great input on all these lovelies. Sure wish that V10 M was less troublesome, it could've been a top 5 of all time. ✌️
For me, it will be the E39, followed by the E60. I’ve fallen out of love with more recent M5s, so my car of choice is another E, my E63S (2018, pre-facelift). Might not be a popular opinion here (sorry) but it’s lively, playful, characterful and sounds fantastic - having owned it from new, its the longest I've had a car for all these reasons. What I always wanted an M5 to be, without the daft price tag of the CS - which is still gorgeous. Waiting to try the G90, though…..
Great 2 videos. I was lucky enough to daily an e34 m5 touring for 10 years. Family had a v10 and f10. Still regret selling the m5t . Pity the f10 / 90 were limited edition models in your test. There’s £100k deference in price for the cs. But otherwise a great trip down memory lane thank you.
3:25 yes, it is quite similar to a traditional manual transmission...hence the name 'Sequential Manual Gearbox - SMG'. TREAT IT LIKE A MOTORBIKE, like you say, just lighten the throttle ever so slightly when shifting up.
It's hard to compare M5s over such a breadth of time; in that time, the 5 series has grown to a full-size segment since it started; the new ones are massive. I would still choose an e34 or an e39, not because it's the best, but because those are the ones I love. You can drive them to their limits and use most of their performance on the road; they demand more from you, chasing the revs, and are more involving in that respect. The new ones are almost too fast and too accomplished on the road for me.
Absolutely great pair of videos, but objectively it is a real shame that there are 2 special editions in the mix - the standard cars would provide a better comparison IMO. Still appreciate the effort put in to create really interesting comparisons.
Although the F09 was a 30th Anniversary Edition, those performance bits were readily available for M5s. Also, throw in the M-Performance exhaust and boom, the sound is naturally amazing and theres always the M6 GC for added character 😂.
Really wished you'd waited for a press car to this, I know it's a monumental task making these videos but it would have highlighted (potentially) the short comings of the latest generation.
This guy is comparing a regular e60 m5 to a f10 yara and f90 Cs. Most people that own an m5 don't own the yara or Cs versions. These are more rare and for the rich man. So why this comparison ? Just for the presenters fun.
The E60 is the wildest M5 that was ever built. The winner in my heart
I agree
@@jackgotspeed wildest how? It’s quite slow and lacks in torque, if by wild you mean that it has a v10 sure - but the car itself is really not that wild or fast. Sounds great but that’s about it
@vz6235 sound is important, speed without a beautiful soundtrack is the same as being with a woman, and you going full send...and she's on her phone checking instagram lol.
Yes in the end you going to get to the finish line, but you get what I'm saying.
And the V10 sounds wild compared to any M5 before and after.
@@vz6235.
For me the best ///M5
1. F90 ///M5cs
2. E60 V10 ///M5
3. E39 ///M5
The V10 and F90 CS are instant classics.
fr
The V10 as the ideal weekend car and the F90 as the proper daily!
No way. They won't last anyway. Build in Poland
@@georgestamatakis697 lol
I was a motorcyclist for 11 years before breaking my back. Now a paraplegic since 2010...my e61 M5 has given me a similar pleasure to being on my 600rr and 848evo. 12 years of trouble free s85 ownership and will never sell it!
E60 M5 E92 M3 and E46 Csl best 3 m cars ever. Naturally aspirated days of bmw M were the rawest purest and most soulful
I had an E34 1992 3.8 Litre M5 with the Nurburgring pack over 20 years ago, along with multiple E32, E36's and E34's (wonderful cars) and we currently have a newish 2 and 7 (which are not impressive to me), so I am well versed in the different generations. I don't really understand Andrew's point that the new car is much more useable than the E34, unless he means they are old now and may need a lot of looking after. If you get a mint E34 M5, representative of how they were new, I feel they are every bit as useable as a new car ( I have 2-300,000 miles in the E32's and E34's and they were a joy to drive and appreciate as uncynical, honest, balanced, well designed and built drivers machines).
The new ones annoy me. The only modern necessities 80's, 90's cars need and don't have (maybe; I mean I did fine without them over twenty years ago) are a way to connect your phone, play your music etc and use a sat nav, but the single Din slot means you can do that now, Blaupunkt make two radios which look like an 80's and 90's model, match the dash design language, and you can use your phone for everything, which while not as "good" as carplay is a small price to pay and it works very well. Its not like the BMW iDrive is a pleasure, its annoying. The 80's BMW dash and cabins were an ergonomic masterpiece and a pleasure that never got old and can bring huge satisfaction still.
The newish 2 series which I use most annoys me to death. The modes are ill judged and pants, about 20% of the time the traction control is not off when it should be, and when very cold it stays on because I imagine, some possible liability. The steering modes are rubbish, you do not need your steering to be heavy at 2 mph to let you know its sporty, and you do not need it to floppy in the normal modes at 70mph in a crosswind in the normal mode. I leave it in the "sportiest", traction control off mode most of the time, because at least at speed the steering has some resistance though the feel is terrible. Quite often in the sport modes the steering stays in the floppy mode (an error) even though the traction is off. The only time I enjoy this car is in the autumn and winter when it starts to feel like the old BMW's which were such fun year round and in summer I have to provoke the h*** out of it to get it to slide round the roundabouts and I like to slide round every roundabout in an understated and safe way that goes mostly unnoticed; the tyres are just ridiculous, much bigger than an E36 M3, of which it has about the same power, and the E36 was criticised for not having the finesse of the E30 M3. E36 brochures state the tyre width as 215mm from 316i to 325i. The E36 325i and 328i had the same balance as the 316i but were adjustable on the throttle; a delight, while the 316i was not adjustable on the throttle at all except on ice. In the period the 316i was criticised as not having the power to bring the chassis to life, the huge tyres on the 2 series make it feel the same as an E36 316i that goes fast in a straight line, and in the dry you have to really provoke it to get it to play and then it can bite a little, no balance, though it is there underneath and you can reveal it in autumn and winter, though it still has nowhere near the gentle adjustable balance of an E36 325i on 215 mm tyres. At the end of winter I start to begrudgingly like the 2 series, a few weeks in to summer I actively hate the thing. An E36 325i / 328i was a joy - full stop. These criticisms go for all the new BMW's. The newish 7 (its about 4-5 years old) is so ill judged I don't drive it and I loved the E32's.
Long winded way of saying I think any E30, E34, E36 or E32 including the Motorsport cars are fully useable year round and an absolute joy. If I could go into a showroom and choose between any model of new 2 series versus a brand new E30 325i with a Z3 steering rack fitted /E36 328i, or any new 5 versus a brand new E34 525i 24v, 535i or M5 3.6 or 3.8, or any new 7 versus an E32 735i straight six I would leave very happy in either a new E30, E36, E34 or E32 and I wouldn't consider the new ones for a single second (and thats with the experience of owning them). The old ones are fundamentally good cars with beautiful straight sixes, not turbo'd bland 4 cylinders which are out of breath above 80 on the motorway. The new ones are ill judged, compromised by the awful cultural winds of our time and anything good about them comes from the old ones, and in the old ones you can have the good without the bad. The E39's are very impressive, the finessed feel from the rear end, that you can feel through any roundabout is a lovely feeling, but they are also more detached and they have a slight hint of what was going to go wrong with the later cars.
E30 and E34 are the best. E39 and E46 are pretty nice, E60 is special but still too big and heavy and it goes way downhill from there. The F90 CS is a great car, but too big, too heavy, too dependent on electronic help. It's the best car of the modern saloon age, but that ain't saying much
Great comment. I have no lust for recent BMWs, while the e34 in the video is a beautiful thing.
I've had a chance to drive an E34 525i M20 with a clunkomatic, an E60 530d, an E39 530d, a couple of E46 320d's, an E83 x3 2.0d, and had a chance to be a passenger in an F30 M540i (and some other modern BMWs which I didn't even care to remember), and out of the bunch, I liked the E34 the most. It felt SOOOOO GOOOD, driver focused, but comfortable at the same time, it was a pleasure to drive, only thing I hated about it was the clunkomatic that had no idea when to shift and what to do, other than that, it checked all the boxes for me. My lottery car would be the E34 M5.
I might be biased as I own an F11 but the F10 M5 is hands down the most beutiful of the bunch.
V10 all say long, its a sedan with a V10. It will never happen again
Agreed and I think it’s beautiful
they didnt bother making it actually good sooooooooooooooooooooo many reliability problems
It might not happen now, but it happened back then, with the audi s8, and also the s6, if you ignore the bonkers fast and extremely well performing audi rs6.
Also vw had a v10 in their phaeton
@@tattttu9Why would the V10 RS6 be ignored? It was the fastest out of the three and was available as a sedan/saloon.
F90 m5 cs is probably the best ever bmw they made.. Certainly one of them for sure
It's not the best among BMW cars.
The F90 M5 CS is one of the best cars in the entire auto history
Not choosing the E39 in the first video is criminal 💀
It really is lol. And I dislike all the hype around the e46/e39 but saying the e34>e39 is crazy talk.
I6 over V8 any day, especially in a BMW.
@@augustortiz E34>>>>>>E39
@@marcusoctober4856 agreed, in fact , over both videos
@@augustortizThe E34 had an engine based in motor racing. It was the last M5 that was hand-built by M GmbH. It was also the last M5 with the famous sharknose and classic round head lights. The design is much more mature and stylish than the 90's jellymold E39.
The E60 ///M5 represents peak Motorsport derived, sky high revving, ITB equipped N/A engine development for the ///M division. The hype surrounding the E60 ///M5 at launch, was off the charts and remains unmatched to this day by any other subsequent M car release and the same can be said for the E92 ///M3 with it's glorious S65! Out of the more modern turbo V8 M5's, the F10 takes the cake for me as it's the only one with a dual clutch and has an angrier demeanour in competition spec than its replacement.
The M5 CS is a huge sendoff and a commemoration of what the M5 has accomplished throughout the years. It's really telling that everyone likes it. If M5 were a television series, the CS would be the grand finale.
On the other hand, the G90 feels like a reboot or a spin-off. It's a regulations compliance car, I'm not sure anyone will cherish it in 10 years.
Fr
F10 M5 not enough character?
Madness! Put it in MDM or traction fully off and it can be pretty scary.
That mixed with no opf and the DCT- it has lots of character
Love the interaction between Dan and Andrew on these videos. Great to hear from two different generations, both with equal passion for cars.
As a mid way house that's a hell of a lot cheaper I'd probably go F10 competition pack for about £25k. 600hp daily usability and the Competition chassis upgrades..👍👍
Everyone loves the CS! They must've done something right with that. 😅😅
I'm used to cars with no torque, and I know it's kind of fragile (not in all cases), but I'd still take the V10...God knows how much I love that car. Little exhaust/intake mods and you're good to go. 🤩
You are never "good to go" with that car...endless problems for a little reward
@@fastdays_1I have two V10 m5's and two M6, over 8 years period not a single breakdown or serious issues apart from regular and preventive maintenance work.
Best engine in any BMW ever!
As @fastdays_1 stated, regular and preventative maintenance is key. Plus, the S85 is quite easy to work on, even for a non-professional mechanic like myself.
@@suprtran @MrCarz95 Thanks for your inputs! 👏🏾
@fastdays_1 it's called being a petrolhead
E34 is the swag car for me, sports cloth, manual gearbox. Objectively not the fastest but a reminder of all the things that made BMW so desirable & special.
The F10 30-years model is a truly magnificent piece of sportsaloon by bmw.
If given the opportunity to pick one for a day to drive it's the E60 for sure will be my choice
F90 CS is such an extreme car and has such a limited production run that a comparison with standard and competition M5s would have been more of a representative comparison. But tx for a well made vid, I had been looking forward to part 2. BTW, I love e34 but it's the e39 for me.
E60 M5 touring manual is my lottery win road trip car. Would need a specialist to give it a once over before you attempted any of the road trips of course😅
Why are you scared of e60 m5? I have 180,000 miles on my m5 v10
@@The_North0because they have a ton of expensive problems. Throttle actuators, rod bearings, VANOS pump, fuel pump, SMG pump, oil cooler, differential issues and those are just the things that are so common that they will almost certainly hit your wallet.
Touring was never made in manual, but some have been converted.
@@flacjacketI don’t agree with that, I’ve had my e60 m5 for 12 years, in that time I’ve done preventative maintenance which include, actuators, rod bearings and clutch and had no issues with the car, it’s the best car I’ve owned.
@suprac19 that's the thing with cars like this, you HAVE to do preventative maintenance, it's not a corolla. If u understand that when you buy one, it should go well. If I had the money, I'd get one...and a corolla for daily
The E60 was more M than 5, the F10 was more 5 than M and the F90 was half and half where M meets 5 especially the CS version.
I disagree
@@javierjimenez3627 the E60 was basically built around the engine and the 5 series part of it was somewhat of an afterthought.
The F10 was built first as a 5 Series to correct the short comings of the E60 hence it got heavy then they suddenly remembered to put the M in.
The F90 is half and half because they used the F10 as a test bed, you can only put so much power down with RWD hence the F90 is AWD. The weight of the F10 meant the chassis was off dynamically, the F90 is lighter to negate that and lighter still in the CS.
@@KgothatsoTlhabadira I understand your point but again I disagree, the E60 M5 comes from an era where BMW was putting everything in F1, hence why the V10 S85 could be develope, when it comes to the f10 m5 is was "cheaper" to develope a new turbo powertraine instead of going with a naturally aspirated engine, the E60 M5 feel more raw vs the F10 M5 because they prioritized the comfort, but anyway the f10 is faster, and consume less fuel, in the end is a better car, I'll say is a perfect daily, I like both of them, they are unique in their own world, I prefer the F10 M5 vs the F90 M5
@@javierjimenez3627 I prefer the F10 and F90, to me the E60 has only that engine and I'm a sucker for looks and it's just ugly.
@@KgothatsoTlhabadira ugly? You're blind
My favourite M5 is the E60 V10. That was just so different when it arrived. Fast as a rocket ship and rare to see, even in London
First of all thanks for the great videos on these fantastic cars. But...
The M5 CS may be the fastest and best handling M5 ever but there are two major issues with it which to me don't allow it to be the best M5 ever. The price which was ludicrous and only having four seats. The use case for an M5 is gone and the CS is a niche product which, as fantastic as it is, not a delivery to the M5 ethos.
The E60 is very very special. When spent time with it is probably the most special M5 ever and it's engine is indeed a masterpiece. Everytime you drive one you are amazed at what it can do.
It really should be second and the E34 number one.
1- E34
2 - E60
3 - E39
4 - E28
5 - F10
6 - F90 CS (arguably the best car here but doesn't tick the box in this comparison)
Yup agreed 👍
💯
I’d put the E39 higher but totally agree on your main points.
Agreed. The CS is a limited edition special. Very expensive, and a very big car with only 4 seats. Most likely many will be bought by people who want an investment not a form of transport (and while I appreciate the first 4 gens are also in that category now, they were not in their day). If you want to buy one and actually use it, the standard F10 M5 is still superb value. But for me the E34, E39, and E60 - in that order - are the best overall.
The launch price of the M5 CS was $143K.
Currently, a used M5 CS is very hard to find, and the price is over $300K.
The value will keep going up, and this car could have been the best investment to their owners.
M6 V10!!!... With exhaust mod!!!
I think the whole series was kind of ruined by the fact that the f10 and the f90 were not the regular spec m5 version versus the previous 4 generations tested.
Yeah. And how expensive are these special versions? Really need to compare stock editions.
There were noise regulations way back then,plus the E60 was meant to be the gentlemans racer.I have a Dinam ECU and intake and an exhaust on mine,570BHP and a world away fron todays sad bangs and pops.
So the best M5 is the very limited, twice the price, CS. Cool.
😂😂😂
@@dlb44 hahahaha this channel is new, clearly
The launch price of the M5 CS was $143K.
Currently, a used M5 CS is very hard to find, and the price is over $300K.
The value will keep going up, and this car could have been the best investment to their owners.
None of that is true. Unless you are in Australia.
One for sale at 131k, cars and bid sold for 150k. The new G90 M5 actually sold for more at 280k. @@hassanger8128
I own an E60 M5 with a 6MT. Truly a special car to drive. Usually an afterthought in videos like these bc it’s very uncommon, but with that gearbox I think it’s the best M5 ever made.
i agree, the base F10 M5 was a bit soft side....can feel the body roll .....more to comfort...then ...i upgraded the front sway bar to competition bar but back i remain stock because i wanted comfort for my kids at the back...and upgraded the spring to Eibach Pro-Kit Spring Set.....then the car became more stiff and handling is greatly improve....much less body roll....totally a different car handling...
No one talks about the way the E60 seat bolsters hug you on every turn.
V10 + DCT in the works by two people I know... 🔥🔥🔥
Pointless. Just get a proper manual.
That M5 CS is beautiful. Best looking 5 gen.
14:03 his phone starts ringing again..
The E60 M5 is the best for sound and top speed performance.
E60 is a cracking car and the engine itself shouldn’t be disrespected. It’s a super fun car to drive and you can’t knock the performance. The SMG box isn’t great but you get used to it, performs well using the paddles in M mode.
Recently got an F10, for its size, not even the M5 but it feels sooo good when going fast, not to mention the everyday stuff. Absolutely love it.
Agreed and handles very well too
@@geoffdowdall8373 It does. I was surprised NGL.
@@mbizozo6271hides its size very well . Fun to drive country roads too
Agreed. And mine has been so reliable.
What sort of engine have y'all got in it? Looking to get one as well (currently own an E46 and I love the 6 cylinder so I'd really like to get a 6 cylinder again which basically leaves the 535i and 530/535/550d but I do not like what I read about the N-series engines).
I've had the E39 M5 and the E60 M5 and now a stage 2 F90 M5 and it's the best allrounder and so fast. It can do work, family and nordschleife miles all in one. Sometimes I do miss a manual gearbox but the 8HP does fit the car really well 99% of the time.
It's not fair to use the 30 Yahre and the CS, the standard versions drive very differently, especially the CS.
I own an F10 M5. It’s quite easy to bring a standard car to 30 Jahre level, even easier with a Competition pack.
Comp pack is already there, the extra 25hp wouldn’t be hugely noticeable. Chassis and suspension mods are the same.
Standard car needs a touch more work, but not much. CP pack swaybars, lowering springs, and get someone to code in the diff, gearbox and shock settings from the comp. Total cost around $1000USD for new parts and coding.
A tune on either pushes these cars way past the 600hp of the 30 Jahre. 700rwhp cars with an off the shelf Stage 2 and a set of high flow down pipes are quite common.
@alexblackburn9771 Sure I agree for the F10, but the Comp vs CS on the F90 drive like two different cars from what everyone says.
@@FurkanCemTurfanda yes but they're searching for the greatest m5 at the end of the day, they should have drove the regular f90 too to compare it to the CS
Fantastic videos, Part 1 and 2--thanks for putting them together. I completely understand the enchantment with the CS, and it's clearly a coveted phenomenon of a machine, by any measure. But honestly, in terms of what most people are accessing and in terms of the comparison with other models here, the F90 Comp deserved more discussion. It was dismissed toward the end in a way that simply didn't do justice to its virtues--dynamically (where it's class-leading if you put it up against a E63s or RS6) or acoustically (where it sounds much better, in fact, than the CS itself, which was thoroughly restricted by '21 EU noise regs). I'd wager that the majority of drivers would find it no less driver focused in 95% of real-world situations, given the general paucity of opportunities we have in the UK nowadays to exercise these four-door missiles to anything like their upper limit on public backroads. Not every M5 driver is chasing track times either. Sure, the CS is astonishing and remains a testament to M's engineering prowess. But the Comp, in its own right, is hardly 'forgettable' or lacking character. Indeed, as any carshow regular will tell you, the Comp has brought joy to more enthusiasts than the CS ever will, thereby allowing the exoticness of a contemporary V8 supersaloon in this day and age not to be the preserve of the exclusive few. It therefore deserved a more judicious chapter in what was otherwise a detailed, balanced, and engaging account.
V10❤
I agree with the presenters. But man I love that once there was a 5 series with a screaming V10. Such an anomaly and all good examples will be future collectors classics. Just like all the previous E series M5's.
I couldn't care less whether my personal favourites weren't declared winners or not - and looking at some of the comments I think a few people need to chill out and grow up 😂
- These guys have driven 200x more cars than any of us, and they just drove them all back to back. Who else is likely to have a more fresh and valid comparison in their mind at this moment?
- And as for the criticism of the E60 M5 wasn't some special edition (I can't remember if there even was one?) like the other 2, it's so, so difficult to get all dream cars across the country to the same location on the same day.
- The video production costs a fortune, these journalists are top of their game and we're all watching for free. Lighten up and support quality content whether you agree with the opinions or not!
Respectfully, I disagree entirely with the conclusion.
The first 3 generations of M5 are near perfection.
Ok boomer
You don’t have to be a boomer to recognize the character and tactility of the early generations just can’t be replicated by the newer cars.
No YOUR definition of perfection is based on the narrative of old cars. Your car is not perfect because it’s not modern. Turn tables. And yes I’m from the new generation.
@@SubaruForzaMt1 sell your car and get the newest WRX then. Oh wait…
@@hassanger8128I understand what he saying , Character and less tech
You missed an opportunity to shame the new one! While the Bangle-era E60's headlights and strange trunk treatment took getting used to, I don't think the new one will age so gracefully.
Disagree, the G90 just looks very modern and new age. Very cyberpunk. All the G90 renders for bodykits are extremely badass.
18:00 Remove two catalysts from the V10 and you will definitely hear the V10 sir.
But that would be an unfair test right? Similarly unfair to comparing the limited edition M5 CS, to the rest of the range and it miraculously winning
@@IRoss106 True but how mucg would it cost to remove it, I have hears V10 M5s that sound like F1 cars
@@gmain1977 no denying they will sound amazing with the cats removed but the comparison to “sounding like F1 cars” is overused. They rev half as heigh, half the power and twice the weight.
The testers make the classic mistake with the E60 M5 SMG. There is no need to get off the throttle for upshifts. Needing to do so is a sign the gearbox needs to be adapted again or the clutch is on the way out.
It’s by no means an automatic gearbox BTW with buttery smooth or lightning fast upshifts. It’s just the box doing the manual shifting for you. So don’t compare them.. 😊
Correct - I own one and I've seen nearly every reviewer make this mistake and often not have the car in the best settings.
Excellent presentation, chaps. A small critique: I'd have preferred to see the base level cars receive more weighting in this comparison even if some couldn't actually make it to the show in person. The CS in particular seems a model whose "greatness" is severely limited by it's lack of availability and astronomical cost.
They said they wanted the best model of each generation so no one could say it didn’t get its fair chance.
I get the noise thing with the v10 (perhaps BMW's attempt at making it 'luxury' and refined), but it is just so hard to go past that era of ridiculous tech mated with ridiculous displacement. Everything was pushed to its limits, and that to me makes the e60 such a special M car. Having said that, I think the problem with the e60 for those keen on a high revving NA saloon experience with genuine daily useability.....is the e90 M3. 4 doors, same practicality, DCT and manual options, and the v8 iteration of the screamer in the e60. A bit lighter and more pointed, too. Owned one a while ago and its the one car I wish I had never sold.
Imagine going from any of those (new or old ) to the G90 .. gosh.
Ready to be burnt at the stake but I do think Bangle was quite visionary with the E60 as it got better with age. Looks aside V10 all day
I completely agree with you. I think the E60 and well as the E63 M6 of that same generation are gorgeous. Definitely getting better with age
The current and outgoing BMW generations make Bangle's work look rational, deliberate in every decision and deceptively well balanced. Nowadays, BMW design has completely gone out the window - just aimless, chaotic confrontation that's all about attention for attention's sake...
@@SmallBlogV8agree and to be honest it is a problem with many cars nowadays. Too many fake vents and garish adornments.
@@JohnSmith-in1ttThe E63 M6 looks like a derpy beaver from the front, with a very awkward looking backend. That rear spoiler didn’t traslate well from the Bangle Z9 Gran Turismo Concept. I think Fisker fixed the design slightly with his coach built M6 called the Latigo (the grill still is “meh”).
@@TheCluesRNTheBlues well that’s your opinion. I understand I might be in the minority, but I really like the way it looks
F10 M5 is so underrated. E60 or F90, would still choose F10 over them. Its the best looking and favorite daily! DCT RWD V8 TT pure madness but still comfy enough for daily.
Loved the video and the verdict was unexpected. Great!
E60 good lord it looks and sounds incredible
Interesting points about the V10. I own another high-reving engine (2013 RS5) that's not the most torque-y, but coupled with a dual clutch, it's an amazingly fun combination because you can go from cruising to peak torque (4000 to 6000 rpm) lightning fast and smoothly. And you still have loads of rpms to go up to almost 8500.
1. E39 and E60
2. F90 CS
3. E34
Can someone shoehorn the V10 into the E39 an create the ultimate version?
Heaven 😢
M5 CS is already a modern classic
The M5 CS is probably thr finest supersaloon made, period!
Those roads you drove on were shaking the cars so much that my back started to hurt :)
F10 sounds pretty good to be fair.
But the dream would be to daily that F90 CS - what a machine 😍
Can't wait for the e63 version of this :D
Lest we forget - the most fun you can have in a BMW and the first "M" the E12 M535i
I did about 36k miles in my e39 M5 and it’s still the best car I’ve owned. Does absolutely everything well and I’ll take a manual gearbox over paddles for involvement any day of the week.
G30/F90 5 series is one of the best looking bimmers ever made
Dan is an international treasure his reviews are chef’s kiss imo.
Wife has the e60..i have the e39....different beasts,but both awesome in their own rights.
I would still like an E39
I can't believe I've found your channel just now after such a long time. Liked and subscribed. Anyways, doesn't make much sense to pick those of the most special editions for this test, such as 30 jahre or the CS as most ppl won't be able to come anywhere near that. Other than that, it's a great video for sure with more interesting content on your channel!
Kudos for a car reviewer who finally understands the SMG is basically a fucking MANUAL TRANSMISSION with a hydraulic pump--- and should be driven like one. Nobody could understand it at the time and many idiots chiming off on how it's "jerky and sucks" have no clue that feathering the throttle is a thing.
Yeah well reasoned but the E60 is the only one I'm actively browsing for on carsales. I want that V10!
Greatest definitely the V10 E60!!!!!!!! All day!!!!!!!!!!
Just F10, nothing else.
Fully enjoyed this, the e34 winning did surprise me but I do agree having had a normal 6 pot e34 and how much fun that was to chuck around- I’d absolutely love the M5 cs but I just don’t think I could live with the hard bucket seats and hard ride over the uk’s brilliant roads every day- I’m afraid I’m still going to stick with the e39- the soundtrack is just music to me.
I enjoyed watching the two videos but let’s be honest here it was always going to be the CS that new one has big shoes to fill.
Agree with some other commenters that it’s a little unfair to compare base models with a much more expensive
and limited edition model. I’m sure the CS is fantastic and the most driver focussed M5 but didn’t the reviewers also say they wanted every day usability?
As an M6 GC competition owner, my experience is that the modern comp spec cars strike a great balance between drivers car and daily driver.
That said, I think the E34 would be my favourite. I’ve never driven one but I drove my dad’s 535 sport back in the day and that generation of BMW holds fond memories for me - it’s probably the main reason I now own an M6. I also think the power level, weight and performance on offer in a classic car is probably spot on for spirited road driving.
The e34 and e60 are the most M like cars I terms of engine. The rest is just made more for confort and daily use. Main reason the E39 is so loved it's because it's more of a normal car.
Does anyone know the roads they were driving on?
I think it's North Wales - on the "horseshoe pass" near Llangollen. We have been known for closing the odd road for a little while to allow a road-tests to be done!
It's a good road (no barriers and quite a drop down the mountain if you get it badly wrong!), surface is smooth, but undulating as you can see by the suspension working hard on the road test cars.
Great road in the dry, absolutely terrifying in the wet (for me anyway) as the water runs off the mountain and the road is just awash
Stuck an Eismann exhaust on my V10. Trust me you heard it that in the cabin 😮 sounding like an F1 car
F10 best M5
so the newest most expensive car currently available is the best... An excellent video as always but I kind of think you've missed an opportunity to explore the impact that the aftermarket has made to the E60. Manual swaps are no available, carbon plenums, Bilstein EDC coilovers / dampers to address all the short comings of the E60.
Also, the S63 engine has been plagued with reliability issues, far more so than the unreliable S85.
I have a manual E63 and have owned or driven most of the others cars in this. There is simply no comparison. The F10 manual literally made me swear to never buy another turbocharged car ever again.
The problem for the F10 M5 is that the M6 Gran coupe exist. Better looks, carbon roof, and better cabin. Looks more special as well.
The F90 is a powerhouse but the is a lot less motorsport feeling about a big awd automatic car.
E60 takes the cake.
All factors considered, it will be the F10 CP.
For me the E39 & E60 M5s were my favorite. Especially, E60 M5 with its beautiful sounding V10 with sky high rpm’s. Wish the engine was more reliable though. And a good exhaust system can do wonders for the M5 V10. BMW was too conservative with the exhaust from factory. And F90 was widely praised only in its CS form. One can only imagine what an E60 M5 CS would have been! It would be wild! But aftermarket created some amazing E60 M5 V10s with modified engines & suspensions too. E39 M5 & E60 were good in their regular versions. It wasn’t reserved for super special limited versions.
The best choise in part 1. But you should have used a e60 M5 manual for this part. So much better and the only choise in this M5 setup.
Ffw 25 years later and F90 CS will remain the benchmark.
The new model was pushed to a different root that will never reach the excitement of the F90 CS 🙆♂️
I haven't driven the newer M5cs, probably would be my pick as well if I ever was lucky enough. But I was lucky enough to daily the E39 M5. It was my dream car and it always will be connected to fun and happiness. Hard to believe I switched to the Audi TT Quattro when my lease was over, which was because of the styling and 4 wheel drive at the time. Great input on all these lovelies. Sure wish that V10 M was less troublesome, it could've been a top 5 of all time. ✌️
For me, it will be the E39, followed by the E60. I’ve fallen out of love with more recent M5s, so my car of choice is another E, my E63S (2018, pre-facelift). Might not be a popular opinion here (sorry) but it’s lively, playful, characterful and sounds fantastic - having owned it from new, its the longest I've had a car for all these reasons. What I always wanted an M5 to be, without the daft price tag of the CS - which is still gorgeous. Waiting to try the G90, though…..
Great 2 videos. I was lucky enough to daily an e34 m5 touring for 10 years. Family had a v10 and f10. Still regret selling the m5t . Pity the f10 / 90 were limited edition models in your test. There’s £100k deference in price for the cs. But otherwise a great trip down memory lane thank you.
M5 F10 for me any day ,any road ,any mood
3:25 yes, it is quite similar to a traditional manual transmission...hence the name 'Sequential Manual Gearbox - SMG'.
TREAT IT LIKE A MOTORBIKE, like you say, just lighten the throttle ever so slightly when shifting up.
M3 next please!
Greg James will be devastated the E34 didn't win.
It's hard to compare M5s over such a breadth of time; in that time, the 5 series has grown to a full-size segment since it started; the new ones are massive. I would still choose an e34 or an e39, not because it's the best, but because those are the ones I love. You can drive them to their limits and use most of their performance on the road; they demand more from you, chasing the revs, and are more involving in that respect. The new ones are almost too fast and too accomplished on the road for me.
Absolutely great pair of videos, but objectively it is a real shame that there are 2 special editions in the mix - the standard cars would provide a better comparison IMO. Still appreciate the effort put in to create really interesting comparisons.
Although the F09 was a 30th Anniversary Edition, those performance bits were readily available for M5s. Also, throw in the M-Performance exhaust and boom, the sound is naturally amazing and theres always the M6 GC for added character 😂.
I didn't even realise that there was an F10 version. lol.
Really wished you'd waited for a press car to this, I know it's a monumental task making these videos but it would have highlighted (potentially) the short comings of the latest generation.
This guy is comparing a regular e60 m5 to a f10 yara and f90 Cs. Most people that own an m5 don't own the yara or Cs versions. These are more rare and for the rich man. So why this comparison ? Just for the presenters fun.