The M5 is the performance peak of the BMW range, and has the best of a high specced 5 series BMW, so four doors, 5 seats, plenty of room and a high spec, accompanied by awesome performance.
In the E39, BMW 'M' used a 4.9 litre V8 naturally aspirated engine producing around 400 BHP and 380 lb/ft of torque, so at the time the most powerful BMW ever made. The power figures aren't the whole story though, the way the power is delivered is what makes the M5 engine such a pleasure. From very low revs you have masses of torque available, and it isn't delivered in big lumps, like a turbo, but just smooth, massive power delivery all the way to the 7k rpm redline. And you will not get a better sounding engine - the V8 is a peach.
So, you have a fairly big and heavy saloon car with a big engine with big power - not too much new there. Well the car is quick and once the rear wheels get grip you can hit 60 in 5 seconds and keep going to 180 mph if you have it de-limited. But take it on some country roads, and you will forget that you're in a big M5, and it feels more like an M3 - aside from the fact that you are still sitting in pure luxury.
You have switchable traction control, and when kept on, if you lose traction the car's computer will use a combination of throttle control and braking any one of the 4 wheels, to keep you on the road - to be honest the system is a little too intrusive and will come on if you try to get a bit of drift on or get the back end out, and keep you sensible! It also wants to come on regularly in the wet, i.e you could get it come on changing up to 4th and flooring it as the masses of torque lose grip on a wet road. But, in the wet it is probably best to keep it on, unless you can catch it quick when the backend goes on a roundabout.
In the dry though, flick the ESP off, switch it to sport mode (quickens steering, stiffens suspension and makes accellerator more sensitive) and you will get one of the most involving drives around. It grips well, and loses grip progressively, allowing most drivers the chance to fell the limit, get to it, and stop themselves ending up in a hedge (or Armco, as such driving should be kept to a track) and is so satisfying when you get it right.
As for luxury, the spec includes front heated and fully electric memory seats that move every way but eject; cruise control; all electric wiondows and mirrors; electric adjustable steering column (that you can memorise with the seats for different passengers), full leather, computer; auto-dim mirror; satnav (if you are lucky enough to get one with comms pack), and illuminated gearstick!
The car is a pleasure to drive either quickly or sedately, and I regard it as the best M5 ever made - the E60 is more powerful at 500 BHP, but there is so much computer input that the drive is just not as involving.
The car looks fairly similar to a standard 5 series, aside from wider staggered deep dish 18"alloys, twin dual exit exhausts, bigger brakes and a small rear spoiler - Purposeful but discreet.
Maintenance can be pricey but for a super-performance car they are fairly reliable. You need to ensure that if you get one it has had regular servicing and in particular regular oil (they use oil) of the right grade - generally 10w60.
Basically you can get a family of 5 in, travel to and from work, shops etc, and then take it to the Nurburgring and do close to 8 minutes (if you can drive). For me, it does everything a car should and that I need - and fuel consumption ain't half bad either for such a big engine.....sort of.
As you can now get these cars for £7k upwards, they are a genuine bargain, being £60k+ new, 10 years ago, and still out performing most cars on the road with a level of luxury not found in many cars even now.
If you get a chance - buy one, you won't regret it.
Drawbacks: The cost of maintenance.
If you take care of these engines you can get 250,000 miles out of the S62 engine, just about unheard of with other high performance cars and engines. In my opinion these are the most comfortable and supportive seats ever put in any automobile.
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