BMW M5 Project Leader Talks About AWD M5 Model

[JasonCSU]

Originally Posted by rmani

i hope they don't make an awd m5. i hate awd

But you drive an AWD X5? I'm guessing you mean AWD in cars, not SUV's.

[Venom]

So first they allowed FWD and now AWD... Interesting...

[Sedan_Clan]

Originally Posted by kyleb350

I somewhat agree as I think the "businessman" car should be more of the normal 5 series. In this car, BMW should put priority to what the "M" actually stands for and keep it at a respectable weight.

Does "M" actually stand for low weight or an intriguingly fantastic driving experience (..I believe it to be the latter)? That is the question!

Originally Posted by Rolf-Dieter

I have to agree with your carefully constructed point of view. BMW takes great care in the design and making of the M Division cars and always will. There is a changing market out there and all they try to do is to address it. In the end there will always be the true M car for us to make a selection.

my 2 cents.

Thanks Rolf!

[M-Power111]

Originally Posted by Sedan_Clan

Does "M" actually stand for low weight or an intriguingly fantastic driving experience (..I believe it to be the latter)? That is the question!




Thanks Rolf!

exactly, weight isnt everything, its just 1 ingredient.

[Sedan_Clan]

Originally Posted by M-Power111

exactly, weight isnt everything, its just 1 ingredient.

[Ateam]

Originally Posted by aajami

How about this, BMW...

Why not focus on reducing weight? That way, you won't have to cram as many horses as possible to keep up with your ever-bloating cars. That way, you won't have to add even more weight with systems like AWD that go against everything that made you beloved by scores of consumers in order to handle all of that insane power. That way, you can continue to make fast cars without having to come up with some bullshit excuse about "no dogmas" to justify your transformation into Mercedes Benz and every other mediocre car manufacturer in the world.

How about that?

This clearly does not make sense. What do you think removing a bunch of weight does to a car? Essentially the same thing as keeping weight the same and increasing power-it increases power-weight ratio and that is what needs to be put to the ground. Whether you take out 500 pounds or bump hp by 75hp, the net effect on ability to deal wtih traction is the same.

So lightening the car by a ton will not provide an answer that would eliminate the need for awd.

[DDS2015]

Originally Posted by Ateam

This clearly does not make sense. What do you think removing a bunch of weight does to a car? Essentially the same thing as keeping weight the same and increasing power-it increases power-weight ratio and that is what needs to be put to the ground. Whether you take out 500 pounds or bump hp by 75hp, the net effect on ability to deal wtih traction is the same.

So lightening the car by a ton will not provide an answer that would eliminate the need for awd.

But if you reduce the MASS while keeping power the same, then you can keep with high revving NA engines. Reducing the MASS would help in the fuel savings dept also don't forget, and would make the car handle better.

Aside from that, adding AWD to the new M5 would only increase sales IMO, so why wouldn't they do it? They have the technology (whether it be xdrive, or the system from the X5M/X6M). I think it's a good idea in a big executive sport saloon like this.

[Sedan_Clan]

Originally Posted by DDS2015

But if you reduce the MASS while keeping power the same, then you can keep with high revving NA engines. Reducing the MASS would help in the fuel savings dept also don't forget, and would make the car handle better.

You are cross-contaminating one topic of discussion with another. Weight has little to do with the decision to go from NA to FI.

[esqu1re]

Woo...I would like to see weight go down instead of AWD, but AWD is probably the only way to effectively use that power / torque.

[DDS2015]

Originally Posted by Sedan_Clan

You are cross-contaminating one topic of discussion with another. Weight has little to do with the decision to go from NA to FI.

I know that I'm crossing two topics here. However, if mass is reduced then it will not only make the car handle better but it will give it better fuel efficiency. If the car has better fuel efficiency due to weight reduction, then they can keep the NA engine instead of switching to FI to meet the same efficiency requirements.

[Sedan_Clan]

Originally Posted by DDS2015

I know that I'm crossing two topics here. However, if mass is reduced then it will not only make the car handle better but it will give it better fuel efficiency. If the car has better fuel efficiency due to weight reduction, then they can keep the NA engine instead of switching to FI to meet the same efficiency requirements.

Well I guess that all depends on where the mass is removed from, but I understand the gist of your post. I still believe that there is/was more than meets the eye regarding the decision to go FI (..emissions standards as an obvious priority).

[Dude-]

OMG its like the X6M config that is 1000lbs lighter, Lowered, and awesome looking. I want one....

[M ETT]

I'd take an AWD M5 any day! Fit it with full studded rubber and then I'd go race Santa and his reindeer on snow and ice ...

[Simsims]

Originally Posted by LemonOne

Please BMW, borrow AWD from Ferrari FF!

The AWD from Ferrari FF is NOT for power delivery, but rather for slippage on wet/snow roads.

Only UP to 20% power is transferred up front and the clutch packs are ALWAYS slipping = dead packs soon.

Ignorance of how certain technology works is a bliss.

[shanecarmaster1]

I can't wait to see how high off the ground these will be. :/

[ORIGIN M.]

IF you have ever driven a X5/6M you'd understand.

Rear bias xDrive for the win...

[ORIGIN M.]

Originally Posted by shanecarmaster1

I can't wait to see how high off the ground these will be. :/

I hope not

[mapezzul]

This is all rubbish. The guy they quoted is not even the project leader. Herr Friedmann is.

Albert Biermann as well as Dr. Nitsche have both gone on the record as saying there will be NO AWD M5. Enough said (Biermann confirmed this again today which will be expanded upon by certain media outlets).

-M

[Ateam]

The point is people are touting weight loss as the key to better traction and no need for awd because it can keep the power down.

However a 4000 pound car with 600 hp has a weight to power ratio of 6.67

Drop 1000 pounds off the car and drop the hp to 450 (as an example of what people are in general wanting to do in order to avoid AWD-than the weight to power is still 6.6.

Both of these will have the exact same traction problems getting off the line therefore a lighter car with the same power to weight which needs to happen in order to keep the cars progressing and being faster than the last, will be no better off the line at putting the power down than a fat car with much more hp.

Handling is a whole different story and I am not saying it would not be great to have less weight with less hp but simply from a need for AWD arguement, that is not something you can address with weight loss. The more power to weight, the need for awd becomes pretty real with engines that put out that much torque and power so low in the revs.

[nam71594]

if bmw does a awd m5, lets take them to AMS or SPE and see what insane amounts of horsepower we could add to them and maybe we would get a 8second m5!!

[kokopuffs405]

i dunno.....

[Imola.ZHP]

I long time ago I read that the "next generation" BMW's would have AWD systems that weighed much less than the "current generation" AWD systems. If that is still the case, I'm all for it! Bring it to the F30 M3 too please!