F10 M5 Nominal Output

[KKS53]

This is a question that has been bugging me so figured this forum is as good a place as any to get the answer:

Nominal output on BMW USA website for M5 is 552 hp.
All 3 variants of M6 are 560 hp.

The M5 output conflicts with everything I have seen and read out their that references both cars with identical engines with a stated max output of 560 hp between 6000-7000 rpm.

My confusion is compounded by the fact an ad (from BMW) that I saw at my dealer when I picked up my '14 M5 CP this past weekend states that the 15 hp increase takes the M5 output to 567 hp -- everything else out there references 575 hp for M5 and M6 with the CP.

[RPiM5]

The way that it has been explained to me by a BMW Engineer, is that 560hp is the minimum horsepower this engine will ever produce, no matter if it 130F or -60F or you are at 15,000ft Density Altitude, 560 is the MINIMUM. At Sea Level in SoCal Dyno's have consistently shown no less than 600hp to the crank across many different M5's and M6's dyno'd. I'm guessing with the Comp Pack, you are looking at about 615hp-620hp at the crank on a day to day basis. Hope this helps clear the confusion.

[s62]

BMW NA lists the number in hp, whereas BMW AG lists it in PS (metric hp). To get from PS to hp you divide by 1.01387. So 560PS/1.01387=552.34hp.

Now the engine is claimed to make 418KW which is a universal unit. The thing is that

1KW = 1.35962152 PS = 1.34102186 hp

hence the confusion.

[KKS53]

Originally Posted by s62

BMW NA lists the number in hp, whereas BMW AG lists it in PS (metric hp). To get from PS to hp you divide by 1.01387. So 560PS/1.01387=552.34hp.

Now the engine is claimed to make 418KW which is a universal unit. The thing is that

1KW = 1.35962152 PS = 1.34102186 hp

hence the confusion.

Thx for the explanation- I had a feeling there was a metric / non-metric element but BMW USA needs to fix their site as they are showing 552 for the M5 and 560 for M6 which is what was throwing me off. They should stick to the same unit.

[AlphaAlpineM6]

Originally Posted by RPiM5

The way that it has been explained to me by a BMW Engineer, is that 560hp is the minimum horsepower this engine will ever produce, no matter if it 130F or -60F or you are at 15,000ft Density Altitude, 560 is the MINIMUM. At Sea Level in SoCal Dyno's have consistently shown no less than 600hp to the crank across many different M5's and M6's dyno'd. I'm guessing with the Comp Pack, you are looking at about 615hp-620hp at the crank on a day to day basis. Hope this helps clear the confusion.

What he told you is accurate.