Video: BMW M5 Competition Package: A Better Driver's Car? By Motortrend

[RPiM5]

Originally Posted by lawgone

Ugh I wish I could afford this. Such a beautiful car. I'd have to find out a way to turn off the piped in sound though. That's just wrong.

I have to say that the other day I was given a loaner car by my local dealership. I got a 335is for the whole day. Sadly, it had more induction sound than the M5/M6. It sounded good and I missed induction sound, but then I got back into my M5 with an exhaust on it and I didn't miss the induction sound as much any more.

[tony20009]

Originally Posted by j0hn

idk

LOL

Well, glad you didn't die.

[hyperboost]

I think BMW should offer sunroof delete option for the Competition package. That would lose 50lbs at least and lower center of gravity. Carbon Fiber roof might be too much of a stretch.

[hyperboost]

Originally Posted by ColdList

Sort of my point. I definitely would not want the M3/4 over the M5/6 because of precisely those same things. The focus on the M4/4 is performance where the M5/6 is a mix of luxury/perf.



The issue with that is that this always has to be followed with "give an example where another 4 door, 5 person car is doing it better" if you are having a discussion about performance and handling,etc. If you are comparing luxury/performance apples to apples with another similar car thew M5/6 is a no-brainer. I think the challenge is that many people don't give REAL consideration to what they TRULY want. The allure of the M5/6 is very hard to resist. It is the benchmark car. Then they buy it and they say "I miss my M3". For those people the choice should have been more weighted (no pun intended) towards a want for a more "raw" driving experience and they should have foregone luxury. For us old guys like me, a little luxury is nice. The M5/6 does that VERY well. IMO way better than Merc. I love the Merc interior but something is just not quite as "right" as the M5/6. And driving-forget it.

Well said, people don't think about what they really want. Buying decisions are mostly impulsive. Salesmen/women are GOOD!

[gmd2003]

Originally Posted by RPiM5

I have to say that the other day I was given a loaner car by my local dealership. I got a 335is for the whole day. Sadly, it had more induction sound than the M5/M6. It sounded good and I missed induction sound, but then I got back into my M5 with an exhaust on it and I didn't miss the induction sound as much any more.

Get a Gruppe M intake , trust me it really takes it to another level .

[dimabimmer]

Originally Posted by hyperboost

I think BMW should offer sunroof delete option for the Competition package. That would lose 50lbs at least and lower center of gravity. Carbon Fiber roof might be too much of a stretch.

oh yeah!
I was thinking the same thing!

All M cars with CP should ve CF Roof option...

[AlphaAlpineM6]

HAHAH "you can't do that in an E63"

[URBAN LEGEND]

Originally Posted by hyperboost

I think BMW should offer sunroof delete option for the Competition package. That would lose 50lbs at least and lower center of gravity. Carbon Fiber roof might be too much of a stretch.

I know. Then the car will go from 4200 lbs to 4150. I would feel that!

[ColdList]

Originally Posted by hyperboost

Well said, people don't think about what they really want. Buying decisions are mostly impulsive. Salesmen/women are GOOD!

Lol! Yeah, I always wondered why dealers don;t go out and hire more sexy women!

[lm1z]

Originally Posted by ColdList

Betting you see more focus on hydrogen than this. They are HEAVILY invested in it already.

While true, this is doubtful. We're a long way away from seeing hydrogen being offered among a full fleet of vehicles. The project 7 has been around for years.

And I think you missed my point earlier. This can't and won't be an HP war. It will be a battle of weight, technology, and emissions.
They are definitely listening to their customers and paying attention to competitors' strengths. Arguably their best car in the line, the M3, is seeing factory improvements (cf parts, wider fender flares, aggressive seating) that have been voiced by enthusiasts. Corp. employees browse this forum all the time...

[Ezio]

yup thats one of the main problems i have with these new M cars. they dont sound all that great OR maybe they sound good, but the last generations were to good. now i can be pleased

[clar]

Originally Posted by ColdList

Betting you see more focus on hydrogen than this. They are HEAVILY invested in it already.

They stopped talking about hydrogen if u haven't noticed. Plug-in is the way to go now. They invested heavily in this. Look at their i cars.

[Rob///M5]

Originally Posted by doug_999

No - I want the sunroof On that note, that is the prime reason why the M6GC is not on my list. That car is claustrophobic.

However, it weighs close to the M5 I believe and yet somehow handles so much better (per the reviews at least). Worse, the Panamera Turbo weighs about the same as the M5 but does not get the negative handling reviews. So while the M5 is weighty, I think the issue is how it is tuned vs. the sheer bulk.

The GC does NOT handle better. Reviews are useless. Drive it yourself. The GC is a luxury cruiser...M7.

[clar]

Originally Posted by Rob///M5

The GC does NOT handle better. Reviews are useless. Drive it yourself. The GC is a luxury cruiser...M7.

+1. Drove the GC in Sepang and felt that the M5 handled better!

[N & M]

Originally Posted by ColdList

I think the F10 does handle just as well. It just feels like it doesn't. There is definitely the sensation of tossing around a lot of weight. You get very used to the "weight" after a while until you get into something that is truly nimble. Then you shake your head and it's hard to get back int he groove. Wife and I took the M6 cab out for a long drive around the lake last weekend. I had not driven it in a long time and I kept telling her I felt like we were in a boat. After about an hour behind the wheel it was all good. Especially when we got on the highway-then my tune changed to "wow! I forgot how fast this thing is!".

Also, you really have to get the steering in comfort mode. I remember how nuts it drove me when I got the car first. My inclination, as it is with many people, was to put it in Sport+. I found out from a performance guy (and fellow F10 owner) that at the BMW Performance Center in Spartanburgh, SC, they recommend that setting. That is how they track the car as well. They informed us that Sport+ was for straight-line autobahn driving. The car will fight you otherwise. As soon as you switch to comfort it really takes a lot of the "weighty" feel out of the car.

Still, I agree. M needs to reduce the weight. It keeps g-r-o-w-i-n-g...

I also follow the same measure with the steering but what's missing is the older M cars is the feel. The is the 3rd M of the turbo generation that I own and I really fear that the become like Audi RS cars; Efficient but not rewarding.

They have always been the benchmark for performance and luxury is great but fun is better. I can understand the M5 but the M6 GC should have been edgier.

[AlphaAlpineM6]

Originally Posted by ColdList

Lol! Yeah, I always wondered why dealers don;t go out and hire more sexy women!

likely because most sexy woman don't know shit about cars.. and if they do.... gf status

[ColdList]

Originally Posted by lm1z

While true, this is doubtful. We're a long way away from seeing hydrogen being offered among a full fleet of vehicles. The project 7 has been around for years.

And I think you missed my point earlier. This can't and won't be an HP war. It will be a battle of weight, technology, and emissions.
They are definitely listening to their customers and paying attention to competitors' strengths. Arguably their best car in the line, the M3, is seeing factory improvements (cf parts, wider fender flares, aggressive seating) that have been voiced by enthusiasts. Corp. employees browse this forum all the time...

Oh I got your point but I disagree that it will be a long. Yes,the 7 project has been around for a few years now, however, they more recently partnered with Toyota and are very heavily invested (as I stated earlier). They are looking more towards hydrogen than electric, as most manufacturers seem to be going that direction.

I don't think it is any surprise that their focus on performance on the M3/4 is there. I think it always has been and always will be. Luxury is not in the formula for those cars. For the M5/6 there is no indication that they will or are slanting away from luxury (ie: "weight"). They might shave a pound or two here and there but it will still be a HEAVY car.You have to be one or the other and in a segment that is in an average income range near $100k, you better believe they are listening to THOSE "average" 5 and 6 series M buyers. We are a SMALL MINORITY on these boards (this is not "BMW Land"-it's a blip on the radar) and amongst us MOST say "the car is perfect as-is". Executives browsing these boards does not mean they are going to listen to the small few amongst the even smaller few. It is a business in the end. We like to think it is about building the fastest and coolest car against competitors. The goal of a business=make the most money. You don't get there serving the minority. The key to getting what you want out of a business is to give the most people what THEY want. And in the $80K+ 5/6 series world-they want a lot of luxury.

[ColdList]

Originally Posted by AlphaAlpineM6

likely because most sexy woman don't know shit about cars.. and if they do.... gf status

lol! Neither do most of the dang salesmen.

I always negotiate my deal with the managers and my sales guy catches a lot of crap (in a fun way) from us. Last time he walks up to me and the mgrs. and says "what's going on?". I looked at him and said "when the car gets here just wash it and pull it up front."

[ColdList]

Originally Posted by clar

They stopped talking about hydrogen if u haven't noticed. Plug-in is the way to go now. They invested heavily in this. Look at their i cars.

You are incorrect. You are not seeing press because the electric i cars are coming out. It is not going to be direction of BMW. It will be a part of it. Just watch.

2013 is pretty recent:

http://www.greencarreports.com/news/...ota-technology

http://www.bmw.com/com/en/insights/t...eanenergy.html (look around this one a bit. Pretty telling.)

And they are using it in trucks and machinery at Spartanburg.

http://blog.caranddriver.com/hydroge...fueled-future/

http://www.gizmag.com/go/3247/

While the above are just Google results and internet articles. My info. comes form BMW.

Just look at the how much testing they are doing with it. Everything from trucks in the plants to an ultra fast car. It originated with the Hydrogen7 in 2006. That is not a long time for R&D on a revolutionary vehicle. It took Porsche 7 year to develop the new 991 off of their long time platform.

[doug_999]

Originally Posted by Rob///M5

The GC does NOT handle better. Reviews are useless. Drive it yourself. The GC is a luxury cruiser...M7.

Well...each and every mag that has tested the M5 and M6GC has preferred the M6GC over the M5 by a wide margin. Maybe the difference shows up at speed (where many of us do not drive)- but there really aren't very many good reviews of the M5 out there and there are a bunch of M6GC good reviews.

[NlckyBlack]

Originally Posted by Savory

^^ Not everyone yearns for the improvements of the CP. Stock F10 seems to be ample, but some people just want an edge. Same with the brakes, why not make the CCB standard? CCBs shine at the track, but not everyone tracks their F10. It really depends on what you expect from the car.

the M5 is the pinnacle, it should come with that edge as "standard" for those that don't yearn for much their choice should be a 550. The CP should come as standard.

[DMC126]

Originally Posted by doug_999

Well...each and every mag that has tested the M5 and M6GC has preferred the M6GC over the M5 by a wide margin. Maybe the difference shows up at speed (where many of us do not drive)- but there really aren't very many good reviews of the M5 out there and there are a bunch of M6GC good reviews.

Under the skin and on American streets and highways, the M5, M6 and M6 Gran Coupe are essentially the same car.

The stated preferences of media reviewers are just that, preferences and as such mean little or nothing. It would be very interesting to have the reviewer's personal vehicle ownership history listed under their by line for reference.

Personally, the only reviews that have any validity are the reviews of owners.