Operating as a supercar under the veil of a four-door saloon, the BMW M5 has been luring many since the time it first made an appearance. Now, it has been given the CS (Club Sport) treatment which has made it the most powerful car in the history of BMW M. Thankfully, this new car has escaped the fitment of BMW’s vertical kidney grille design.
Powering this proper four-seater is a powertrain which now boasts of supercar-level output. The limited-run, exclusive special-edition model is powered by a 4.4-litre, twin-turbo V8 which is good for 635 hp and 750 Nm of twist. It has been paired with an eight-speed M Steptronic transmission with Drivelogic and the M xDrive all-wheel-drive system. The system also offers a 2WD mode for pure rear-wheel drive. In terms of numbers, the BMW M5 CS sprints from 0 – 100 km/h in 3.0 seconds, and from 0 – 200 km/h in 10.3 seconds. Top speed is an electronically governed 305 km/h.
The BMW M5 CS achieves this with its applied lightweight design which has enabled a weight saving of some 70 kilograms over the BMW M5 Competition. With retuned bearing springs at the front and rear axle and further refined damper control, the chassis has been adapted to the lower vehicle weight and the increased performance potential of the standard mixed-size Pirelli P Zero Corsa track tyres (front: 275/35 R 20, rear: 285/35 R 20).
Inside, the driver and the front passenger get M Carbon seats while the two other passengers get individual rear seats. The black Merino leather covers (fine-grain for the front seats) also feature contrasting panels and decorative stitching in Mugello Red. The integral head restraints – with illuminated M5 logos for the front seats – display an outline of the Nürburgring circuit. The centre marker perforation with red background on the M Alcantara steering wheel is a classical racing car touch while the gearshift paddles are made from carbon fibre and the steering wheel spokes have Black Chrome trim.
A fixed lightweight cover on the centre console replaces the usual armrest with opening lid. Its black Merino leather is complemented by red double stitching. The colour red is used again for the “CS” badging on the instrument panel and between the bucket-style seats in the rear. The BMW kidney grille surround on the BMW M5 CS, the “M5 CS” badges on the kidney grille, the M gills on the front wings and the boot lid are finished in the bold colour shade of Gold Bronze, as are the 20‑inch M forged wheels in Y-spoke design. The door sill finishers come with illuminated “M5 CS” badges.
The L-shaped light tubes of the BMW Laser headlights illuminate yellow instead of white when low beam, high beam or the Welcome Light is switched on, bringing successful GT racing cars to mind. The bonnet, front splitter, exterior mirror caps, rear spoiler, rear diffuser, M Power engine compartment cover and intake silencer are made from carbon fibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP). Some elements feature exposed carbon fibre. Standard specification for the M5 CS includes its stainless-steel sports exhaust system with four unadorned tailpipes and the M Carbon ceramic brakes, whose callipers are painted in Red as standard or Gold as an option.
Available alongside the Brands Hatch Grey metallic paint shade are the exclusive BMW Individual matt paint finishes Frozen Brands Hatch Grey metallic and Frozen Deep Green metallic. The market launch of the new BMW M5 CS will get underway in spring 2021; in Germany it will be priced at 180,400 euros.