If you thought "sleeper" cars were out of fashion, I'm here to prove you wrong. Look at the current iteration of BMW M5 for example. Yes, it has bulbous wheel arches and quad exits on the exhaust, but to the majority of other road users, it's no more than another fancy 5 Series. And in the right spec with a subtle color combo and no silly aftermarket add-ons, you'll go unnoticed despite being in a near enough 600HP super-sedan monster.
However, the M5 we're talking about today is different, this is the M5 CS. The king of all M5's, the upper echelon of going fast in luxurious comfort, the 2022 BMW M5 CS on paper is absurd, but we can't help but love it. Underneath that bulge on the hood, an M-car staple nowadays, is a beautifully tuned twin-turbo V8 that combined with the tweaked suspension and gearbox means the M5 CS is capable of doing just about anything.
2022 BMW M5 CS: Engine and Drivetrain
Let's start with the things that make it all happen. BMW knows how to make a silky smooth engine, and they've gotten pretty good at making V8's too. The lump found in the M5 CS is the most powerful engine to ever come out of BMW's M division. The normal M5 comes with a twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter V8 with 625HP, but the M5 CS gets 635HP thanks to revised turbochargers and some modifications to the oil and cooling systems.
The new car’s 553 LB-FT of torque figure is no higher than the standard M5 Competition's, but the extra horsepower does come into play when chasing higher speeds. The 8-speed gearbox bangs through the gears like nobody's business and will help the M5 CS see the 0-60 sprint time in just 2.81 seconds, quicker than the rest of the M-lineup. This is also aided by the drive differential system which lets you switch between all and rear-wheel drive modes. Another feature that makes the M5 a great chameleon car.
2022 BMW M5 CS: Comfort
It's pretty self-explanatory here. The M5 is essentially a 5 Series. So you'll still get all the tech like adaptive cruise, 4-way climate control, and even heated leather all around. The beauty and practicality of 4 doors still remain and despite it being an absolute monster, it will comfortably (and safely) sit 4 adults in the 2 + 2 bucket seat arrangement. There's also plenty of space in the trunk for luggage. It's an overall bigger car, meaning that It's roomier than the closest M-rival to the M3 competition.
Despite a drop in ride height, the M5 CS borrows the adaptive dampers from the M8 Gran Coupe. This combined with a thorough overhaul of the car’s chassis geometry and bushes results in an M5 with a level of dynamic ability that is capable of seeing off 100's of miles on a road trip with serious ease. The new suspension setup feels much more planted and stable in comparison to the M5 comp, and it makes for a much more pleasant experience all-around.
2022 BMW M5 CS: Design
Perhaps the most subjective topic of all, but it may be the only place where the M5 loses possibly points. It's still a big 4-door sedan with the same proportions as a normal 5 series. However, the M5 CS gets a bunch of special touches that elevate the exterior look quite well. The gold CS badging and overall spec on the launch car are both really flattering, and when mixed with the extremely aggressive rear diffuser and front lip (carbon of course) it all comes together to result in a nice bit of packaging.
Although the M5 is in no way, shape, or form a revolutionary piece of automotive design nor is it a car whose lines could've been penciled by Gordon Murray, that's not what M-cars are about. Its whole spirit and nature are to be subtle enough to throw off the "normies" but just showy enough to excite every car-nerd that casts a gaze it's way.
2022 BMW M5 CS: Value And Versatility Is Its Best Feature
I won't beat around the bush here. The M5 CS is expensive. In fact, a normal M5 is around $103,000 and an M5 Competition will cost upwards of $111,000. So, coming in at $145,000, you're well and truly into Porsche 911 territory. But in reality, if you're looking at an M5 you need speed, practicality, and usability, so despite being one of the best all-around sports cars the Porsche won't cut it. The M5 then needs to really be compared to some of its closest rivals like the Mercedes-AMG E53 and E53S, the performance of the M5 is miles beyond even the juiciest of the AMG 4 doors and probably a better car all around than the ludicrously fast AMG GT63S 4-Door (what a mouthful).
The BMW M5 CS is all the car you'd ever need. Almost as practical as an SUV, quicker than a lot of supercars on a 0-60 sprint, and better round the bends than some of the best self-proclaimed drivers cars. Apart from being seriously impressive in all aspects, the M5's stand-out feature has to be just that, the gift of absolute versatility. You'll never look out of place in an M5 CS, and you'll never be bored on the drive home either. One of the best all-rounders money can buy, the M5 CS could well go down as one of the best cars of the last decade.