Edcase

As some of you probably know, I recently bought an E39 M5 to replace the RS6. This weekend I had my first chance to put it properly through its paces on a trip down to Cornwall.

As my partner's family are based in Tavistock, I get to do a fantastic route across Dartmoor each time I go down. However, I am also originally from Plymouth so these roads I have been driving since I was 17 in everything from a 2CV through FWD hot hatches to classic sports cars (Datsun 260Z) and of course the Scooby and RS6.

The driving is a mixture of Manx rally-style lanes, combined with typical open moorland, where you can see clear road for miles. Everything from arrow-straights where you can V-Max most cars, to cambered rollercoasters with more bends than straights, not to mention the occasional yump.

As you would expect, it can get quite bumpy, but never dangerously or damagingly so, and the abrasive road surface also gives up a huge amount of grip.

Despite the huge power displacement of the RS6, my scooby at its most heightened state of tune just before I sold it was undoubtedly the fastest thing across here, and as it was only ever generating 280/280 I could get about as close to 10/10th's as anyone would ever want to a public road. The only problem was it was just too easy.

However, on Friday night I finally discovered a car that (for now at least) is actually more capable than I am able to consistently deliver.

Despite pushing the car and myself pretty hard, I was unable to provoke even a mere tyre sqeal, uncomfortable squirm of the rear, or hint of understeer. I found myself braking for corners unnecessarily because I simply didn't believe the car would grip and turn in.

I have to say I am astonished above everything else at the poise and front-end grip on a car that don't forget weighs over 1500kg. I can only assume this is one of the benefits of BMW's much-promoted 50/50 weight balance (unlike the RS6 where the *entire* engine block siits ahead of the front axle)

Later over the weekend further down in Cornwall on a large, open roundabout with no other cars I would discover that you can just keep piling on speed and in fact it is actually the rear end that eventually lets go. And yet despite the speed that you have to be travelling to achieve this in such a manner, it was completely and utterly controllable.

Negatives? Well, the gearbox is, shall we say, agricultural. And with a very long throw. Seats could do with more shoulder support. There really is a tangible air of people's malice towards you / the car (which unfortunately is the complete opposite of the RS6), the exhaust note could be a little more lively (soon to be sorted with a custom H&S box in a few weeks) and dare I say it could actually use a little more power.

However, other than that, it is undoubtedly the most exciting, engaging, capable car I have ever had the pleasure of driving, and I very much look forward to getting more acquainted with it over the coming weeks and months. I think the next step will be to get on a track day in the wet over winter and safely learned the limits, and the over-the-limit handling, and then get across to the ring as soon as possible, because I imagine it will be truly at home there!

Ed

Varboy

sounds great...

you say the Scoob was too easy (I know what you mean) but you say that despite a lot of provocation, the M5 rarely mis-behaves. So then, would you say the M5 is as easy as the Scoob..

2ndly what do you mean by malice towards you and the car?

I'm not trolling, just want to hear your opinion

Edcase

The difference is that the Scooby was 'easy' even at 9.9/10ths.

On Friday I reckon I was at around 7.5/10ths of what the car is capable of before I ran out of talent / *****, simply because my brain was unwilling or unable to compute, compared with its previous experiences of different cars on those same roads. So no, I definitely wouldn't say it's as easy.

Regarding malice, maybe that is a strong word, however I am yet to have what I would consider a single admiring glance at the M5 yet, instead people's faces tend to be more of a sneer. The only other car I have experienced this in noticeably is the hire car E46 M3 I had recently. In contrast, the RS6 is possibly the most positively received car I have ever had the pleasure to drive. I could barely leave a petrol station without somebody talking to me about it, and everybody from white van man to the owner of a 360 with Tubi's at some traffic lights near my office gives you a flash or a wave or some genuinely positive reaction on seeing the car.

Unfortunately I honestly cannot expect to look forward to that kind of treatment in the M5 given my experiences to date.

However. This face? Bovvered?

^OPM^

being a rear wheel drive car- why was you suprised the rear gave way first-i would fully expect that

Edcase

You would fully expect it if, for example, giving it a boot full of throttle while turning, but I'm talking about building up speed and load gradually through the radius of a corner.

Every other car I have ever owned (including RWD) has always had a certain element of understeer built into the handling at the limit for 'safety'. Also when watching car reviews I.e. Top Gear, and reading Evo and the like, people always talk about almost every powerful RWD car having this 'feature', so I just assumed the M5 would be the same.

Thankfully, apparently not!

madisonmonkey

iTrader: (4)

glad you're enjoying the driving, if not the public reception, Ed. Have to say I didn't notice any reaction as to most road users it's just a five series
Did get respectful acknowledgement from a couple of 911 owners though.....
Know exactly what you mean about the cars limits, it always had much bigger ***** than me

Shark Man

As I've always beeen saying the E39 chassis is one of the best balanced RWD saloon chassis out there for road use. In M5 guise it truely shines.

Forget your souless rice rockets and nervous M3s. The M5 is the daddy, come rain, shine smooth flat motorway or potholed B-road

Edcase

doh

JTaylor

oh, how I miss my Motherland!

Edcase

I *will* tame the beast though

She's in the middle of some cosmetic surgery at the moment. Had the wheels redone at lepsons, got OEM xenon angel eyes and rear facelift lights going on over the weekend, and then a trip to the bodyshop to get the stonechips and those couple of scratches done, and she'll be like new!

Going to do the widescreen / sat nav MkIV upgrade next month, plus the exhaust comes on the 4th, and then I think that's all I'm going to do. Unless i decide not the renew the warranty in Jan and stick a supercharger on her

JTaylor

Edcase

Evenin' Jim

Hey, don't knock the Welsh hills, boyo!

The Bristol boys do a regular early morning run over Exmoor too...some very similar roads there and even less traffic!

JTaylor

Bet it's a right giggle in a feckin' MG ZR is it?

Terminator X

iTrader: (7)

Surprised at that as it's a great looking, powerful car ... deserves respect & awe from most people in my book

TX.

JTaylor

I reckon it's Ed's pinstripe shirt, braces, Ray-Bans and slicked back hair that gets their heckles up. Occasionally he's been known to shout "sell, sell, sell" whilst sat at busy t-junctions. Suffice to say he doesn't get let out .

Edcase

LOL!!!