BMW unleashes 460kW M5 Competition

BMW has unleashed the latest iteration of its bahn-storming M5 Competition super-sedan, which will hit Australian showrooms in the second half of this year priced from $229,000 before on-road costs.

Commanding a $30,000 premium over the regular M5, the M5 Competition will go toe to toe with the Mercedes-AMG E63 S, which checks in at $239,611.

The M5 Competition takes its sibling’s 4.4-litre twin-turbocharged V8 petrol engine and ups peak power by 19kW to 460kW at 6000rpm, while maximum torque holds steady at 750Nm from 1800 to 5800rpm – 200rpm wider than the regular M5.

As a result, the M5 Competition dashes from standstill to 100km/h in 3.3 seconds while on the way to 200km/h in 10.8s. For reference, the regular M5 completes these marks in 3.4s and 11.1s respectively.

Despite its performance credentials, the M5 Competition is only marginally less efficient and more pollutant than its sibling with claimed fuel consumption of 10.8 litres per 100 kilometres on the combined cycle test, up 0.3L/100km, and carbon dioxide emissions of 246 grams per km, up 5g/km, partly thanks to the inclusion of a petrol particulate filter.

Comparatively, the E63 S produces 450kW and 850Nm, runs 3.4s triple-digit and 11.5s double-tonne sprints, drinks 9.3L/100km and emits 212g/km.

The M5 Competition’s standard variable M Sport exhaust system provides even more aural drama thanks to its “cross-bank exhaust manifold, which enables exceptional turbocharger response to throttle inputs”, according to the German car-maker.

New engine mounts feature an 86.2 per cent higher spring rate, which BMW says “enables greater response to driver inputs and less slack in power and handling delivery”.

Ride height has been reduced by 7mm, while suspension spring rates have increased by 10 per cent for both axles, including shorter auxiliary springs for better wheel control.

Increased negative camber on the front axle, racing-style ball joints for the rear toe links, a new mounting design for the front anti-roll bar and an increased spring rate for the rear anti-roll bar are also among the suspension upgrades.

Bi-colour, Y-spoke 20-inch alloy wheels reveal the M5 Competition’s intentions, wrapped in 275/35 tyres up front and 285/35 rubber at the rear.

High-gloss black trim adorns the side mirrors, signature M side gills, window surrounds, B-pillars, front double-kidney grille, rear diffuser, rear lip spoiler and quad exhaust tips, while body-colour doorhandles and rear M5 Competition badging round out the exterior changes.

Inside, black seatbelts with striped M stitching, M5-branded piped floor mats and an M Competition start-up instrument-cluster graphic subtly hint at the M5 Competition’s performance potential.

As with the regular M5, the M5 Competition exclusively puts its outputs down to the ground via BMW’s rear-biased M xDrive all-wheel-drive system and eight-speed M Steptronic automatic transmission.

According to BMW Group Australia chief executive officer Marc Werner, the M5 Competition will bring more thrills than its regular counterpart.

“Within weeks of revealing the BMW M5, we sold out of our initial allocation of 50 units,” he said. “To now have the M5 Competition available to us is fantastic news.

“With more power and a further refined drive system, the M5 Competition will take the M5 experience to an even higher level.”Sales of the 5 Series have taken a significant hit this year, with 257 examples sold to the end of April, representing a 52.3 per cent decrease over the 286 deliveries made during the same period in 2017.

This effort places the BMW second in the $70,000-plus large-car segment this year, trailing the Mercedes-Benz E-Class (471 units) but ahead of the Audi A6 (108), Maserati Ghibli (92), Audi A7 (44) and Volvo S90 (42), among others.