A phenomenal engine such as the 2010 BMW M5's race-bred 500-horsepower V10 is typically enough to win enthusiasts over. Look at the muscle car era, for example -- its beloved icons are little more than enormous V8s strapped to the bare minimum in rubber, sheet metal and suspension bits. In the realm of super-sedans that cost close to $90,000, though, the stakes are considerably higher, and the M5 turns out to be not so super after all. Yes, that V10 is a thing of beauty, but the M5 is otherwise missing too much of the expected BMW DNA to earn our recommendation.
The problems start with the mandatory variable-assist and -ratio steering, which is a member of BMW's "active steering" family -- a dirty phrase in the eyes of 3 Series and 5 Series enthusiasts, who tend to avoid these newfangled systems like the proverbial plague. Driving the M5 is a reminder why. There's so little of BMW's trademark steering feel here that it could be mistaken for electric power steering, and the variable ratios sometimes feel out of step with driving conditions. This is a passable setup by the standards of mere automotive mortals, but when we see M badges on a car's trunk lid, we expect more.
Then there are the two transmission choices, neither of which is particularly palatable. The standard seven-speed sequential manual gearbox (SMG) is a single-clutch automated manual -- a dwindling breed in this era of slick multiclutch gearboxes. In fact, BMW now has a dual-clutch unit of its own in the M3, but the M5 soldiers on with the old-school SMG. On the bright side, SMG will rip off spine-tingling rev-matched downshifts all day long. Upshifts, however, are never smooth, and they usually involve unseemly lurching -- particularly at low city speeds. A six-speed manual transmission can also be specified, but it overheated in a test car we had a few years ago, and it also comes with a non-defeatable stability control system, which is befuddling in light of the M5's super-sedan identity.
Lest you conclude that we've been pounding steins full of M5 haterade, hear this: In most other respects, the 2010 BMW M5 is a stupendous car. As noted, the 5.0-liter V10 pumps out an otherworldly 500 hp, and it sounds as good as it goes, particularly as the stratospheric 8,250-rpm redline approaches. There are no fewer than 279 different vehicle settings according to BMW, which means you can fiddle with the M5's power, throttle, transmission and suspension settings to your heart's delight. The incredibly supportive and comfortable seats are quite possibly the best all-around automotive chairs in the world. Even the newly hard-drive-based iDrive is something to brag about now, thanks to an updated interface and menu structure that are actually intuitive and useful for a change.
Without a doubt, the M5 is one of the planet's most capable super-sedans. And upon its debut, we thought pretty highly of this latest M5 icon. But with more time under our collective belt, we've become more attuned to its decidedly un-BMW-like shortcomings. And overall, we think there are simply better choices. Sizing up the field in this loosely defined segment, we'd rather have Mercedes-Benz's C63 AMG or E63 AMG, Jaguar XFR, BMW's own M3 sedan or even the Cadillac CTS-V. Porsche's new Panamera is another impressive contender. Here's hoping that the soon-to-be-redesigned 5 Series yields a properly lust-worthy next-generation M5.
