The G90 M5 – and hotly anticipated G99 M5 Touring – are about to begin making waves as reviewers get their palms on them. However for the car-buying public, getting one is perhaps a bit more durable. Its older brother, nevertheless – the F90 M5, produced from mannequin years 2018 till 2023 – is kind of straightforward to seek out. And, because of a nonetheless spectacular 600 or so horsepower, xDrive all-wheel drive, and speedy depreciation, it’s turning into fairly the efficiency cut price should you’re purchasing for a used tremendous sedan. Throw in sensible – and delightful – proportions and loads of top-tier facilities, and the F90 M5 is ideal should you solely have room for one automobile in your life.
The Specs
All F90 M5 sedans get a twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter V8 engine below the hood – the S63B44T4. It’s essentially the most refined, potent, and most dependable iteration of the S63 V8 engine. Commonplace output is 600 horsepower and 553 pound-feet of torque, and automobiles geared up with the Competitors Package deal developed 617 horsepower. It hardly issues which you select; thanks to plain M xDrive all-wheel drive, the OG M5 flew from zero to 60 mph in a Automotive and Driver examined 2.8 seconds. It went on to finish the quarter-mile in 10.9 seconds at 129 mph. That’s round as fast as a McLaren 720S, and half a second faster from a standstill to 60 than the BMW-quoted time for the brand new G90 M5.
The F90 M5 additionally arguably will get the most effective period of BMW iDrive, too. All fashions provided Apple CarPlay compatibility, and all utilized iDrive 6 or iDrive 7 – the intuitive “tile” show that shortly made BMW a frontrunner in in-car software program UI. Pre- or post-LCI (a mid-life-cycle refresh occurred for mannequin 12 months 2021), the F90 M5 had entry to all of the most interesting facilities, too; whether or not you need hands-free driving help or massaging seats, it’s accessible on the F90 M5.
The Value
Because the educated purchaser, die-hard fanatic, or semi-professional window shopper you seemingly are, you in all probability already knew many of the highlights the F90 M5 presents. What you won’t understand is you can choose up an early F90 M5 for round $52,000. And should you don’t thoughts a automobile that’s had a crash or two, you possibly can snag an F90 for lower than a base Dodge Durango. That’s an insane worth in a world the place the common new automobile transaction worth hovers just below $50,000. There’s worth for customers on the high finish of the dimensions, too. Examples of the collectible and ultra-desirable M5 CS with a number of miles on them – round 20,000 – are buying and selling across the $135,o00 mark. That’s a bit increased than the $120,000-ish the G90 M5 instructions, however nonetheless shy of the automobile’s authentic $145,000 authentic MSRP.
The drawbacks of moving into this cruise missile of a luxurious sedan are the standard pitfalls of shopping for a used BMW M automobile. Components are costly, and there’s no scarcity of crappily-modified examples littering the net itemizing websites – particularly should you’re trying to find a very whole lot. That mentioned: should you can wrench, have the components hookup, and/or just know what you’re moving into, you’ll be exhausting pressed to discover a higher efficiency cut price than the F90 M5. Oh, it’s additionally hardly what we may environment friendly; count on to replenish with high-test often, because the F90 M5 tops out at 21 miles per gallon on the freeway, in line with the EPA.
The F90 M5: Final One-Automotive Resolution
It’s actual straightforward to say one thing is a “efficiency cut price” – however within the F90’s case, it’s ludicrously straightforward to again up. Because of its turbocharged engine, it’s receptive to modifications and is well able to churning out 800+ horsepower. If, for some purpose, the usual automobile isn’t sufficient. The automobile was the primary to supply switchable all-wheel and rear-wheel drive. In truth, the all-wheel drive even makes it an excellent candidate for every day driver responsibility even should you stay in a snow-prone locale. Throw in a usable trunk, 60/40 split-folding rear seats, and spectacular consolation, and also you’ve obtained the right one-car answer.
The F90 M5 is a bit too heavy to be the right canyon carver or monitor weapon, and perhaps a little bit dated should you want the most recent and best tech. Regardless of being a grasp of none, its compelling worth on the secondhand market – and with costs nonetheless falling over time – makes it good for lovers that want a one-car answer with out feeling like they’re compromising. Preserve your eyes peeled as LCI costs begin to fall within the coming months and years – you won’t discover a higher general automobile.