Mini Cooper Auto Insurance: Tiny Car, Cheap...
Green
Trucks
Luxury
Family
Brand
Muscle
See more sites from  HighGear  M E D I A  >>
Compare this car to others like it Try our car compare tool now

2009 BMW M5 Bottom Line

May 8, 2009

By Marty Padgett's avatar Marty Padgett, Executive EditorMarty Padgett

TheCarConnection.com's editors drove the new BMW M5 in order to give you an expert opinion. Then TheCarConnection.com's enthusiasts researched available road tests on the new BMW M5 to produce this conclusive review and to help you find the truth where other reviews might differ.

Likes:

  • In a class of its own
  • Perfect manual transmission
  • Supercar handling and braking
  • Pulse-raising V-10 power

Dislikes:

  • Bland styling
  • Technology overload
  • SMG gearbox is rough
  • The high price of admission

Buying Tips:


eBay might be the easiest way to find a 2009 BMW M5 since most dealer copies are likely sold.

Unlike the old spaghetti western that culminates in a Mexican standoff between the three antagonists, the 2009 BMW M5 encompasses each quality in a single package—good, bad, and ugly. The good of the 2009 M5 is its race-derived, 500-horsepower V-10 engine, making it BMW’s fastest four-door, with a 0-60 time of just 4.5 seconds. The M5 also corners as if it’s attached to the proverbial rails and brakes equally as hard as it accelerates.

The bad side of the 2009 M5 is the vehicle’s overabundance of technology. BMW's semi-manual SMG transmission is only for fans of a truly harsh shift experience. The no-cost six-speed manual is a far better choice. It's a gem, with crisp throws, precise gates, perfectly arranged pedals, and surprisingly smooth clutch engagement. The technology that commands the suspension, steering, and throttle inputs offers a bewildering 279 combinations through an MDrive menu that can be linked to the steering wheel's MDrive button, which might as well be a panic button for users who can't figure it out. And finally, BMW's frustrating iDrive controller for audio, navigation, and climate settings needs its own manual.

If beauty is in the eye of the beholder, TheCarConnection.com’s editors consider the M5 to be an über-expensive ugly duckling. The optional Madeira Walnut trim, a reddish-brown wood with horizontal graining, looks painted on with a coarse brush. There is brushed-aluminum trim for the discerning buyer, though. The 2009 BMW M5's styling is all business—it won’t be encased in a museum like a Jaguar E-Type. If you keep the color choices as conservative as the car, it works—for instance, in the new Carbon Black Metallic exterior.

With a price tag of more than $85,000 and a limited supply, the 2009 M5 will trouble very few folks with its bad and ugly sides. It's a shame more people won't have the chance to sample the good, as it's both a safe, secure sedan and a stunning performer, all the more fascinating due to its hugely obvious flaws.

Other Choices:

If you like the 2009 BMW M5, also consider:

Reason Why:

The Audi S6 has a massively powerful V-8, but it's still a step slower than the BMW. The newly minted 500-horsepower Jaguar XF-R is far more handsome. The Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG comes closest to the performance of the BMW M5 and looks better going about it.

The Bottom Line:

The stellar performance of the 2009 BMW M5 overshadows its idiosyncrasies and technologically overwrought feel.

TheCarConnection.com's editors drove the new BMW M5 in order to give you an expert opinion. Then TheCarConnection.com's enthusiasts researched available road tests on the new BMW M5 to produce this conclusive review and to help you find the truth where other reviews might differ. Likes:In a class of its ownPerfect manual transmissionSupercar handling and brakingPulse-raising V-10 powerDislikes:Bland stylingTechnology overloadSMG gearbox is roughThe high price of admissionBuying Tips: eBay might be the easiest way to find a 2009 BMW M5 since most dealer copies are likely sold. Unlike the old spaghetti western that culminates in a Mexican standoff between the three antagonists, the 2009 BMW M5 encompasses each quality in a single package—good, bad, and ugly. The good of the 2009 M5 is its race-derived, 500-horsepower V-10 engine, making it BMW’s fastest four-door, with a 0-60 time of just 4.5 seconds. The M5 also corners as if it’s attached to the proverbial rails and brakes equally as hard as it accelerates. The bad side of the 2009 M5 is the vehicle’s overabundance of technology. BMW's semi-manual SMG transmission is only for fans of a truly harsh shift experience. The no-cost six-speed manual is a far better choice. It's a gem, with crisp throws, precise gates, perfectly arranged pedals, and surprisingly smooth clutch engagement. The technology that commands the suspension, steering, and throttle inputs offers a bewildering 279 combinations through an MDrive menu that can be linked to the steering wheel's MDrive button, which might as well be a panic button for users who can't figure it out. And finally, BMW's frustrating iDrive controller for audio, navigation, and climate settings needs its own manual. If beauty is in the eye of the beholder, TheCarConnection.com’s editors consider the M5 to be an über-expensive ugly duckling. The optional Madeira Walnut trim, a reddish-brown wood with horizontal graining, looks painted on with a coarse brush. There is brushed-aluminum trim for the discerning buyer, though. The 2009 BMW M5's styling is all business—it won’t be encased in a museum like a Jaguar E-Type. If you keep the color choices as conservative as the car, it works—for instance, in the new Carbon Black Metallic exterior. With a price tag of more than $85,000 and a limited supply, the 2009 M5 will trouble very few folks with its bad and ugly sides. It's a shame more people won't have the chance to sample the good, as it's both a safe, secure sedan and a stunning performer, all the more fascinating due to its hugely obvious flaws. Other Choices:If you like the 2009 BMW M5, also consider:Audi S6Jaguar XF SuperchargedMercedes-Benz E63 AMGReason Why:The Audi S6 has a massively powerful V-8, but it's still a step slower than the BMW. The newly minted 500-horsepower Jaguar XF-R is far more handsome. The Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG comes closest to the performance of the BMW M5 and looks better going about it. The Bottom Line:The stellar performance of the 2009 BMW M5 overshadows its idiosyncrasies and technologically overwrought feel. TheCarConnection.com's editors drove the new BMW M5 in order to give you an expert opinion. Then TheCarConnection.com's enthusiasts researched available road tests on the new BMW M5 to produce this conclusive review and to help you find the truth where other reviews might differ. Likes ...

Other Choices:

The Audi S6 has a massively powerful V-8, but it's still a step slower than the BMW. The newly minted 500-horsepower Jaguar XF-R is far more handsome. The Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG comes closest to the performance of the BMW M5 and looks better going about it.

Next Steps:

Get a free price quote

for the 2009 BMW M5 from a dealer near you

Check Insurance Rates

for the 2009 BMW M5

Check Financing Rates

for the 2009 BMW M5

Check Local Classifieds

for a 2009 BMW M5 near you

See the BMW M5 in Other Years:

2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2000

Comments (1 total)

  1. By  e39 m5 #1, Posted: 10/20/2009

    While so much has already been said about the e60 m5 - one thing that people tend to forget is how incredible the car really is in terms of it's ability to perform dual duty as track monster and also the daily driver ability.
    Chris Bangle did the brand few favors with the e60's clinical look and the excess techno wizardry does disconnect the driver somewhat from what the driving experience is all about. The e34 m5 and the e39 m5 were far more connected to the road, with less "interference" from technology.
    I happen to feel that the e39 m5 is STILL best balance of M Power, driving experience and modern day technology.
    Further, with the price of the E39 m5's on the market today - bang for buck is tremendous.

Post a comment

Post anonymously, or
(Required)
(Required - will not be published, sold or shared)
(Optional - your 'posted by' name will link to the URL)

Remember Me?

I have read TheCarConnection.com's privacy policy