BMW M5: To Dream or Not To Dream?

By Peter Lee

The BMW M5 is a sports car for the family man. If you want to drive relaxingly it will accommodate you. It you fancy your heart beating faster, just step on the accelerator pedal. The torque build-up is so civilised and makes handling the car so much easier and less scary.

If I have the money I would surely have one in my garage…but let’s get logical for a minute:
1. The 4,999cc annual road tax will kill me.
2. The regular service costs will also make me a pauper.
3. The petrol consumption is a sin.
4. If you drive the car to a hotel, nobody can really tell the difference between a real M5 and a 525i dressed in M-clothes.
5. The amount of thrill versus money spent cannot compare to a 335i coupe or a Porsche Cayman S.
6. You are acting very irresponsibly if you drive an M5 like a monkey with your family in it.

The M5 costs a cool RM900K. This amount of money can buy you a Porsche Cayman S plus say, a BMW 320i. If you are willing to stretch you budget a little more, perhaps even a 523i. This combination saves you on road taxes. You will grab more attention if you arrive at a plush hotel or any glitzy social function in a Porsche. When you drive a Cayman S, there is no way you can take your family along, so there are no baggage of responsibility bogging you down when you need to speed. The 320i or 523i can be a regular car for business meetings and yet trash around without too much worry about servicing bills. Last but not the least, you get 2 cars to pick from, according to your whim and fancies!

In summary, the M5 is a stunning car that is a confirmed aphrodisiac for the super-rich speed junkie. For the rest of us, it is just an elusive and impractical dream.

Mr Peter Lee guest writes for this blog based on his test drive experience of the M5. He is currently undecided between the Porsche Cayman S, BMW 335i coupe or the upcoming Mercedes-Benz (W204) C350 Sport.