The arrival of the new BMW M5 Competition sees the high-performance saloon return to the stage in its sharpest and most performance-focused form to date with prices starting from £98,095.
Fusing a high-revving, 625hp 4.4-litre V8 turbocharged engine with a finely-tuned chassis that incorporates new dampers, the BMW M5 Competition delivers the everyday usability and comfort of an executive saloon twinned with driving pleasure and exceptional on-track ability.
The characteristics of the V8 can be altered at the touch of a button from the EFFICIENT mode to SPORT and SPORT+, the latter two further enhancing the engine’s response to movements of the accelerator.
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The BMW M5 Competition sprints from 0-62mph in 3.3 seconds, with 0-124mph achieved in 10.8 seconds.
Top speed is 155mph – or 189mph with the optional M Driver’s Package specified.

Eight-speed M Steptronic transmission
The eight-speed M Steptronic transmission enables short shift times and fast, precise responses to every nudge of the accelerator.
The Drivelogic switch on the gear selector allows three modes for efficient, sporty or dynamically intense track driving with rapid gearshifts.
The driver can use both the selector lever and the shift paddles on the steering wheel to take control of gear changes manually.
In manual mode, they can also execute multiple downshifts to the lowest available gear, for instance when braking into tight corners.
Additionally, there are no automatic upshifts when the engine is revved to the limit.
M xDrive with rear-wheel bias
The centrally controlled interaction between the M xDrive all-wheel-drive system and the Active M Differential helps to effectively channel the engine’s output to the car’s wheels and generates enough extra traction to achieve acceleration times worthy of a super-sports car.
The engine’s torque is variably distributed between the front and rear wheels via the transfer case’s electronically controlled multi-plate clutch, before the Active M Differential splits it again between the two rear wheels, as appropriate.
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The rear-wheel-biased setup of M xDrive provides the BMW M5 Competition with standout agility.
In addition, the driver can vary the distribution of power between front and rear wheels themselves, and also adjust the responses of the Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) system.
M Dynamic Mode (MDM) holds the key to controlled drifts and entertaining handling, and offers another three modes (with DSC deactivated) which have been optimised for track driving: as well as 4WD and 4WD Sport, drivers also have the choice of 2WD mode (also automatically disabling DSC) for the traditional BMW M5 rear-wheel drive experience.

New suspension dampers
The BMW M5 Competition has a specially tuned chassis, which includes double-wishbone front suspension and five-link rear suspension.
It benefits from experience gained in the development of the new BMW M8 Competition Gran Coupé.
The electronically-controlled Variable Damper Control (VDC) system offers three driving modes – COMFORT, SPORT and SPORT+. COMFORT mode focuses on everyday usability and familiar M comfort, combined with standout dynamics.
SPORT mode, meanwhile, reduces wheel and body movements to create more direct contact with the road, but still has sufficient comfort dialled in. SPORT+ mode maximises dynamic performance on smooth asphalt such as race tracks, with wheel and body movements minimised.
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The M Servotronic steering gives drivers the choice of COMFORT mode for greater ease of use and lightness – in town driving and on short journeys, for example – and SPORT mode, where greater steering force is required and feedback through the wheel increases noticeably.
The amount of camber at the front axle enhances the car’s ability to absorb lateral forces through high-speed corners, while fitting the toe links with ball joints instead of rubber mounts has resulted in highly precise wheel guidance at the rear axle.
The high spring rate of the rear anti-roll bar allows the body roll that occurs through high-speed corners to be distributed with a pronounced rear bias.
The BMW M5 Competition is fitted with forged, bi-colour, 20-inch M light-alloy wheels in Y-spoke design (front: 9.5J x 20, rear: 10.5J x 20) and mixed-size tyres (front: 275/35R 20, rear: 285/35R 20).

M Performance parts
The M Performance chassis from the extensive M Performance Parts range brings the BMW M5 Competition an even sportier and more individual setup.
The drop in ride height of between 5 and 20 millimetres enabled by the coilover suspension results in a lower centre of gravity, which reduces body roll and enables higher cornering speeds.
Damper adjustment is independent for compression and rebound.
Among the other items available from the M Performance Parts range are exclusive aerodynamic components produced from high-quality carbon fibre.
Bespoke engine mounts
Another notable feature of the BMW M5 Competition is its bespoke engine mounts, which have a spring rate of 900N/mm.
The engine’s firm connection to the vehicle’s structure is clearly noticeable, resulting in extremely fast engine response and immediate transmission of its power to the drivetrain.
The stiffness of the mounts also helps the car turn into corners with greater precision.
Oil supply system designed for track driving
The V8 engine utilises optimised turbochargers and maximum injection pressure of 350 bar.
This allows shorter injection times and improved atomisation of fuel, for faster engine response as well as more efficient mixture preparation.
Improvements have also been made to lubrication and cooling, including an oil pan with a small front sump and an indirect charge air cooling system.
The oil supply system uses a fully variable, map-controlled pump and has been designed for the demands of track use.

M Compound brakes fitted as standard
The BMW M5 Competition is equipped with M Compound brakes, which are significantly lighter than conventional cast iron items.
At the front, there are perforated, inner-vented brake discs with six-piston fixed callipers featuring the M logo.
The rear brakes feature single-piston callipers with an integrated parking brake.
For the very first time, the standard callipers are finished in a high-gloss red finish – customers can opt to switch to a blue or black finish at no additional cost.
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Whereas the optional M Carbon ceramic brakes are recognisable from the gold-coloured callipers with M logo (six-piston fixed callipers at the front, single-piston floating callipers at the rear) and are 23kgs lighter than the standard items.
These uprated brakes provide even better braking performance, blending high fade resistance and thermal stability with hardwearing durability.
Let us know what you think of the new M5 Competition by commenting below.
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