BMW M5 Rental
The BMW M5 is a five-seat sedan that hides a 617 horsepower V8 behind an unremarkable look.
.jpeg)
.jpeg)
.jpeg)
.jpeg)
.jpeg)
.jpeg)
.jpeg)
.jpeg)
.jpeg)
Overview
The BMW M5 hides a 617 horsepower twin turbo V8 inside an ordinary looking executive sedan, with only four exhaust tips giving it away while it carries four passengers and a full trunk. Renters book it for serious performance that no badge announces across a parking lot, on a trip where a fast car would look out of place but a quiet sedan will not.
How It Drives
The twin-turbo V8 shoves the M5 forward from 1,800 rpm, a wall of torque rather than a building crescendo, with all-wheel drive keeping four wheels clawing instead of one axle spinning. The ride stays firm even in Comfort, and it still seats four and swallows a road trip.
Who Rents It
The BMW M5 is booked by a renter who wants serious performance without an M badge announcing it from across a parking lot. It suits a business trip where a fast car would look out of place but a quiet, dark sedan will not, and it still seats four with room for luggage on the same trip. Drivers who want the M3's engine layout with more space book the M5 instead, trading a smaller footprint for a full size cabin and trunk. It is also the pick for someone who wants to arrive looking like they drove an ordinary sedan and leave everyone else wondering what they actually heard.
Trim Breakdown
BMW has sold the M5 in three grades built around a twin-turbo V8, and the current car has moved to a plug-in hybrid version of that engine. We run the Competition.
M5
The BMW M5 in base form makes 600 hp from a twin-turbo 4.4 liter V8, runs all-wheel drive with a selectable rear-drive mode, and uses softer engine mounts and dampers than the grades above it. It seats 5 with a full trunk behind them. We do not run it, and it is the quietest of the V8 cars at idle and at a steady cruise.
M5 Competition
The BMW M5 Competition makes 617 hp, adds firmer engine mounts, a lowered and stiffer suspension tune, and a sport exhaust as standard. It is the version we run. A renter feels a firm, planted ride and heavy, accurate steering, with an 8-speed automatic smooth enough to disappear. The brake pedal has its own Comfort setting worth using in traffic.
M5 CS
The BMW M5 CS is the limited top grade at 627 hp, with carbon bucket seats front and rear that drop it to 4 seats, gold-finished wheels, and roughly 230 pounds removed. It is the lightest and most focused car built on this V8. We do not run it, and very few were built.
M5 plug-in hybrid
The current BMW M5 pairs the twin-turbo V8 with an electric motor and a usable battery for 717 hp combined and a short electric-only range. It also carries over half a ton more weight than the car we run. It is quieter in traffic and heavier in a corner, a different animal wearing the same badge. We do not run it.
M5 Touring
The BMW M5 Touring is the wagon body of the plug-in hybrid car, with the same 717 hp drivetrain under a long roof and a far larger cargo hold behind the rear seats. It is the first M5 wagon BMW has sold in the United States. We do not run it.
Frequently Asked Questions
