Some cars are not just made of their power and prestige, they also represent a lineage of expert design, passion and expert engineering. The new 2011 BMW M5 is just such a car and I have decided this year to award it with the inaugural Car Articles Useful Performance Car Of The Year award.
This is the fifth generation of a car that is world renowned for offering space, comfort and simply brutal rear wheel drive performance. It is the most powerful series production car for BMW and one of the most able rear wheel drive machines currently on the road.
This new car features a turbocharged power unit – a high-revving 4.4-litre (4,395cc) V8, making its world premiere. Developing 560hp from 5,750-7,000rpm, it is the most potent series-production engine ever to emerge from BMW’s high-performance M division and provides thrills like few other saloons can provide. It’s mated to a seven speed double clutch gearbox with the ubiquitous flappy paddles.
Packed with all manner electronic gubbins including a Head-up Display, DAB digital radio, front and rear Park Distance Control, four-zone air-conditioning, Xenon headlights, Adaptive Headlights and front seat heating it’s extremely well equipped.
Ultimately, if you need to ferry around four people in style (and notably with exceptional speed), you will not go wrong at all with the mighty BMW M5 2011 edition. The fact that it can then easily transition to an extreme track day machine makes it perhaps one of the ultimate cars on the road today.
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