The big news about the new M5 is, without a doubt, the new M xDrive all-wheel drive system. It has been the focus of every test so far, and the results are impressive, beyond any sort of doubt. That said, the new M car is capable of accelerating from standstill to eye-watering speeds faster than any other car the Motorsport division ever developed for public roads. It’s almost a full second faster than its older brother, the F10 M5 and that’s if you believe what BMW is claiming.
According to independent tests done by journalists or enthusiasts around the world, the F90 M5 is even faster than what the Germans are saying, making the difference between it and the F10 model bigger. But that’s the case when the two cars are set off from standstill and only when it comes to straight line acceleration. That’s exactly what the test below proposes but it also shows that the old gal has a bit more in its basket than it shows.
When it comes to the 100 to 200 km/h (62 mph to 124 mph) acceleration, the F10 M5 is right up there with the F90, judging by the video. Furthermore, the two are also neck and neck at speeds up to 300 km/h (186 mph) where the speed limiter kicks in showing a much closer battle than one would expect. Sure, looking at the specs, the two aren’t all that far off in terms of power output either but then again, there’s a noticeable age gap between them.
The F10 M5 here is also a Competition Package model which means it has 575 PS and 700 Nm of torque, a bit more than the standard version. It also has a different suspension which may help it put the power down better. The F90 model has 600 PS and 750 Nm (553 lb-ft) of torque and an 8-speed automatic gearbox compared to the faster 7-speed DCT of the F10. In the end though, this is a tough comparison between two immensely capable cars.
