There’s no shortage of criticism for the G90 BMW M5. A hybrid powertrain was always bound to ruffle some feathers and aesthetics are always subjective. What isn’t subjective is another one of the car’s pain points – a curb weight that exceeds 5,000 pounds. Another objective point is that the car is fast. Regardless of how you feel about its method of propulsion, we quite enjoyed our M5 track drive – although, we do feel it’s better suited as a spirited daily driver. That makes sense, anyway, since BMW says that “hardly anyone consistently” visits the racetrack with their M5. Despite the car’s occasional shortcomings, we do have to address one comparison we’ve seen that completely defies logic. That is, juxtaposing the F90 M5 CS with the G90 M5 with the obvious intention of downplaying the G90’s relevance.
Quick Look: F90 M5 CS vs. G90 M5
The F90 M5 CS was the first M5 to wear the CS nameplate, and BMW only produced it for one model year – 2022. Around 1,000 units left the assembly line as loaded-up and stripped-down versions of the regular F90 M5. That meant goodies like carbon ceramic brakes, beefier anti-roll bars and firmer springs, and special Gold Bronze 20-inch forged wheels. A 230-pound weight savings – and 10 additional horsepower over the Competition models, bringing the total to 627 – allowed the super sedan to accelerate from zero to 60 mph in a Car and Driver tested 2.6 seconds. Motor Trend weighed the CS and it tipped the scale at 4,089 pounds. That’s important.
But so is the fact that the M5 CS commanded a healthy premium over regular M5s. Base price was touted as $142,000 – the regular F90 M5 started at around $106,000. That said: I was working at a BMW dealership when these debuted. My store – one of the largest in the Southwest US – received just one allocation, which promptly received a $40,000 or $50,000 (fuzzy times) markup that one lucky customer actually paid.
Then we have the G90 M5. The G90 M5 is not a limited-run car, but it does tout more horsepower and torque than the F90 M5 CS. The hybrid setup produces 717 horsepower and 738 pound-feet – 90 more ponies and 185 more torques – compared to the F90 M5 CS. The literal elephant in the room is the new M5’s poundage – a curb weight of 5,390 pounds represents a 1,200-pound increase compared to the F90 CS. The ’25 M5 starts at around $119,000.
Why the F90 M5 CS vs. G90 M5 Comparison Doesn’t Make Sense
Despite an M5 badge on the back, the two vehicles share little. The F90 M5 CS was developed as focused, stripped-down version of the F90 M5. It better be faster than the entry level car from two years later. One’s completely gas-reliant; the G90 sports a hybrid powertrain. No more standard carbon roof, and a huge glass roof replaces the modest tilt-and-slide unit that was available for the F90. Supposedly, the G90 isn’t even getting a Competition trim. If that doesn’t tell you that the M5’s priorities have shifted, I don’t know what will.
Perhaps most important, though, is the fact that the F90 CS was produced in extremely limited quantities and commanded a base price $20,000 dearer than the G90’s. Actual transaction prices clearly exceeded that. That’s assuming you could even get one: we had a wait list a mile long, even with a healthy markup. The F90 CS was as close to unobtainium as a modern BMW can come without wearing an extra “L” at the end of that badge.
While that badge wouldn’t stand for long wheelbase, that does seem like the more likely outcome for the G90 M5. Allegedly, we’ll see a CS version soon enough. Hopefully, BMW conducts some addition by subtraction (read: ripping 1,000 pounds out of the car) and we’ll have something that can actually be compared to the F90 M5 CS. Until then, the two remain two vastly different arrangements of songs with the same name.
