The 2013 BMW M5: What the critics say

last updated 10 January 2015

Edmunds.com

“We never thought there’d ever be an M5 we wouldn’t kill to own.” But this latest edition of BMW’s top-end M series sedan is “all Dr. Jekyll and no Mr. Hyde,” and that’s saddening. Equipped with a direct-injected 4.4-liter twin-turbo V-8, the M5 still flies. In fact, it remains “one of the world’s fastest and most capable” four-door sedans. But extra weight has robbed the car of its pinpoint handling, and the cabin is “sealed so tight” that the road feels utterly lost. “Where’s the excitement?”

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If you think that choosing the six-speed manual transmission will restore the fun, think again. The stick “just isn’t that good.” At low speeds, you’ll fear that beast of an engine has been paired with an economy car’s shifter, and spinning tires at start-up are guaranteed. The cabin feels luxurious enough, but “there still isn’t a decent cup holder in the entire 5 series.”

The Wall Street Journal

Blame U.S. speed limits if this M5 fails to thrill. BMW has built a car that’s “effectively too amazing for American roads,” a car that’s too “weirdly calm” until you push it to autobahn speeds. But that engine, when given open road, is capable of delivering “an almighty five-alarm fire of torque.” Consider just these few notes from my test drive: “J’aah! Gawwwwddd. Nooo!”