Used 2020 BMW M5

Thanks to its 600-horsepower twin-turbo V8, the 2020 BMW M5 is an exceptionally fast sedan. Aided by a paddle-shifted 8-speed automatic transmission and standard all-wheel drive, this 6th-generation Bavarian super sedan puts the power down with remarkable composure as it streaks to 60 mph in a scant 3.2 seconds and reaches an electronically limited top speed of 155 mph. The M5 Competition model builds on the performance of the standard M5 with aggressively tuned suspension, firmer engine mounts and a 617-horsepower V8.

Both M5s can be switched into a special rear-drive mode that allows burnouts and other tail-out shenanigans.

New for 2020 is the Edition 35 model. Based on the M5 Competition and limited to 35 models in the U.S., the Edition 35 M5 celebrates the 35th anniversary of the M5 with Frozen Dark Grey II paint, unique interior trim, the Executive Package, the M Driver’s Package and black brake calipers.

The BMW M5 is one of these rare sedans that’s totally at home on a racetrack yet completely comfortable in everyday use. With all four wheels grappling for grip, this big German sedan accelerates with an uncanny composure, and it carves through corners far more decisively than any 2-ton midsize sedan rightfully should.

In standard all-wheel-/4-wheel-drive (AWD/4WD) mode, the M5 feels remarkably settled. In 4WD Sport, the system allows the M5 to slide around a bit more. In rear-wheel-/2-wheel-drive (RWD/2WD) mode, all power is sent to the rear wheels. This 2WD mode disables the traction control, which allows expert drivers to drift the M5’s tail.

When it’s not at the track, the 2020 BMW M5 drives like a potent 5 Series sedan. Whereas past M5s could feel a bit cantankerous around town, this one feels plush and serene when its driver-adjustable settings are tailored for comfort. If there’s anything the current M5 is missing, it’s this: a manual transmission.

The big change inside the BMW M5 for 2020? BMW now fits this potent sports sedan with Live Cockpit Professional, the name it applies to a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and a large 10.25-inch central information display. What’s more, the M5 continues with iDrive, the multifunction controller that’s now in its seventh generation and can be operated by voice, button or a rotary controller on the center console.

Additionally, the 2020 BMW M5 has a head-up display, plus two USB ports and a wireless charger for a smartphone. Unfortunately, the CD player has been dropped from the M5 lineup.

As before, the M5 feels much like a standard 5 Series notched up in quality and performance, with two red buttons on the steering wheel that allow you to quickly select a driving setup already configured by you, the driver. Last, the M5 benefits from 32GB of multimedia storage, plus free OTA (over-the-air) map updates that can occur up to four times a year.

On the outside the M5 retains the basic exterior shape of its 5-Series siblings, but with specific M touches for better performance. The M5’s track and overall width are slightly wider than those of the standard 5 Series sedan, while overall height is a touch higher. The roof of this high-performance BMW 5 Series sedan is made of carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic to cut weight, and it also possesses a unique front apron with enlarged air intakes and standard 19-inch wheels. Quad exhaust outlets are another indicator that it’s an M5.

M XDRIVE ALL-WHEEL-DRIVE SYSTEM
In this arrangement, the M5’s front wheels are powered only when the rear wheels can’t transmit any more torque to the road. Even in BMW’s default settings, the stability control and 4WD allow a certain amount of slip at the rear wheels, preserving the M5’s traditional rear-drive feel.

M SPORT EXHAUST
This flap-controlled twin-pipe exhaust, standard on the M5 Competition, produces an especially distinctive exhaust note, especially at full throttle and high revs, with acoustics that change depending on the selected drive mode. We also like the black chrome finish on the tailpipes.

As the top version of the BMW 5 Series lineup, the M5 is well equipped. In addition to all the performance upgrades and 19-inch alloy wheels, you’ll get 20-way-power front seats, Merino leather upholstery, fine wood trim, a head-up display, power-operated trunk, dual-zone automatic climate control, heated front seats and steering wheel, and a universal garage remote.

Safety features include blind-spot monitoring, lane-departure warning, and frontal-collision warning with automatic emergency braking. The M5 Competition, of note, comes with slightly lower sport suspension, a larger rear anti-roll bar and BMW’s M Sport exhaust.

The Driving Assist Plus package ($1,700) includes active cruise control (with Stop & Go), active lane-keeping assist and a front cross-traffic alert. The Executive Package ($3,650) ups the luxury quotient with 4-zone climate control, soft-close doors, massaging front seats, a 360-degree camera system and power sunshades for the back glass and rear side windows.

Two of the pricier options available on the 2020 BMW M5 include a 1,400-watt Bowers & Wilkins sound system with 16 speakers ($3,400) and long-lasting carbon-ceramic brakes ($8,500) that shave 42 pounds of rotating mass. Night Vision ($2,300) also is available. It uses a thermal-imaging camera in the nose of the M5 that “sees” people, animals and other objects up to 300 feet ahead, based upon their heat signature. Night Vision functions only at night, and only in air temperatures cooler than 95 degrees Fahrenheit.

Interestingly, the M Driver’s Package ($2,500) doesn’t bring a bounty of hardware to the table, but it does raise the electronically limited top speed of the M5 from 155 mph to 189 mph. More important, it includes a ticket to the one-day High Performance Driving Class at the BMW Performance Center in Spartanburg, South Carolina, or Thermal, California, where you’ll get to safely probe the limits of various M vehicles on the track.

The aluminum-block twin-turbo 4.4-liter V8 in the 2020 BMW M5 makes a nice even 600 horsepower. In the M5 Competition, the same basic V8 makes 617 horsepower, thanks to tuning tweaks and a less restrictive M Sport exhaust. All-wheel drive keeps the M5 composed in hard acceleration, a thrilling experience accompanied by the crisp shifts of BMW’s excellent 8-speed automatic transmission. Although the M5 has a rear-wheel-drive setting, choose it with caution as this German sports sedan can smoke its rear tires at will.

4.4-liter turbocharged V8
600 horsepower @ 5,700-6,600 rpm
553 lb-ft of torque @ 1,800-5,700 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 15/21 mpg

4.4-liter turbocharged V8
617 horsepower @ 6,000 rpm
553 lb-ft of torque @ 1,800-5,860 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 15/21 mpg