2014 BMW M5: New Gadgetry Built for Speed and Comfort

Just as it did to the 5-series, BMW is making subtle yet significant changes to the M5 for 2014. But while those upgrades border on inconsequential, the brand will offer an optional Competition package that reinforces the M5's position as the purest among high-performance sedans. It’s the Bavarians’ latest response to the high-performance luxury arms race, if you will.

Unlike the more-pedestrian versions of the 5-series, the refreshed M5 doesn’t receive new front and rear bumpers, and, subsequently, changes will be recognized only by the initiated. Among them are a new grille with glossy twin spokes and an M5 logo, which recalls the original M5; there now are full LED headlights, and the taillights receive new, and less cluttered, inner workings. The interior benefits from a new, slightly retro-styled three-spoke steering wheel—the same that’s found in the M6—which replaces the previous, slightly bloated tiller. There are a few more chrome strips inside, and the knob of the iDrive system now recognizes handwriting inputs, much like upper-crust Audis.

Moreover, the M5 gets all the electronic goodies that don’t pertain to the strict business of focused driving, but attempt to save your posterior as your attention drifts away in today's dull traffic environment. They include upgraded lane-departure- and collision-mitigation systems, pedestrian recognition, and a new high-beam assistant.

All of these changes are good, but what really stirs our enthusiasm is the optional Competition package. It will be offered at a still-undisclosed price on the 2014 M5, and also on all three M6 models—coupe, cabriolet, andGran Coupe. This package bumps horsepower from 560 to 575, which cuts a tenth of a second from the 0–60 times of each model, with the exception of the M6 cabrio. This means that the M5, thus equipped, will now require 4.1 seconds to do the deed. Real-world numbers could be even more favorable; we recorded a 0-to-60 time of just 3.6 seconds in a test of the current-generation M5. Top speed, of course, will be limited to 155 mph with the option to raise that governor to 190. Customers can continue to choose between the excellent seven-speed dual-clutch automatic and the six-speed manual.

Even more important than the improved acceleration are the improvements in handling, the Competition package adds a revised, stiffer suspension with stronger stabilizers; the elastokinematics—that’s geek speak for flexible components of the suspension, such as bushings—have been adjusted, as has the M-spec rear differential. When it’s all said and done, the vehicle sits lower by 0.4 inch. The hydraulic power steering is more direct than on the standard M5. And the M Dynamic mode, which can be pre-selected by the driver, is even more aggressively tuned with this package. Carbon-ceramic brakes, which provide the ultimate edge in performance, remain optional.

To visually differentiate M5’s equipped with the Competition package, BMW bolted on aggressive and specifically designed 20-inch aluminum wheels and a black-chrome exhaust system. The result is subtle, yet sufficient to attract the attention of brand aficionados.

Thanks to the Competition package, the M5 has virtually caught up with the 577-hp Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG S 4MATIC. Where BMW continues to lag behind is in the department of four driven wheels, and, and in a recent interview, M GmbH chief Friedrich Nitschke remained adamant that this won't change in the current model generation. After all, the folks in Munich need to keep something up their sleeve for the next M5. View Photo Gallery