Why you should buy this car: The new M5 is a supremely capable corner carver with epic thrust available at the top of the rev range. It s as close as you ll get to a four-door Ferrari — at least until the Aston Rapide and Porsche Panamera blow into town.

Why you shouldn t buy this car: The gearbox blows.

Suitability Parameters:
· Speed Merchants: Yes
· Fashion Victims: Yes
· Treehuggers: No
· Mack Daddies: No
· Tuner Crowd: No
· Hairdressers: No
· Penny Pinchers: No
· Euro Snobs: Yes
· Working Stiffs: No
· Technogeeks: Yes
· Poseurs: Yes
· Soccer Moms: No
· Nascar Dads: No
· Golfing Grandparents: No

Vitals
· Manufacturer: BMW
· Model tested: M5
· Model year: 2006
· Price as Tested: $94,965
· Engine type: 5.0-liter DOHC 40-valve V10
· Horsepower: 500hp @ 7750 rpm
· Torque: 383 ft.-lbs. @ 6100 rpm
· Redline: 8250rpm
· Wheels and Tires: 255/40ZR-19 (front) 285/35ZR-19 (rear)
· Drive type: rear-wheel-drive
· 0 - 60: 4.5 secs.
· 1/4 mile: 12.8 secs. @ 119 mph
· Top speed: 155 (electronically limited)
· Fuel economy city/highway: 12/18
· NHTSA crash test rating front/side/rollover: NYR

[by Robert Farago]

Related:
Jalopnik Reviews: 2006 BMW M5, Part 1, Part 2 [internal]