[Mani59]

     Featured on BIMMERPOST.com

The latest BMW M5 has been one of the more controversial M cars of recent years. Ferociously fast and brilliantly capable but heavy and complex, it’s met a mixed reception thus far. How then, does it compare to the greatest M5 of all time? CAR magazine’s James Dennison grabs the keys to a mint E39 M5 to find out.

[subterFUSE]

F90 is the greatest M5.

[playswcars]

Personally, my favorite M5 is the F10.

I’d give a lot for a clean, low-mileage Comp Package F10 M5 with Individual paint and leather.

[CarlosM4]

I got to drive the E39 BMW M5 recently, and honestly, other than the MT transmission, I don't understand all the hype. It does have a nice handling balance and poise, and its very communicative, but its not that much different in terms of those characteristics to many of the other M5s. The F10 with Comp package LCI is nice to drive (the standard non LCI is dog sh..), the F90 is brilliant (especially the CS), the E60 is other wordly and we will probably never see another sedan like it (its essentially a super car in the form of a sedan). To me the E60 is the "best representation of M" M5 in terms of what it is.

The F90 is the best M5 in terms of the combination of all the characteristics that make up an M5.

[M5ddox]

Originally Posted by subterFUSE

F90 is the greatest M5.

+1

[bdu]

CarlosM4: totally agree on the E60/61: a couple of weeks after taking delivery, I was asked about the drive, and all I could say that I felt the car was “from another world”. Never before, or after, drove a car that was so groundbreakingly different.

[Chihuahua]

Originally Posted by CarlosM4

I got to drive the E39 BMW M5 recently, and honestly, other than the MT transmission, I don't understand all the hype.

Couldn't agree more. A good friend of mine owns one, finally took him up on his offer to drive it about a year ago. Completely underwhelming. The whole car just feels numb to me, the steering feel is completely non-existent. Power is fine but not what you expect it to be. I wonder how many people that refer to it as 'the GOAT' have ever actually driven one. I would take an E60 M5 over any of them.

[CarlosM4]

Originally Posted by bdu

CarlosM4: totally agree on the E60/61: a couple of weeks after taking delivery, I was asked about the drive, and all I could say that I felt the car was “from another world”. Never before, or after, drove a car that was so groundbreakingly different.

At the time it launched, it was something so different, so out of the ordinary I can not even fathom what it was like owning one brand new.

I have been trying to buy one for years now (hard to find here as 99% of examples are utter rubbish), even to this day, I don't think there has been any Sedan close to replicating the driving experience of it. The Quattroporte is probably the one that came the closest. I still prefer and think an F90 is better overall, but goddamn it is the E60 brilliant.

That extremely loud high revving V10, the way that engine revs, the way the car feels. A Manual Transmission or M-DCT (swapped examples I have seen online) of the E60, are probably among the best driving cars ever made. Period.

[CarlosM4]

Originally Posted by Chihuahua

Couldn't agree more. A good friend of mine owns one, finally took him up on his offer to drive it about a year ago. Completely underwhelming. The whole car just feels numb to me, the steering feel is completely non-existent. Power is fine but not what you expect it to be. I wonder how many people that refer to it as 'the GOAT' have ever actually driven one. I would take an E60 M5 over any of them.

Yeah. My expectations were shot when I drove it. I came out disappointed.

The E39, is nice in terms of its handling balance, and the chassis is communicative (but its more communicative than recent BMW because its far less refined, that is the truth of it). The steering is not that great, and yeah the engine is nothing special. I don't understand the hype as well.

For me the E46 and E39 are two halo cars, that are don't deserve 5% of the hype they have.

[TXSTYLE]

Personally....

I am so glad BMW created the G90!

It is the first M5 I have ever considered due to its size, comfort, technology, and presence.
I will be adding one to the stable. 👍🏽

[GogoMotoring]

The e60 M5 was something else. An absolute animal of a car in a sedan body.

[SunnyD]

E60 is the 🐐

[My M3]

Whilst I love the E39 M5, I would take an F90 all day every day over both tested, they are just a great overall package in my opinion & they look great also.

[spuntyb]

Originally Posted by bdu

CarlosM4: totally agree on the E60/61: a couple of weeks after taking delivery, I was asked about the drive, and all I could say that I felt the car was “from another world”. Never before, or after, drove a car that was so groundbreakingly different.

The fact you could get it as a wagon is what blows me away.

[Autoaddict]

I owned an E39 years ago. At that time it was a car I lusted after the most. When this came out, 2000, it was just a unicorn. A four door sedan that ran with Porsches, Ferraris, etc. it was just crazy. I had originally test driven one at the dealership but I wasn’t in a position in life to buy it. Then in 2009, I found a mint one that was barely driven in Cincinnati, OH. Silverstone with full black leather interior. Bought it and drove it home. The drive was amazing. I had just bought my dream car! The engine, gearbox and chassis were just sublime on the interstate leading from Ohio into Pennsylvania. The power literally came out buttery smooth. It was amazing.

Funny story, I forget the highway going north out of Cincinnati, but while I was driving, I saw in the left lane an identical E39 screaming up. He slowed down next to me, I looked at him and he looked back, both of us with big grins on our face knowing exactly what we were driving and we each gave each a thumbs up. He then just blasted away!

Later on, I removed the rear mufflers and that opened up the exhaust note. Overall, I think it’s probably the greatest BMW ever made, my opinion. The power, handling, comfort, the sound, the feel. Still lust after it to this day. Wish I still had it.

[AP]

Whilst I never owned a e39 m5, I did own a 2002 e39 530 Msport for 10 years

I have to say that the interior was pure quality. The build quality really was amazing and I don think Bmw have been as good since. Good enough but the e39 felt very special. Not a single steak or rattle in 10 years

The steerin GB was the most communicative I have ever experienced. Obviously not the inferior recirculating ball that the v8s had

So e39 best car? Well it gets my vote

[Imran@Evolve]

E39 M5 is the goat.

F90 M5 is also amazing but for me just loses out by a tiny on the fact that it has not been around as long as the E39. So has the potential to take the crown at some point.

[Bahn360Photo]

E39 m5 is pure drive, feels like full control.

It’s not as fast as f90 or g90, yet it gives a feeling way better then the speed of newer ones.

Not sure if a brief drive can really show it properly.
Something about NA v8 and manual that’s very special

[GOLFFRR]

I think they are all great TBH but I really was into the f10. I had one for a brief time and was so into that car! I loved it. Just a tad too large for my personal needs otherwise I would have prob just kept it.

[M3n54RR]

Originally Posted by Mani59

https://youtu.be/1Fb6mCFhEXE?si=nXSpYkuv3pK1R3tu

Apprec this🏃‍♂️ … e39 is certainly the best chassis of all time but the e34 M5 was pretty dope. Good, relevant comparison tho, as the e39 really demonstrates BMW’s agenda with M5. They’re suppose to be heavy (grounded), comfortable (spacious) and controversial (before its time) …and fastest in-class sedan. Fans impulsively get hypercritical upon release and don’t realize (a) they fall in love over time and (b) the fact they’re talking about the m5 is what Bmw anticipates. Too often, fans want the m5 to be an m3 🤦‍♂️ the critics don’t get it

[subterFUSE]

I never owned the E60 M5, but I did own the E60 545i with SMG transmission. Loved that car. I got to drive the E60 M5 on the track at the BMW Performance Center, and my favorite aspect was actually the steering. The M5 steering was completely different than the 545i.

I kept that E60 545i for about 9 years, and 109,000 miles. By that point I needed to replace one of the headlight bulbs which I decided to do myself. When I opened up the headlight case to install the new bulb, the insulation on the wiring cracked and flaked off the wire exposing the raw conductors. Turns out BMW was using some kind of recycled materials for the wiring in the entire car, and after 9 years of living in the warm Florida climate the insulation was degrading to the point where it was flaking off the wires. I decided the car was a ticking time bomb for electrical gremlins due to the recycled wiring insulation.

[Chihuahua]

Originally Posted by SunnyD

E60 is the ��

Agree. BMWs moon-shot. I'd love to add an Indy Red E60 to my stable but I need another car like I need a hole in my head.

Obviously everyone has their favorite, what's cool is that every generation of M5 has its own personality and you can go out and buy your favorite.