# I drove the '06 E60 M5 on the track...



## Emission (Dec 19, 2001)

I was fortunate enough to drive the '06 650i, E90 330i, and the E60 M5 on the racetrack the other day! 

For the past couple years, each November I attend a media-only event at Willow Springs racetrack. Manufacturers are invited to bring their new cars (this year it was the ’06 models) to the venue so the press can drive them. Since some cars aren’t track material (Land Rover LR3, for example), several different test “arenas” are set up. There is the big track (Willow Springs), small track (Streets of Willow Springs), three different levels of Off-Road tracks (very difficult requiring locking differentials to simple requiring only AWD), and the Street Drive (a twenty-mile course on public roads). 

Manufacturers place their cars in their chosen venue. Land Rover had their trucks in the hardest Off-Road track. The Toyota Highlander was on the easy Off-Road track. Rolls-Royce and Kia were on the Street Drive. The Subaru WRT STI was on the Streets of Willow Springs, while the Dodge Charger SR8 was on the Big Track. You get the point.

I focused on the Big Track, with one exception – the Corvette C6 Z06. The new Vette was on the Street Drive so I had to go over there to get some seat time (someone crashed a new C6 last year on the Big Track, so they didn’t want to risk a bonehead breaking the hot 500 hp beast this year). 

The Big Track had some pretty cool cars. There were quite a few models from Mercedes (ML500, CLS500, CLK280, CLS55 AMG), some from Lexus (IS350, IS250, GS430, etc…), Jaguar (XJ Super V8), cool cars from Volvo even (V70R, S40 T5). Of course, BMW had some too (E60 M5, 650i, 330i, M3 Convertible, 530xi Touring). Porsche didn’t make a showing this year (last year, Hurley Haywood took me for a ride in the new 911 Carrera S, while David Donohue took me out in a Cayman!).

Back to the E60 M5 (I'll discuss the other two BMWs in another thread)... The “rules of the event” said any exotic (M5, Lamborghini Gallardo, Ford GT, etc…) would not be driven by a reporter alone – a “professional” would accompany you. Well, the “Pro” for the BMW M5 was none other than BMW Team PTG driver Bill Auberlen! 

After watching a few other reporters crawl dizzy out of the passenger seat of the M5, it was my turn. I strapped my helmet on my head (helmets were required on the tracks) and strapped in. Bill was very friendly, chatty, and in good spirits. He really likes the E60 M5, and it showed. While I was strapping in, Bill told me he had programmed i-Drive to use the firmest suspension settings, quickest SMG settings, and no DSC. I smiled.

Pulling down the hot pits, we stopped at the track starter. With the signal to get on the track… Bill floored it. Immediately both rear tires broke traction and we launched forward. Within seconds, SMG engaged second gear and both tires again broke free. A few seconds later the tires gave a small chirp when third gear was engaged! We hit turn 1 twice as fast as I normally would and Bill was still picking up speed…

There was very little traffic on the track, so Bill had free reign to go as fast as he wanted without concern. We flew into Turn 2 with the tail of the M5 ever so slightly hanging out. Climbing up the hill, between Turn 3 and Turn 4, Bill was on full throttle as both rear tires spun wildly grabbing for traction (mind you, we were doing nearly 60 mph as the tires spun!). Through 4, 5 and 6, the car made beautiful pirouette-like moves as it danced through the corners, not entirely sticking to the pavement as it oversteered slightly from side-to-side. Bill was really enjoying this.

We passed someone down the back straight and entered sweeping Turn 8 at more than 100 mph. The M5 was rock stable without a hint of oscillation that you’d find in cars with improper track tuning. A touch of the brakes and we were set up for the next turn. With a powerslide out of Turn 9 (with plenty of drift), we hit the straight at full throttle. I think we touched about 140 mph as Bill mentioned he’s seen 150 mph in the M5 down this section of the track (without a 190 lb passenger next to him)!

One more dizzying lap, then we pulled into the hot pits. Bill climbed out and shook my hand. It was my turn.

Now, I’m no track pro. I have about 20 days worth of events under my belt – all for fun, no racing. I run with the “A” group at HPDE’s because I am safe and experienced, not the fastest. I drive a tail-happy Porsche 930 because it’s a challenge.

Before that day, I had never driven an SMG-equipped BMW. Thankfully, about an hour earlier I had taken several laps in an E46 M3 Convertible with SMG so I was familiarized at least to the point I could get myself around the track in a semi-reasonable fashion. 

I sat in the M5 helmeted and strapped into the stock three-point belts… waiting for the signal to enter the track. As the track was nearly empty, my wait was short. With a quick thumbs-up, I floored the M5. Both rear tires lit up so I let off the pedal a bit (no reason to cause a scene in the hot pits) as the car lurched forward. I shifted (too early) into second, then into third as I entered the track. 

The first turn is left, and I gave the car light throttle as I rounded the corner expecting the weight of the vehicle to carry it out. It took a microsecond to realize how different this car felt from what I was anticipating! I am used to driving an E39 540i 6-speed (my dad has one). It’s a great car, but on the “too large and heavy” side for me. Expecting the E60 M5 to feel like the E39 540i was my mistake. In all honesty, it felt much closer in “heft” (the feeling of mass being tossed around the track) to my E46 330i! 

Down the first short straight, I lined the M5 up for a right sweeper. Being an unfamiliar-to-me SMG, I think I was in 3rd (had it been stick, I would have known). Throttle response was immediate as tiny stabs on the throttle were met with immediate acceleration – again, I was still shocked at how little mass was felt through the steering wheel and throttle.

Braking before the hard left up the hill, I really pushed it to the point where ABS hiccupped a bit. I bled far too much speed off, but I knew the 507-hp V10 wouldn’t have any issue recapturing it further up the track. Up the hill I went… where Bill had both rear wheels spinning… I was floored, but carrying about 20-30 mph less so my rears were planted. As I crested at the top, I cranked the wheel hard right and the M5 turned sharply. As expected, there was a brief delay as I asked 3500+ pounds to change directions (this was about the only time I could really feel the mass), but the tires didn’t howl in protest. 

Down the back straight I played it cool. At one point, I topped 100 mph before tapping the brakes (I could easily have hit more), but I was in an unfamiliar car so I didn’t really feel comfortable coming around the long, fast, final corner with too much speed. The M5 was rock solid – absolutely planted – at nearly 100 mph on the sweeper. It was seriously glued down.

The front straight was my best opportunity to plant the throttle into the rubber stop, so I did. I think I hit about 130 mph (where Bill could touch 150 mph) before braking into Turn 1. Again, the M5 didn’t exhibit any tendency to wander or track at this speed. Had the track continued, I wouldn’t have hesitated to run it to redline in all the gears!

I only had a couple laps in the M5 – too short, I know. Bill wanted the car back. Others deserved a chance to take it out.

Looking back at the drive, I am amazed at how well the suspension tuning, and engine power, hid the mass of the M5. It really felt like my 330i (with a boatload more power, of course). 

Compared to nearly everything else I drove on the track that day, the M5 was easily most prepared for track duty. Everything worked so precisely well together, it made an average driver (myself) feel very, very comfortable at speed. 

One comment I made to Bill Auberlen (as he threw the M5 around the track) had to do with future owners of the M5… what a shame it would be for someone to never experience the V10 at full-tilt down the straight, the power of both rear tires clawing for traction at speed, or the g-forces of an ABS-stop from 100+ mph. An M5 track excursion should be a pre-requisite for M5 ownership!

What a killer car. :thumbup: 

(Pics of the M5 on the track that day- just beautiful.)


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## Jon Shafer (Dec 15, 2001)

Emission sucks!!!!


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## Emission (Dec 19, 2001)

Thanks Jon!  

One more cool shot of the M5 (Bill at the wheel) leading a Lamborghini Gallardo around the track...

This is a very hard right corner, about as much body roll as you'll ever see on the M5.


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## Malibubimmer (Sep 28, 2005)

Great report. Can you give us your impressions of the 650i, too?


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## WILLIA///M (Apr 15, 2002)

Jon said:


> Emission sucks!!!!


:stupid:

A ride with Bill A. at the wheel!


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## mdsbuc (Mar 17, 2005)

Awesome!:thumbup:


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## Emission (Dec 19, 2001)

Malibubimmer said:


> Great report. Can you give us your impressions of the 650i, too?


The 650i was the first car I drove that day, on it's first run of the day. It had the Steptronic transmission.

My first impression was WOW! Cars need power to get up the hill at Willow Springs, and the 650i had gobs of it. The transmission (in Sport) never fought with me (and I hate slushboxes) - it just offered me seamless power. I really liked it.

Though not as firm or "light on it's feet" as the M5, the suspension the 650i was perfectly balanced, tossable left and right, and very stable. I keep saying that about the two BMW's, but the truth is most of the other cars I drove (to name a couple: Infiniti G35 Coupe, Lexus GS430) really got embarassingly sloppy when pushed.

The only thing holding me back in the 650i was the fact I was on ice-cold tires, and I'd never never driven a 6-series! 

Another home run by BMW.


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## vexed (Dec 22, 2001)

Nice write up.
Someone is using your name at Swedespeed and talking about his wife's new XC-90 V-8.


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## Emission (Dec 19, 2001)

vexed said:


> Nice write up.
> Someone is using your name at Swedespeed and talking about his wife's new XC-90 V-8.


 :rofl:

I miss my X5.


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## Raffi (May 18, 2002)

Jon said:


> Emission sucks!!!!


 Big time!   :thumbup:


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## doeboy (Sep 20, 2002)

WILLIA///M said:


> :stupid:
> 
> A ride with Bill A. at the wheel!


My sentiments exactly... :rofl: :thumbup:


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## gault330i (Aug 12, 2004)

Wow! If only all posts were this good ... did you get to drive any of the Mercedes AMG models by any chance? If so, how do they compare?


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## Emission (Dec 19, 2001)

gault330i said:


> Wow! If only all posts were this good ... did you get to drive any of the Mercedes AMG models by any chance? If so, how do they compare?


Thanks for the kind words!

Last year, I drove my first two Mercedes vehicles on the track. They were the CLK55 AMG, followed by the SLK350. I was blown away by how competent they were. When you drive 20+ vehicles on the track back-to-back, you can tell right away which cars have "it" and which cars really sucked out there (um, MazdaSpeed 6 for example). I thought the Mercedes would follow the Lexus mantra - soft and comfortable. Instead, it was 80% BMW with a slushbox. I'd always thought it was just BMW and Porsche who had showroom vehicles that were also track-ready ! If you could overlook the automatic transmissions, and get used to the interior styling, they were excellent.

This year, I drove the CLK500, ML500, CLS500, and SLK280 on the track. None I drove were AMG, though the CLS55 AMG was there doing laps when I was in the Ford GT (and the Mercedes wasn't embarassing itself).

Mercedes has come an awful long way in the past decade, and the track performance of their vehicles today demonstrates they've progressed away from the "luxury only" persona that shadowed them years ago. I've never been a big Mercedes fan, and I still don't like the fact most all of their performance sedans don't have manual transmissions, but I have a new respect for them these days - especially after seeing what they do on the track.


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## gault330i (Aug 12, 2004)

Thanks for the response. As someone who prefers the high end rush of horsepower over lowend torque, I was wondering how the supercharged AMG approach compared to the high revving //M V10. Also, not trying to push my luck but could we get you to share your impressions of the Ford GT/Z06 vette?


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## Malibubimmer (Sep 28, 2005)

gault330i said:


> Thanks for the response. As someone who prefers the high end rush of horsepower over lowend torque, I was wondering how the supercharged AMG approach compared to the high revving //M V10. Also, not trying to push my luck but could we get you to share your impressions of the Ford GT/Z06 vette?


If Emissions only drove the CLK55, SKL350, and the year before the CLK500, ML500, CLS500 and SLK280 , then he hasn't driven a supercharged AMG. The CLK55 has a 362 HP engine, which is the highest HP of any of the cars he drove.


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## Sean (Dec 22, 2001)

Awesome wrtie-up! Looking forward to hearing about the other BMWs (specifically the E90) and etc. :thumbup: :thumbup:


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## Emission (Dec 19, 2001)

Malibubimmer said:


> "...which is the highest HP of any of the cars he drove."


Yes, in the Mercedes line-up.

Among other cars, I drove the M5 @ 507 HP, and the Z06 @ 500 HP, and the Phaeton V12 @ 420 HP... :thumbup:


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## Emission (Dec 19, 2001)

gault330i said:


> Thanks for the response. As someone who prefers the high end rush of horsepower over lowend torque, I was wondering how the supercharged AMG approach compared to the high revving //M V10. Also, not trying to push my luck but could we get you to share your impressions of the Ford GT/Z06 vette?


The V10 in the BMW felt like a cross between a strong V8 and a high-revving Honda motor. Now, that's a compliment. It was very powerful, not peaky, and would wind much further than any V8 I'd ever driven - most have to be shifted at around 6500 (at best). The M5 V10 winds to more than 8000 rpm, if my memory serves me (like my old Acura Integra GS-R!). It didn't feel anything like a forced induction motor.

The Z06 was sick fast.  I took it out in the desert alone for about 40 minutes. Most of my time was spend blasting 0-140, or 60-140, over and over. It just was too much fun to feel the power pushing you into the seat (oh, the Z06 pulled at 140 like it was a runaway train!). The brakes were unflappable - no matter how many times I pounded on them, they stopped. The loose road surface was the weak link in stopping, not the Z06 brakes. Redline on the Z06 was just under 7000, so you couldn't wind it like the M5, but it had gobs of torque down low. At 70 mph in 6th, I think it was only turning about 1500 rpm - and it still pulled. The transmission of the Z06 was amazing with short easy flicks in and out of gear. I never missed any shifts, and the clutch was about perfect. The downside was the tire noise resonating through the cabin from the back hatch area - loud at speed.

The Ford GT... ahhhh... it is now one of my most favorite cars - it is just about perfect. First, I didn't drive it - I rode with Parnelli Jones on the big track. My five minutes of bliss were plenty for me to form some opinions. Supercharged and mean (one incredible exhaust note, and the supercharger is mounted inches from your head!), it pulls like it should - with 550 horsepower. Parnelli drove it like a racecar and I just smiled as we flew around corners. I've been in cars on the track where you hold on the whole time and brace yourself from flying around the seat (M3's for example), but the Ford GT just held me snug (in a stock 3-point belt). I could actually just sit tight and enjoy Parnelli tossing the car.

I am a big fan of forced induction engines. I like how they pull hard, then pull harder and harder the faster they spin. I really liked the Ford GT engine for this reason. The M5 engine was fast and powerful, but it was very linear - dare I say a bit boring and safe (you can argue that). The Z06 engine just felt like a more powerful C6 engine - nothing spectacular. Wait until they (rumor here) supercharge the Vette engine...


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## italia550i (Mar 25, 2002)

Killer reports. You lucky bastid.

Oh ya.... Thanks for the invite. :flipoff:


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## Emission (Dec 19, 2001)

italia330i said:


> Killer reports. You lucky bastid.
> 
> Oh ya.... Thanks for the invite. :flipoff:


If I knew I was going to be driving that fast on public roads... I would have brought counsel!


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## italia550i (Mar 25, 2002)

Emission said:


> If I knew I was going to be driving that fast on public roads... I would have brought counsel!


:rofl: Nice.


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## wag-zhp (Apr 8, 2004)

Wow! Nice review(s) Emission! :thumbup: Ohh, by the way... You really do suck! :rofl:


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## SmoothCruise (Jul 23, 2005)

You seem a bit contradictory:



Emission said:


> *The Z06 was sick fast.*  I took it out in the desert alone for about 40 minutes. Most of my time was spend blasting 0-140, or 60-140, over and over. It just was too much fun to feel the power pushing you into the seat *(oh, the Z06 pulled at 140 like it was a runaway train!).* The brakes were unflappable - no matter how many times I pounded on them, they stopped. The loose road surface was the weak link in stopping, not the Z06 brakes. Redline on the Z06 was just under 7000, so you couldn't wind it like the M5, but it had gobs of torque down low. At 70 mph in 6th, I think it was only turning about 1500 rpm - and it still pulled. The transmission of the Z06 was amazing with short easy flicks in and out of gear. I never missed any shifts, and the clutch was about perfect. The downside was the tire noise resonating through the cabin from the back hatch area - loud at speed.
> 
> *The Z06 engine just felt like a more powerful C6 engine - nothing spectacular.* Wait until they (rumor here) supercharge the Vette engine...


Pulls like a runaway train at 140, but it's nothing special? I don't get it. Anyways, Edmonds calls the LS7 possibly the greatest engine ever built, I don't know about that, and I dont' know what their criteria is. Seems like marketing hype.

However, did you see Edmond's in depth review of the Z06? If so, do you agree with most of it? They said that the handling was superb if the roads were perfect, but any imperfection and it gets frightening. But, I'm wondering if it's because the Z06 handles so well that when it does slip, you have enough lateral g's to make you poop your pants?

Anyways, Z06 is such a sweet car! Supercar performance, and cheaper than an M5. I drive my 6er by a Vette dealership to and from work. And it keeps making me think that my 6er is not only inadequate but a ripoff as well.


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## Emission (Dec 19, 2001)

SmoothCruise said:


> "You seem a bit contradictory... However, did you see Edmond's in depth review of the Z06? If so, do you agree with most of it? They said that the handling was superb if the roads were perfect, but any imperfection and it gets frightening. But, I'm wondering if it's because the Z06 handles so well that when it does slip, you have enough lateral g's to make you poop your pants?"


I like forced induction (turbo or supercharger) for my "fun" cars. The Z06 engine was awesome (I hate using that word), but it just felt like one hellava strong V8 to me (exactly what it is). Nothing spectacular.

I drove the Z06 on public roads outside Rosamond, California - the desert. Roads are a grid, no corners. I went fast on a straight line for 40 minutes and never got to corner faster than 20 mph. The ride was a bit bumpy but never felt unstable (roads were average with a bit of sand blown on them). I've driven much worse.

I'd take a 650i 6-speed (do they make that?) over a Z06 6-speed any day. Seriously. The 650i is so much more refined.


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## SmoothCruise (Jul 23, 2005)

Emission said:


> I like forced induction (turbo or supercharger) for my "fun" cars. The Z06 engine was awesome (I hate using that word), but it just felt like one hellava strong V8 to me (exactly what it is). Nothing spectacular.


I wouldn't be surprised if Lingenfelter already has something for the Z06. I'm just curious what the Vette team plans with the next generation of this car. I can't see them putting more ponies into the car and keeping the car as light as it is, unless they move the engine to the midsection?

The other thing that worries me about the Z06 is that the floors are part balsa wood. I wonder what happens if there's a fire in the car. Maybe they can work on the interior, but since the car is so fast, who cares?



Emission said:


> I drove the Z06 on public roads outside Rosamond, California - the desert. Roads are a grid, no corners. I went fast on a straight line for 40 minutes and never got to corner faster than 20 mph. The ride was a bit bumpy but never felt unstable (roads were average with a bit of sand blown on them). I've driven much worse.


So you can't say how well it corners?



Emission said:


> I'd take a 650i 6-speed (do they make that?) over a Z06 6-speed any day. Seriously. The 650i is so much more refined.


Yeah 6speed is standard on 6ers. Its' too refined, like the cadillac of sports coupes.  These days, I just feel like driving a car purely built for racing. (With a roof! Otherwise I'd be getting an Ariel.)

Anyways, thanks for the write up.


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## SpeedFreak! (May 1, 2005)

Jon said:


> Emission sucks!!!!


Agreed... we need to start a "Why we hate Emissions thread!"


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## jim (Jan 3, 2003)

italia330i said:


> Killer reports. You lucky bastid.


^

What an awesome opportunity!!

Thanks for the write-ups :thumbup: .

-j


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