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911 Turbo S Boldly Races an M5 CS, the New Kid on the Block Fights Back

You'll often hear automotive enthusiasts saying that: "They don't make cars like they used to". And that is quite true, but you can also look at it from different angles. The cars that are on the market today might not be as exciting as the previous models. But that doesn't mean that they're slower or less efficient. An old-school BMW E30 can be quite a handful at times, even with less power, but technology has come a long way since.
911 Turbo S Boldly Races an M5 CS, the New Kid on the Block Fights Back 11 photos
Photo: CarWow
911 Turbo S Boldly Races an M5 CS, the New Kid on the Block Fights Back911 Turbo S Boldly Races an M5 CS, the New Kid on the Block Fights Back911 Turbo S Boldly Races an M5 CS, the New Kid on the Block Fights Back911 Turbo S Boldly Races an M5 CS, the New Kid on the Block Fights Back911 Turbo S Boldly Races an M5 CS, the New Kid on the Block Fights Back911 Turbo S Boldly Races an M5 CS, the New Kid on the Block Fights Back911 Turbo S Boldly Races an M5 CS, the New Kid on the Block Fights Back911 Turbo S Boldly Races an M5 CS, the New Kid on the Block Fights Back911 Turbo S Boldly Races an M5 CS, the New Kid on the Block Fights Back911 Turbo S Boldly Races an M5 CS, the New Kid on the Block Fights Back
So the question that we're about to get an answer to today is: Will an older Porsche 911 Turbo S manage to keep up with a brand new BMW M5 CS? Well, that depends. If we're talking about a 930 Turbo or a 964 Turbo in stock form, the answer is no.

If it happens to be a 997.2, then it might be hard to predict the outcome. It is almost a decade old, but that doesn't mean it's going to be slow. Running on a twin-turbo, 3.8-liter flat-six engine, the driver's got access to 523-hp and 516 lb-ft (700 Nm) of torque. With AWD and a 7-speed automatic gearbox, it should put on a strong fight, to say the least.

10 years ago, BMW had launched the F10 M5, and that was good for 553-hp and 502 lb-ft (680 Nm) of torque. While that generation of the M5 clocked in at around 4,288 lbs (1,945 kg), the 997.2 is considerably lighter at 3,494 lbs (1,585 kg).

But the new M5 CS is quite a different animal. It's about 174 lbs (79 kg) lighter than the old F10 M5, and it has an extra 73-hp and 51 lb-ft (70 Nm) of torque. This is also an AWD vehicle, with a rather capable 8-speed automatic gearbox fitted to it. So you might say that the odds are not quite favorable for the Porsche today.

911 Turbo S Boldly Races an M5 CS, the New Kid on the Block Fights Back
Photo: CarWow
Of course, you have to account for the fact that this is strictly a straight-line performance test, and that the BMW costs almost twice as much as a used 997.2 Turbo S. Given the right driver, chances are that the old Porsche might be faster around a racetrack.

Both cars are off to a great start, and it looks like they're neck-and-neck. But it doesn't take long for the M5 CS to start pulling away, winning the standing quarter-mile (402 meters) run by less than a car length.

The first-ever M5 CS required 11.1 seconds to cross the finish line, while the 911 Turbo S was 0.1 seconds slower. We get to see two different runs for the rolling race. While you would expect the lighter car to have the upper hand here, it's still no match for the sheer grunt of the M5 CS.

With speeds exceeding 140 mph (225 kph), the BMW crosses the 1/2 mile (804 meters) finish line in first place. Mat Watson is driving the Porsche, and he's hoping that switching to manual mode on the gearbox for the second run might provide a better result.

911 Turbo S Boldly Races an M5 CS, the New Kid on the Block Fights Back
Photo: CarWow
Alas, 10 years is quite a long time in the fast-paced world of cars. The 911 Turbo S just can't keep up with its opponent, which is quite shocking to witness. The final test of the day keeps adding to the disbelief: the M5 CS has a shorter stopping distance than the 997.2.

Sure, given the price of BMW's creation, you could perform quite a few upgrades on the 911 Turbo S, or you can even try to opt for a newer model instead. At the end of the day, just think about how many people your car needs to transport on a daily basis.

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About the author: Dragos Chitulescu
Dragos Chitulescu profile photo

The things Dragos enjoys the most in life are, in no particular order: cars, motorcycles, diecast cars, and drifting. He's seen (and driven) many vehicles since he started his writing career back in 2009, but his garage currently houses a 1991 Mazda RX-7 FC3S Turbo II and a 1999 Suzuki SV650-S.
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