Even though BMW is currently interested in shocking its existing and potential customers with atrocious grille designs, there is a part of me that revers the “Ultimate Driving Machine” slogan introduced in the 1970s. The automaker stopped the campaign in 2006 due to a shift in the market, yet BMW knows how to tap into the emotional side of driving.
The latest and the greatest M of them all is the M5 CS, a superlative four-door sedan that weighs 116 kilograms (256 pounds) less than the regular model. The Competition Sport also happens to be the most powerful M at the present moment thanks to a twin-turbocharged V8 engine with 635 PS (626 horsepower) and 750 Nm (553 pound-feet) of torque at 1,800 revs.
On paper, the Audi RS 6 Avant and Mercedes-AMG E 63 S 4Matic+ are torquier, while the Porsche Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid is both more powerful and torquier. Be that as it may, the following video proves that output doesn’t mean anything without weight-saving measures. The Bavarian interloper also happens to be the only car on the list with the venerable 8HP automatic transmission from ZF Friedrichshafen, an eight-speed box known for its versatile modularity, quick upshifts, and smooth low-speed shifts.
The first drag race starts with a better launch for the Porsche, which is understandable given the plug-in hybrid element of the powertrain. But given the sheer weight of the Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid (2,440 kilograms or 5,379 pounds for the Sport Turismo), the BMW easily outruns it over the quarter mile. The Merc and Audi had to settle for third and fourth place.
According to Carwow’s Mat Watson, the Bimmer completed the standing quarter mile in slightly wet conditions in 10.9 seconds. The Porsche took 11.3 seconds, Mercedes 11.4 seconds, and the RS 6 Avant crossed the line in 11.7 seconds. The M5 CS once again showed its mettle in the roll race.
On paper, the Audi RS 6 Avant and Mercedes-AMG E 63 S 4Matic+ are torquier, while the Porsche Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid is both more powerful and torquier. Be that as it may, the following video proves that output doesn’t mean anything without weight-saving measures. The Bavarian interloper also happens to be the only car on the list with the venerable 8HP automatic transmission from ZF Friedrichshafen, an eight-speed box known for its versatile modularity, quick upshifts, and smooth low-speed shifts.
The first drag race starts with a better launch for the Porsche, which is understandable given the plug-in hybrid element of the powertrain. But given the sheer weight of the Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid (2,440 kilograms or 5,379 pounds for the Sport Turismo), the BMW easily outruns it over the quarter mile. The Merc and Audi had to settle for third and fourth place.
According to Carwow’s Mat Watson, the Bimmer completed the standing quarter mile in slightly wet conditions in 10.9 seconds. The Porsche took 11.3 seconds, Mercedes 11.4 seconds, and the RS 6 Avant crossed the line in 11.7 seconds. The M5 CS once again showed its mettle in the roll race.