The most powerful BMW M car ever is coming to Australia.
The 2021 BMW M5 CS, a lighter and more focused version of the already powerful M5, is set to arrive in mid-2021.
It’ll be priced at $305,900 drive-away, with just 20 vehicles confirmed for Australia.
UPDATE, 1/2/21: BMW Australia has confirmed all 20 vehicles were sold by 3pm on Friday, 29 January.
They’ll be available for order exclusively via the online BMW Shop, with ordering going live at 12:00pm AEDT on January 27th, 2021. A $5000 deposit is required.
The M5 CS’s twin-turbocharged 4.4-litre V8 engine produces 467kW of power and 750Nm of torque, or 7kW more than that of the M5 Competition. It continues to use an eight-speed automatic transmission.
BMW engineers have shaved off 70kg of weight due largely to the expanded use of carbon fibre.
This allows the M5 CS to do the 0-100km/h sprint in just 3.0 seconds, 0.3 seconds quicker than the M5 Competition.
Less relevant in Australia but no less impressive, the M5 CS can do the 0-200km/h dash in 10.4 seconds, or 0.4 seconds less than the BMW M5 Competition.
Top speed is an electronically governed 305 km/h.
Also contributing to the CS’s 70kg weight saving are the standard M Carbon ceramic brakes, which weigh 23kg less than the M Compound brakes of the M5 Competition.
BMW says the six-piston fixed caliper front brakes and single-piston floating caliper rear brakes further reduce unsprung mass and promise superior fade resistance and thermal stability.
They’re painted in red, with a gold finish a no-cost option.
Ride height is lowered by 7mm compared to the M5 Competition, while the M5 CS borrows its shock absorbers from the M8 Gran Coupe, which BMW says promise superior ride comfort and handling at the limit.
BMW engineers also retuned the bearing springs on the front and rear axles.
As on the rest of the M5 range, the M xDrive all-wheel drive system allows drivers to toggle to a pure rear-wheel drive setting without stability control intervention.
The CS is distinguished from the Competition through the use of Gold Bronze exterior accents, including the grille surround, the 20-inch forged wheels, the ‘gills’ on the front wings and boot lid and the badging.
The bonnet is made entirely from carbon fibre with exposed carbon fibre air vents, while the material is also used for the front splitter, mirror caps, rear spoiler and rear diffuser.
The standard L-shaped light tubes of the BMW Laserlight headlights appear yellow when the headlights are on in either low or high beam, in a nod to endurance GT race cars.
When driving during the day, the daytime running lights shine in regular white.
The M5 CS also features stainless steel exhaust outlets with a different appearance and exhaust note to the M5 Competition, while the CS offers two exclusive BMW Individual matte paint finishes: Frozen Brands Hatch Grey metallic and Frozen Deep Green metallic.
Frozen Deep Green metallic is the only other colour available, while options are limited to Pirelli P Zero Corsa tyres for track use, which measure 275/35 R 20 at the front and 285/35 R 20 at the rear.
Inside, there’s seating for only four with the M5 Competition’s seats swapped out for lighter M Carbon seats.
All seats are upholstered in Merino leather with an outline of the Nürburgring Nordschleife on the head restraints. The front seats also have illuminated M5 logos, as do the sill plates.
The steering wheel and headliner are finished in Alcantara, the paddle shifters are carbon fibre, and the steering wheel features Black Chrome trim on its spokes. Red stitching details can be found on the seats, doors, centre console and dash.
BMW has also shaved some weight by replacing the centre console bin with a fixed cover.
The company also says that due to the track-focused nature of the M5 CS, it isn’t available with the Driving Assistant Professional suite of safety features or the more comprehensive Parking Assistant Plus.
It instead features Driving Assistant, which foregoes the extended steering and lane-control functions of the Professional suite, and drops down to BMW’s regular Parking Assistant.
Pricing
- 2021 BMW M5 CS: $274,900 ($305,900 drive-away)
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