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The F10 M5: First Press Preview Drives (Updated w/Video)

Earlier this week BMW sent a few European journalists to Sweden for a early preview of the highly anticipated F10 M5. Our favorite automotive writer of the moment Chris Harris (of EVO) was one of the lucky few and had plenty to say about the DCT transmission and twin turbocharger. First on the turbos:

>Is turbocharging a highlight? When it makes a car this flexible and plain accelerative, it has to be. Yes, the near-insanity of the old V10 makes way for slightly reduced throttle response, but it’s marginal. (Video after the break)

>To me this car feels like its DNA has been drawn from the E39 M5. It’s a less frenzied machine than the one it replaces: it has torque and flexibility but still the killer pace every M5 owner requires. Something will need to go badly wrong between now and the end of 2011 for the finished car to be anything but a triumph.

Harris a huge fan of BMW M (he currently owns an E28 M5) yet has recently written about his love for the current E63 Mercedes. So yes, the praise above isn’t just idle talk from someone who doesn’t know the history of the M5 or it’s competitors.

You can read the entire review here and see a video of the test here.

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  • Adam

    Harris is like Jeremey Clarkson, he has no noticable bias, he critisizes where necessary regardless of brand. These days both of them are praising BMW’s quite a bit.

    Overall a positive review, considering the car is unfinished and has a bit of work left to be done, mostly details I imagine.

    It’s interesting to note that he feels its more an E39 than anything else, for me thats the best one to be.

  • http://www.AUSmotive.com Liam

    Harris penned an article for Jalopnik too. It’s the same, but different:

    http://jalopnik.com/5781101

  • goat

    The sound is definitely overly muted… but I trust BMW knows this and will up the aural quotient with some good intake/exhaust tuning before production…