BMW has never made a lightweight, more hardcore version of the M5. While the M3 has had several hardcore versions over its many years and seven generations of existence, the BMW M5 has not had anything of the sort. So the upcoming BMW M5 CS is going to be a first and while it might seem like an odd recipe at first, it’s a surprisingly tantalizing one.
When the BMW M5 CS hits the road, it’s going to be the most powerful M5 of all time, while also being the lightest version of this current F90 generation. The M5 CS will use the same 4.4 liter twin-turbo V8 as the standard M5, only it’s been massaged to 626 horsepower and 553 lb-ft of torque, though the latter figure is unchanged from the normal M5. In addition to its added power, the BMW M5 CS also gets a hefty weight reduction, to the tune of 154 lbs (70 kg). That’s the same as throwing me out of the car.
More important that just its weight reduction is where its weight has been reduced. New lightweight wheels, along with carbon fiber bucket seats help to lower the center of gravity and the former even help to reduce unsprung mass. When fitted with ultra-sticky Pirelli P Zero Corsa tires — 285 and 275-section tires, back and front respectively — the BMW M5 CS should feel considerably sharper than the current, standard car.
What will be interesting to see is whether or not the M5 CS ditches a lot of the standard M5’s comfort and luxury features. If the BMW M2 CS is anything to go by, there’s a chance it could be rather spartan, as M5s go, inside. There could be a center console delete, a large reduction in sound-deadening material and even a carbon fiber cover for the transmission tunnel. If that’s the case, there’s a chance the BMW M5 CS is a far less comfortable and luxurious machine.
Which is what makes the M5 CS such an oddity. The entire purpose behind building a BMW M5 is to create a luxury sedan that’s also shockingly fast and fun to drive but that’s also comfortable and usable everyday. So there’s a luxury line that BMW might eventually cross in its venture to make the M5 CS as sharp and capable as it can be. If it does cross that line, will the BMW M5 CS actually become a but pointless? If you want the sharpest, most engaging BMW you can buy, you get an M2 CS, even if the M5 CS exists. So why lose out on the luxury of an M5, which is sort of the whole point of the vehicle, to get the sharpest version?
Obviously, it’s also possible that BMW is able to create some magic and walk that line between making the M5 CS too hardcore and just hardcore enough. To be fair, BMW M did do that masterfully with the M2 CS, so there’s precedent there. However, the M5 is a trickier proposition, given its inherent luxurious nature.
With that said, if BMW can nail that balance, between everyday comfort and genuine hardcore precision, the BMW M5 CS could be one of the most intriguing and tantalizing cars in the brand’s lineup. We obviously can’t wait to find out.