POWER TO THE PEOPLE (some text hidden) SECTIONED_new_bmwm5cs_2022

By Jonathan Crouch

Introductionword count: 70

Back in 2021, BMW's F90 M5 CS was the most powerful BMW M car ever, with 635hp, a rest to sixty time of just 3.0s and a top speed of 189mph. You'd really need track day membership to justify ownership of this super saloon - and justify its huge price tag - but if you're brave enough to push this V8 powerhouse to its ultimate limit, you won't be disappointed.

Modelsword count: 7

5dr executive saloon (Petrol - V8 635hp)

Historyword count: 146

It must have been quite a challenge for BMW to make their F90 M5 Competition super saloon even more focused - but that's what we got in 2021 with this car, the M5 CS. 'CS' originally stood on BMWs for either 'Club Sport' or 'Competition Sport' and the Bavarian marque has used this badge in recent years to identify various even faster versions of its full-M models - usually M3s and M4s. The result has tended to be machines really most suited to the track, but BMW assured us that this M5's remit as an uber-capable road car was retained here. In CS form, it got a smaller weight reduction - and an even smaller power hike - but a range of detail engineering changes will please enthusiasts, particularly those looking to take this car on track. Launched in 2021, it sold out within the year.

What You Getword count: 409

A range of little details marked this F90 M5 CS apart from its M5 Competition stablemate. The bonnet is made entirely from lightweight CFRP (CarbonFibre Reinforced Plastic). And enthusiasts will pick up that the kidney grille, with its CS badge, has a surround finished in Gold Bronze. There are yellow laser lights and front splitter is taken from the BMW M8, as are the exterior mirror caps. The M gills on the front wings get more Gold Bronze, a finish which also features on the 20-inch M forged Y-speed wheels. At the back, the rear spoiler on the boot lid and the rear diffuser are both also made from CFRP. There's another M5 CS badge, but the Bavarian cognescenti won't need that to identify this model, having clocked this top variant's bespoke sports exhaust system, with its Gold Bronze-accented quartet of stainless-steel tailpipes. Step inside and you'll find that the interior layout with its DTM-style red-edged M Carbon bucket-style seats is exclusive to the CS model. These chairs feature fine-grain Merino leather black upholstery with eye-catching contrasting panels and decorative stitching in Mugello Red, while the outline of the legendary Nurburgring circuit imprinted on the head restraints is a reminder of the car's sporting potential. The rim of the M Alcantara steering wheel is wrapped in the race-derived material from which it takes its name, while its centre-marker perforation with red background is another classic race car influence. The gearshift paddles are made from carbon fibre, the gearstick gets red trimming and the steering wheel spokes have Black Chrome trim. Elsewhere, Alcantara is also used for the headliner. In the rear, you get exclusive individual seats, which won't please family enthusiasts, but go with the whole performance vibe. A CS badge fills the centre space where the useful middle seat would usually be. There's a lower compartment between the chairs. As usual in an M5, there's a fraction less leg and knee space than you'd get in a rival Mercedes-AMG E 63 or Audi RS 6, but the differences aren't very great and this BMW betters these two rivals when it comes to ceiling height. The luggage area is 530-litres in size. Loading up a couple of large suitcases is easy with little intrusion from the wheel arches or suspension and there are four securing hooks to tie down loads safely. Unlike in an ordinary M5, you can't push forward the rear seat backs to extend the cargo area.

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