Model S Sport vs. M5

Model S Sport vs. M5

Model S wins on:
0. Acceleration, as in reality the M5 driver will not be able to make perfect shifts, no launch control
1. Cost of ownership, I can't imagine anyone arguing this point
2. Cargo space, same here
3. Seating, same here
4. Weight, M5 is nearly 1000lbs heavier!!! 5017lbs
5. More interior space, it's large and in charge
6. Dashboard screen size, it's crazy big, but I love it!
7. Handling, M5 keeps it's 1000lbs much higher than Model S
8. Glass roof, it's ridiculous
9. Anything I'm forgetting?

M5 might win on:
0. Quarter mile time, but again there will be even more shifts necessary
1. Features?; Remains to be seen but I'm not confident in this as the M5 has a color heads up display
that I'm drooling over
2. Anything else?

What's even better is that on the BMW site it's all about the engine and how many words
they can fit onto the page. I mean with all those words you'd think it would go 0-60
in less than a second.

sarge7359 | 2011年11月4日

The DCT tranny and traction control should make shifting much easier for the M5. 0-62mph / 0-100kmh in 4.4 seconds is a bit faster than 0-60 in 4.5 seconds too. Top speed of 190mph is insane, but nice bragging number and an indication of the raw power the M5 has.

I already know I'm not going for the sport option, so the M5 isn't a car for me either. Still, interesting to see the competition in the same price range.

Mycroft | 2011年11月5日

Elon has stated in several interviews recently that the Performance version can do 0-60 in 4.4secs. Maybe that's with a horse jockey driving. :D

That said, in addition to the gear changing issues and the attention attracting engine noise when flooring it, the M5, like all ICE's, will have much slower acceleration at the lower speeds than the electric S. So in a drag race 0-60, the Model S will be way ahead all the way to the finish line where, if the driver is perfect, the M5 might catch up. Accelerating from one stop light to the next, the S will beat nearly every car on the road outside the Roadster.

The Model S definitely wins on quietness! Of course, for gearheads, the M5 would win in that department because they love the roar of the engine so much, they modify their exhaust pipes to make it louder.

With no engine to look at, clean, and modify. No engine roar. The model S is NOT for gearheads.

sarge7359 | 2011年11月5日

I can see the comparison: M5 and S-sport are both 4 door performance machines. I like that the EV's performance is excellent where I'd use it: right off the line, 0-40. I'm always pushing my ICE in that range to get out in traffic or get ahead in the merge lane. Anything above 70 mph is pretty useless to me except as a cruising speed.

Then there are all the high tech features. ... Ug, want my car NOW. =)

The quietness is a real feature for me. I even modify my computers to be as quiet as possible (within reason) and then play music pretty constantly. So those parts of the Model S are just perfect for me.

Timo | 2011年11月6日

Problem with ICE car is that it needs to switch gears to keep on accelerating, and each time you switch gear to bigger gear you lose torque and acceleration. M5 might be as fast or even faster as Model S up to first gear switch, but after that it loses and when Model S hits the RPM of diminishing returns M5 starts gaining again. However at that point it has already lost the drag race. I'd say M5 starts to gain on Model S after 90mph, not sooner.

Model S is always on first gear.

Model S has power sweet spot higher speed (and RPM) than Roadster, so it might actually be slightly faster than Roadster in highway performance. Power to weight ratio difference is also quite small: 2700lbs/215kW vs 4000lbs/~400+kW for S sport gives ratios of 12.6 and 10, IE very close to same in Model S favor.