With the M5 E60, BMW takes a completely different direction in 2005: the big M saloon becomes a high-revving technical object with clear Formula 1 overtones. Against a contemporary Mercedes C-Class AMG, it feels more extreme, more technical and much less compromised in the way it delivers performance. That is exactly what makes it cult and, equally, expensive once maintenance gaps appear.
The engine is the `S85B50`, a naturally aspirated `5.0 V10` with `507 hp`, usually paired in Europe with `SMG III`. On this early phase, rod bearings, throttle actuators, ignition, lubrication, cooling and engine electronics all need to be taken very seriously. A good M5 E60 can still feel breathtaking today, but only if it has been kept in condition mechanically and electronically with real discipline.