2018 M5 Competition Is The Most Powerful BMW Yet

This is the 2018 BMW M5 Competition high-performance sedan. This sleek sedan is for those who found the standard M5 that produces 600PS of grunt from a 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 not powerful enough. Slight tweaks to the engine have helped the boffins at BMW extract an additional 25PS while the torque figure remains the same at 750Nm.

The extra power, a wider torque spread and a retuned 8-speed auto ‘box helps the M5 Competition hit 100kmph from a standstill in 3.3 seconds (down 0.1sec) while 0-200kmph is achieved in 10.8 seconds (down 0.3sec). But as we’ve seen in the past, these figures are likely to be conservative. Like other German sedans, the top-speed has been capped at 250kmph. However, the figure increases to 305kmph by opting for the M Driver’s Package.

Performance aside, BMW has given the M5 Competition subtle additions to help it stand apart from the regular version. There are tonnes of blacked-out exterior accents - like the front grille, mirrors, boot lip spoiler, badging, diffuser insert and tailpipes. It also gets an M Sport exhaust system and 20-inch forged lightweight alloy wheels wrapped in 275/35 front and 285/35 rear tyres. BMW says they’ve dropped the sedan by 7mm and given it increased camber on the front axle and model-specific engine mounts to enhance performance. And like the standard M5, the Competition gets BMW’s XDrive all-wheel drive system. The M5 Competition also gets a stiffer rear-anti-roll bar and revised mounting for the front anti-roll bar along with ball joint-equipped toe links. So, expect it to offer direct and quick steering responses.

Unique elements on the inside include black seatbelts with M tri-colour stripes, piped floor mats and an ‘M5 Competition’ graphic that lights up in the instrument cluster whenever the start button is pressed. There’s a mixture of aluminium and carbon with dark chrome accents on the dashboard and door pads while the seats are wrapped in Merino Aragon leather.

Given how great the F90 M5 is when compared to the older F10 version, are all these additions worth opting for? Well, it better be if it wants to take on the newly-launched Mercedes-AMG E63 S. Read all about it here.