An all-new BMW M5 super-sedan has been revealed for the 2018 model year, packing all-wheel drive, 553 lb-ft of torque, and 600 horsepower into a sleek four-door wrapper. It’s another predictably strong effort from the German brand that just about invented the super-sedan segment.
Yet, as impressive as the new M5 is, Cadillac CTS-V owners can breathe a sigh of relief; the BMW’s 600 horsepower is appreciably lower than the Cadillac’s 640 hp, and the former’s 553 lb-ft torque max falls quite short of the latter’s 630 lb-ft. The new M5 is, therefore, outgunned right from the very start – at least on paper. That’s even more true when weight is taken into account, as the 2018 BMW M5 could weigh as much as 4,350 pounds, according to Car and Driver‘s estimation. The Cadillac CTS-V weighs in at around 4,140 pounds.
With all of this talk of eclipses recently, we figured it right to highlight that the gen. 3 Cadillac CTS-V, now two years old, still eclipses the latest BMW M5 where it counts.
The 2018 BMW M5 will also be the first in the model’s history not to offer a manual transmission as an option, shipping exclusively with an 8-speed planetary automatic (like the Cadillac). The new car can’t even boast a stick over the third-generation CTS-V.
Now, all-wheel drive will help the new BMW M5 in the launch and acceleration departments, and BMW’s chassis tuning expertise is well known, though has seemed to lose its reputable edge in recent years. Despite this, the added grip from the M5 could prove faster than CTS-V around the track, regardless of the power deficit. But then again, nobody should doubt the proven abilities of the Cadillac. The CTS-V was nearly 10 seconds faster than the previous M5 in the famous Lightning Lap test, after all.
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But isn’t it that BMW always underrates their horsepower rating?
Generally they do, so they’re not caught out by The Horsepower Police. Hehe.
It’s hard to compare those two vehicles as the EPA classes the M5 a mid-size sedan, while the CTS-V is a large sedan.
Also the CTS-V is rear wheel drive, while the M5 is AWD (but can be electronically switched to rear wheel drive only).
Also no manual in the M5, and it’s auto is ‘only’ an 8-speed (effectively a 7 speed with overdrive). But those extra gears are only for fuel economy and I don’t think fuel economy is high on the selection criteria when you’re looking at 600HP+ 4-door sedans.
The only way you would link these two is that they are both 4 door sedans with prodigious amounts of horsepower from front-mounted engines.
Aren’t they both midsize? Because CT6 is the full size kinda
At 197.6 inches in length (Caddie) that’s nudging 200 – which is a large vehicle by most standards. But no, they are both mid-size according to EPA. I stand corrected Sir.
I think I’d still take the Beemer’s 193.5 overall length and slightly longer wheelbase (than the Caddie) for a more balanced vehicle OTR as well as having the latest tech. Also gotta have the M Driver package to get that 189mph top speed 🙂
V easily breaks 200mph.
200mph is claimed top speed only. It will not “easily break” 200. And you would need an exceptional set of conditions to ring out that kind of speed – long runway, no crosswinds and so on.
Journalists have already confirmed with BMW engineers that if you remove all the electronic delimiters on the 2018 M5 it will run out to 200mph.
So given that they are both just “claims” and highly impractical in daily driving terms I would just say they are both 200 mph-capable. Don’t forget these are sedans, not coupes or supercars.
Why would someone in the USA need a car that goes 200 mph? There are only 3 states where you can legally drive over 80 mph, and those are in very limited areas.
What if someone made a car that could go 500 mph? Would that be more useful than a car that can go 200 mph? How much do people want to sacrifice other luxury features such as a comfortable ride, in order to pursue something that they will never be able to use? These are supposed to be luxury cars, right?
fleetman
The third-gen CTS (non-V) has an overall length of 195.5 inches. It’s the CTS-V that has an overall length of 197.6 inches, and it’s all due to the aero — the car itself is not any longer in the wheelbase. So in reality, the two cars have nearly identical lengths — with the new M5 coming in at 4,965 mm (195.47 inches).
Wheelbase measurements are as follows:
– CTS-V: 114.6 inches
– M5: 117.4 inches
Yup, the M5’s is longer by nearly 3 inches… but I wonder if there is a point that a midsize luxury sedan is “long enough”.
My point was that last bit too. Anything over 5000mm is getting into “land barge” territory and is effectively the same size as a SWB van – that size doesn’t encapsulate the sports sedan feel to me.
At 4965mm it is right on the cusp of simply being too big although I know the vehicle dynamics will be impressive – after all it is an M5. But if they can increase the wheelbase and push the wheels out to the “4 corners” more the better for vehicle handling and interior space. After all it cannot really claim the premium sports sedan title if it can’t comfortably seat 4 (average weight & height) adults.
Yes CTS is midsize.
This just makes me smile I guess BMW is not the car or company leading the way after all.
What doesn’t make me happy is having to hear these people say the BMW is still better because it has a better dash, seats, or is more refined crap!
These are performance sedans and the CTS-V does a better job of doing that. Better car hands down!
EPA classifications are not based off exterior dimensions but interior volume including the luggage or trunk volume. The third generation Cadillac CTS is a midsized sedan. The CT6 is classified as a large sedan.
2018 m5 600hp 0-60 in 3.2 seconds
2018 cts-v 640hp 0-60 in 3.7 seconds 2nd gen cts-v has the same 0-60 times with less hp and more weight !!!
This is like comparing android to iPhone. BMW specifically tunes each vehicles’ driving dynamics, throttle response, transmission, electronics, cackle timing, boost pressure for that individual model. Meanwhile, Cadillac borrows engines and other pieces of equipment that can be found on other models on the same platform, while losing the ability to specifically tune it, the way that BMW can. BMW May look less powerful on paper, but it’s the small things that add up, and overtake the numbers on paper. the 2018 BMW M5, will smoke the CTS-V
‘Cadillac borrows engines and other pieces of equipment that can be found on other models on the same platform.’
Save for the an engine shared with the Vette, only other Alpha platform sharing models are the overly competent Camaro in its many iterations and ATS-V.
What are you talking about!!??
You make it sound like picking from a parts bin within a company is a bad thing! If so then why do you think so?
I don’t think their performance numbers have anything to do with refinement or tuning! I think it has more to do with understating how much power their engines put out.
Which is wrong in my opinion! They should be tested by a outside independent 3rd party for accuracy!
If a company can get in trouble for claiming more hp from a engine then claiming lower numbers is just as bad. It’s called fraud!
If a company claims more horsepower than the engine makes it is not called fraud. It is called Ford.
After the first year, let’s compare sales numbers. . . The buying public votes with their wallets as to which is the more popular vehicle.
I think this M5 was aimed at another German, AWD, 4-Door Rocket, the Audi RS7, which has very similar power #’s.
How can a company willing put out false information about their products and not get punished for it?
The 239th rule of acquisition. Never be afraid to mislabel A product.