If you thought the debut of the BMW M5 was going to be the biggest event this year, then you seem to have not heard about the BMW B5 BiTurbo.
While initially released over a year ago, recently, in the start of the second week of December, the BMW B5 BiTurbo was seen while it was being tested in the Nurburgring, near Cologne, Germany. The Nurburgring is the most popular track for testing, with its demanding course seen as a proving ground – if a car can navigate the Nordschleife, it can navigate anywhere in the world. Any car evaluation occurring there means that we should prepare for a new car release.
Showcased in March 2012 at the Geneva Auto Show – which is known for displaying every major internal combustion engine in the history of cars, as well as numerous prototypes, technological breakthroughs, and so-called “supercars” – the specs of the modified BMW B5 BiTurbo are said to rival those of the BMW M5, which the whole auto world agrees is BMW’s best car to date.
Despite the recent European car market recession which hit other companies hard, such as PSA Peugeot Citroen, BMW is going as strong as ever, debuting one new car after the other. Declining vehicle sales does not seem to have bothered the company yet.
Many speculate whether BMW perhaps put the cart before the horse, debuting the B5 BiTurbo before the M5. Test drivers are undecided as to the car ratings: the two car evaluations are so similar that it is difficult to compare them. Both cars have the same V8 90 engine.
While their dimensions are almost equivalent, the M5 F10, when compared to the B5 BiTurbo Saloon, is more expensive, with the respective car prices being AED 512,245 and AED 498,183.
The M5 does have a 10 liters larger fuel capacity, faster acceleration – going from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.4 seconds versus the B5 BiTurbo’s 4.5 seconds, lower overall fuel consumption and lower carbon dioxide emissions. Although the B5 has smoother gear transitions, the M5 has a shorter gear-ratio – and hence faster switching. The M5 also has around 10 kW more horsepower.
However, the M5 falls behind in torque – only able to go up to 680 Nm to the B5’s 730 Nm – and speed – having a maximum speed 50 km/ h less than the B5. On top of that, as it is a lighter car, the B5 can carry 50 kg more than the M5.
In the end, it comes down to preference: BMW’s Alpinas are more sporty and elegant, whereas their M series cars are more twitchy and racy. The difference between the two, however, is almost infinitesimal, as both employ the same type of engine and nearly identical specs.
As such, the M5 had better watch out for a modified B5 BiTurbo. With the tweaks promised by the recent test driving at the Nurburgring, the B5 seems to be quickly on its way to beating its successor.
