| If you would like a car that looks almost ordinary, | | | | Why all these seven-speed boxes? Well, for |
| but that is as fast as many supercars, buy the | | | | maximum acceleration, and so that you have the |
| BMW M5. Yes, on the outside, this is an ordinary | | | | right gear coming out of any corner, the more |
| European sedan - but under the hood is a 500 bhp | | | | gears the better. When you've got that many |
| V-10 engine that you might imagine came from a | | | | gears, the shift pattern gets pretty complicated |
| sports-racing car! Will it do 180 mph? No, it could, | | | | with a manual box, so they're going for either |
| but it won't because BMW uses a limiter to | | | | automatics or semi-automatics. |
| prevent you going faster than 155 mph on all its | | | | To go with the powerful power train are bigger |
| hot cars. Actually, BMW says it will do over 190 | | | | brakes than standard, wider wheels and tires, and |
| mph without the limiter in operation. | | | | stiffer suspension. The handling is surprisingly good |
| The BMW M5 is powered by a very advanced 5.0 | | | | for such an ordinary-looking car. |
| liter V-10 engine, ad fits neatly into the standard | | | | HOT PERFORMER, QUIET LOOKS |
| engine compartment. This is a very special engine, | | | | The result of putting this engine in the BMW 5 |
| being built in small numbers and at high cost by | | | | Series is very hot acceleration for such a big car: |
| BMW's M Center. It's a 90-degree V-10, which | | | | 0-60 in 4.7 seconds, and 0-125 mph in 15.6 |
| means that it won't be quite as smooth as some | | | | seconds. |
| - in theory, at any rate. | | | | Will people pay over $100,000 or so for a 500 |
| ADVANCED 500 BHP V10 ENGINE | | | | bhp sedan? You bet they will. There are a lot of |
| Maximum power is 500 bhp at 7,700 rpm - a real | | | | people out there that want supercar |
| screamer this - while the maximum torque of 380 | | | | performance, but don't' want to have to struggle |
| lb ft is produced at 6,100 rpm. Boy, you're really | | | | to get in and out of the car. They also want to |
| going to keep this revving if you want to use all | | | | travel with plenty of luggage, and have room in |
| that power. Still, when it's just mooching along at | | | | the trunk for two sets of golf clubs - and more. |
| 4,000 rpm, this amazing unit produces quite a | | | | And they'll get a real kick from burning off |
| chunk of power. | | | | cheeky guys in sports cars who get in the way. |
| Needless to say, it has all the features you'd | | | | Cars that are much faster than they look, which |
| expect in a supercar engine, such as a stiff | | | | we used to call Q cars, have quite a market. |
| aluminum block, twin overhead camshafts per | | | | What's it like to drive? Well, at normal speeds, the |
| bank of cylinders and and narrow 4-valve heads. | | | | car is very quiet, and you would not know how |
| BMW uses its variable valve timing system, and | | | | power you had. In fact, there is a switch on the |
| drives the inlet camshafts on each bank by chain, | | | | steering wheel which limits power to 400 bhp. To |
| with a gear drive to the exhaust camshaft, a | | | | get the full 500 bhp, you need to press that. |
| system pioneered by Toyota to save space. | | | | So, most of the time you'll drive with 400 bhp, |
| SEVEN-SPEED SEQUENTIAL GEARBOX | | | | and the problem is that the engine does not have |
| Coupled to this marvel of a power plant, which | | | | a lot of power until you get to 5,000 rpm, an the |
| would seem more at home in a slinky coupe, is a | | | | power keeps coming in until you get to 8,000 |
| seven-speed sequential gearbox. This is the latest | | | | rpm. You need deserted roads to use that power, |
| development of the BMW sporty semi-automatic. | | | | but the car works pretty well in traffic and |
| BMW claims it's the first seven-speed box of its | | | | normal commuting. Not quite so good in everyday |
| type. Mercedes-Benz has a seven-speed | | | | use is the gearbox. It does not have a torque |
| automatic, and Audi has a CVT with seven | | | | converter, so it can be quite jerky when you shift |
| stages, but these are not quite the same. | | | | up. |