BMW M5 CSL unleashed
30 October 2009
A BMW M5 CSL has been unleashed at the Nürburgring to celebrate the super-saloon’s 25th birthday.
Should you want it? Yes. Will you ever own one? Not unless you’re some sort of Sultan with a blank chequebook.
Gallery: BMW M5 CSL and other M5s
Because there are no plans to put the M5 CSL into production – it’s a one-off showcase of technical wizardry.
The German super-saloon’s 5-litre V10 engine has been increased to 5.5-litres meaning power is up from 507bhp to somewhere in the region of 580bhp.
BMW hasn’t officially tested the M5 CSL, but this horsepower increase coupled with a 50kg weight reduction should ensure a 0-62mph time of less than four seconds and a top speed of more than 200mph.
The M5 also gets the seven-speed gearbox from the BMW M3 and a carbon fibre roof which helps lower the car’s centre of gravity.
Test driver Claudia Huertgen told Autocar the M5 CSL went round the Nürburgring in less than eight minutes hitting an incredible top speed of 180mph.
This makes it quicker than the Cadillac CTS-V super-saloon which managed a fantastic 7 minutes 59 seconds; although the Caddy is a production car.
BMW will be launching a new 5 Series next year with the M5 joining the range at a later date.
The new M5 will get a 4.4-litre twin-turbocharged V8 engine with 555bhp and 501lb/ft of pulling power. We’re pretty excited about this because there’s never been a bad M5.
Gallery: The 225mph G Power M5 and other super-saloons
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