Man, if you snapped up a 2013 BMW M5 to be the first guy on the block to have one, you — more or less — got boned. Not only did BMW refresh the car for 2014, it also decided to drop the Competition Package on us.
While folks usually get excited about this kinda stuff, I find this actually irksome. Really annoying, actually.
First things first, this comes off pretty poor in my eyes. It's pretty obvious that BMW was holding back, though not much, when it shipped the 2013. Not to mention, why does the M5 need a Competition Package now? From what I can think back to it wasn't necessary previously. When you ordered an E39 M5 you knew what you were getting. Now you have to up the ante?
It seems as though everything was just tuned up a bit more with a bit more punch from how the press release reads. I can't seem to wrap my head around why the car didn't debut with this standard.
Am I the only one finding this peculiar here, Spies?
BMW's press release follows:
THE 2014 BMW M5 AND BMW M6 COMPETITION PACKAGE
Woodcliff Lake, N.J. – They are high-performance sports cars, each with an individual character and all sharing superior performance attributes with an incomparable driving experience. In the BMW M5 and the BMW M6 Coupe, BMW M6 Convertible and BMW M6 Gran Coupe models, race track technology is brought to the road. For generations, each model has joined race-bred chassis components and Olympic levels of power with linear control which can only be developed through years of laps around the legendary Nürburgring Nordschleife in the Eiffel Mountains. Now, on 2014 M5 and M6 models, BMW M GmbH will offer a new Competition Package as an option for the four most powerful automobiles in the BMW portfolio. Pricing will be announced closer to the August on-sale date.
The essential BMW M5 and M6 models are driven by a 4.4-liter V-8 engine with patented M TwinPower Turbo technology and a peak output of 560 hp in standard form. This power is managed through the standard 7-speed M Dual-Clutch Transmission (M-DCT) or optional 6-speed manual transmission (North America only), Active M Differential at the rear axle, and aluminum-intensive suspension, all of which are precisely tuned to perfect harmony by BMW M's 41 years of race-bred experience.
Competition Package: New for 2014.
The Competition Package boosts output by 15 hp / 11 kW to 575 hp / 423 kW (preliminary) in the high-revving V-8 engine with M TwinPower turbo technology that powers the BMW M5, BMW M6 Coupe, BMW M6 Convertible and BMW M6 Gran Coupe models. At the same time, the developers at BMW M have extensively tuned the chassis set-up. Along with new coil springs and damper calibrations, anti-sway bars have also been stiffened. For the BMW M5, these adjustments have resulted in a lowering of the car by around 10 millimeters, which lowers the center of gravity (CG) and roll center. The potential inherent in the rear axle design – based on the race-derived principle of the rear axle subframe being rigidly bolted to the body – and the even more precisely calibrated bushings for the front axle are exploited with the Competition Package.
On all models except M6 Convertible, 0.1 seconds are shaved from the standstill to 100 km/h (0-62 mph) sprint time and 0.2 seconds from the zero to 200 km/h (0-124 mph) sprint. Cornering dynamics and tractability are also enhanced – something noticeable in everyday driving but best experienced on the race track. In particular in conjunction with the optional M Carbon Ceramic Brake system available on the M5 and M6, all the driving dynamics attributes associated with BMW M automobiles are experienced at the highest level.
The Active M Differential on the final drive – standard on all M5 and M6 models – receives a unique tune when the Competition Package is specified, resulting in further-improved traction. The new rack-and-pinion steering with the M-specific Servotronic variable assist function, moreover, has more-direct programming to enable firm and secure contact with the road while further increasing the agility of the vehicle during cornering.
Beyond these enhancements, the M chassis control system has been adapted to the Competition Package suspension profile. With the Competition Package, the M Dynamic Mode (MDM) of DSC (Dynamic Stability Control) is re-mapped for even sportier handling characteristics and higher thresholds of intervention. The Competition Package additionally includes unique 20-inch M light-alloy wheels along with a sport exhaust system featuring M quad tailpipes finished in Black Chrome that lend an unmistakable look and the sound to the car.