I was driving from San Diego to the Central Coast on Tuesday 12/7 when I pull into the rest area about 25 miles south of Santa Maria. I am driving my 2003 m5 (i have an 02 e46 m3 as well). So, I pull into the rest area, and I can't believe my eyes as I park next to the new m5. It was obviously the new one, new body style, quad pipes, huge wheels, with gigantic drilled rotors. It was dark silver/grayish color with black wheels and the area where the gills will be have sheet metal welded over them. I look inside and see the smg paddles and stick.
I go to the bathroom to take care of business and there is a black guy and white guy standing outside smoking. They looked liked truckers or something to be honest. I hurry up and go and walk outside, and ask the black guy if he knows who's car that is. He tells me no, I then kind of start going on about what type of car it is (a bit excited I must admit, as I still can't believe what I'm seeing). finally, the white guy pipes up, "yeah, i'm driving it. i'm a test driver for bmw." "nice job." I tell him.
Well, i ask the guy if i can drive it and i'll let him drive my m5, he says no. i then ask him if i can see the engine, he said no again. in fact, he wouldn't even let me sit in it. we chat a bit, and he tells me, that car can go.
as the pair of them are getting ready to leave (the black guy is driving a mini cooper s, apparently he's the pace car or something), the m5 driver asks me where i'm going. i tell him santa maria. he says, well...we're going to nipomo, come on and we'll play a little bit. i'm all over that and hop in my m5. he starts up the new m5, it sounded great on starting up, subdued deep rumble. i follow the m5 and the mini onto 101 north.
keep in mind the weather yesterday was wet, drizzling, and the highway was wet. meanwhile, i am following the 2 of them and checking out the car etc...i must say, it looks much better in person than in photos and much better than the regular 5. the only complaint i really have about it's looks is i don't really like the hood too much.
we drive for 10-15 miles, he doesn't really "play with me". finally, we get a little clear area of highway (i'm in the left lane, he's in the right). i see him drop down a couple of gears, so i drop into 3rd, we are going about 70 and both floor it from around this speed. while in 3rd gear HE DID NOT PULL ON ME AT ALL. Now, I don't know if he had it in the 500hp mode or not, but he didn't pull. he went into 4th (i'm assuming we were in the same gears) just a tad before me, i slammed into 4th with a nice clean shift, in 4th he pulled on me, but barely, and i mean barely. we went to about 110 maybe 115 and slowed down due to traffic. after thinking about it, i was surprised he shifted before i did because of the higher rev limit, but then thought that maybe due to gearing it actually revs faster to 8k rpm than i do to 7k.
anyway, that's my story...regretfully i didn't have my camera with me, but it was still pretty cool.
this sounds very supsious to say the least, not your story but this guy and wheather it was acually an m5. did you look in side it at all and happen to see the smg paddles?
I just can't imagine all of it really. At least from the point of view it's a new m5.
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2003 LeMans Blue Bmw M5-Stoptech 4 wheel brakes, Eibach sway bars, Bilstein PSS9 coilovers, Dinan Brake ducts, UUC short shifter, UUC trans mounts, Dinan Clutch and flywheel.Sirus Radio, Dinan strut brace
without question it was the new m5. huge 19's, huge cross-drilled rotors, quad pipes that look very similar to ours. smg. he had all kinds of electronic equipment inside, walkie talkies to talk with the mini cooper guy. the portion where the gills would be had pieces of sheet metal welded over the area. stance was significantly different than 545, their were the bumper was some sort of matte black. honestly, what else could it have been? 545 wouldn't stand much of a chance in 3rd with me flooring it in 3rd.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jayson
this sounds very supsious to say the least, not your story but this guy and wheather it was acually an m5. did you look in side it at all and happen to see the smg paddles?
I just can't imagine all of it really. At least from the point of view it's a new m5.
frankly, i would love to say it killed me. but when you consider it's torque is not much more than my e39's, it wouldn't pull that hard on me even if he had it in 500hp mode, i don't know what mode he had it in.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jayson
this sounds very supsious to say the least, not your story but this guy and wheather it was acually an m5. did you look in side it at all and happen to see the smg paddles?
I just can't imagine all of it really. At least from the point of view it's a new m5.
. . . when you consider it's torque is not much more than my e39's, it wouldn't pull that hard on me even if he had it in 500hp mode, i don't know what mode he had it in.
Starting from 70mph, it's the extra 110hp that oughta have killed you (and me), had the other guy been giving it 100%.
I live in San Luis Obispo, CA.... Did the guy live in nipomo? If so I am going to drive over there and try to find him Did he say he way driving it bye the dealerships or what? GOD WHY CAN I NEVER SEE THIS CAR, IT'S SO CLOSE TO WHERE I LIVE I WANNA, I WANNA, I WANNA!!!!!!!!!
*thinks, I need to lay off the coffee from now on*
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gustav
P400 is quite similar to M5 E39 performance acually:
While driving in Santa Barbara noth on the 101 today about 4:00 PM I saw your new M5 followed by the Mini Cooper. I was traveling at about 65 mph with the window down as they passed me up.I wasn't driving my M5 today but what was interesting was how quiet the new M5 was. The M5 is silver with charcoal lower panels, the Mini Cooper is dark green. This isn't the first time that I have seen them as they come from the BMW facilities in Oxnard.
Kirk
Bah maybe next week when I am back from Maui I will see it on the way down.
Quote:
Originally Posted by KirkM5
While driving in Santa Barbara noth on the 101 today about 4:00 PM I saw your new M5 followed by the Mini Cooper. I was traveling at about 65 mph with the window down as they passed me up.I wasn't driving my M5 today but what was interesting was how quiet the new M5 was. The M5 is silver with charcoal lower panels, the Mini Cooper is dark green. This isn't the first time that I have seen them as they come from the BMW facilities in Oxnard.
Kirk
Webmaster 
Did he say he way driving it bye the dealerships or what? GOD WHY CAN I NEVER SEE THIS CAR, IT'S SO CLOSE TO WHERE I LIVE I WANNA, I WANNA, I WANNA!!!!!!!!! 
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