SWP said:
I may be wrong, but the B5, while an impressive car, is NOT the M5. It is a variant of the standard 5 series sedan.
And I may be biased, but you ARE wrong...
It's not an M5, no - it's an Alpina. Perhaps not quite as uniquely so as some of the Alpinas of the past, but far from being just another BMW model. And no, it doesn't have the toys and gizmos of an M5, but nor did the E39 M5, and THAT was an M5, was it not???
In any case, the whole point of the B5 is that it IS different than the M5 - less edgy, more comfortable over a distance, more efficient, but even more brutal, under the skin. Not as quick around a track, but who honestly cares, when we're talking about 2 ton sedans here?
My only complaints with the B5 are that it could probably do with an LSD, slightly wider tyres (for some reason it runs 235/275 where the less torquey M5 gets 245/285) and quad-exhausts. Roll on the LSD option, allegedly coming soon!
And the best thing about the Alpina? You can get EXTENDED perforated merino leather - bargain! hiha