I was fortunate enough to drive the '06 650i, E90 330i, and the E60 M5 on the racetrack the other day!

For the past couple years, each November I attend a media-only event at Willow Springs racetrack. Manufacturers are invited to bring their new cars (this year it was the ’06 models) to the venue so the press can drive them. Since some cars aren’t track material (Land Rover LR3, for example), several different test “arenas” are set up. There is the big track (Willow Springs), small track (Streets of Willow Springs), three different levels of Off-Road tracks (very difficult requiring locking differentials to simple requiring only AWD), and the Street Drive (a twenty-mile course on public roads).

Manufacturers place their cars in their chosen venue. Land Rover had their trucks in the hardest Off-Road track. The Toyota Highlander was on the easy Off-Road track. Rolls-Royce and Kia were on the Street Drive. The Subaru WRT STI was on the Streets of Willow Springs, while the Dodge Charger SR8 was on the Big Track. You get the point.

I focused on the Big Track, with one exception – the Corvette C6 Z06. The new Vette was on the Street Drive so I had to go over there to get some seat time (someone crashed a new C6 last year on the Big Track, so they didn’t want to risk a bonehead breaking the hot 500 hp beast this year).

The Big Track had some pretty cool cars. There were quite a few models from Mercedes (ML500, CLS500, CLK280, CLS55 AMG), some from Lexus (IS350, IS250, GS430, etc…), Jaguar (XJ Super V8), cool cars from Volvo even (V70R, S40 T5). Of course, BMW had some too (E60 M5, 650i, 330i, M3 Convertible, 530xi Touring). Porsche didn’t make a showing this year (last year, Hurley Haywood took me for a ride in the new 911 Carrera S, while David Donohue took me out in a Cayman!).

Back to the E60 M5 (I'll discuss the other two BMWs in another thread)... The “rules of the event” said any exotic (M5, Lamborghini Gallardo, Ford GT, etc…) would not be driven by a reporter alone – a “professional” would accompany you. Well, the “Pro” for the BMW M5 was none other than BMW Team PTG driver Bill Auberlen!

After watching a few other reporters crawl dizzy out of the passenger seat of the M5, it was my turn. I strapped my helmet on my head (helmets were required on the tracks) and strapped in. Bill was very friendly, chatty, and in good spirits. He really likes the E60 M5, and it showed. While I was strapping in, Bill told me he had programmed i-Drive to use the firmest suspension settings, quickest SMG settings, and no DSC. I smiled.

Pulling down the hot pits, we stopped at the track starter. With the signal to get on the track… Bill floored it. Immediately both rear tires broke traction and we launched forward. Within seconds, SMG engaged second gear and both tires again broke free. A few seconds later the tires gave a small chirp when third gear was engaged! We hit turn 1 twice as fast as I normally would and Bill was still picking up speed…

There was very little traffic on the track, so Bill had free reign to go as fast as he wanted without concern. We flew into Turn 2 with the tail of the M5 ever so slightly hanging out. Climbing up the hill, between Turn 3 and Turn 4, Bill was on full throttle as both rear tires spun wildly grabbing for traction (mind you, we were doing nearly 60 mph as the tires spun!). Through 4, 5 and 6, the car made beautiful pirouette-like moves as it danced through the corners, not entirely sticking to the pavement as it oversteered slightly from side-to-side. Bill was really enjoying this.

We passed someone down the back straight and entered sweeping Turn 8 at more than 100 mph. The M5 was rock stable without a hint of oscillation that you’d find in cars with improper track tuning. A touch of the brakes and we were set up for the next turn. With a powerslide out of Turn 9 (with plenty of drift), we hit the straight at full throttle. I think we touched about 140 mph as Bill mentioned he’s seen 150 mph in the M5 down this section of the track (without a 190 lb passenger next to him)!

One more dizzying lap, then we pulled into the hot pits. Bill climbed out and shook my hand. It was my turn.

Now, I’m no track pro. I have about 20 days worth of events under my belt – all for fun, no racing. I run with the “A” group at HPDE’s because I am safe and experienced, not the fastest. I drive a tail-happy Porsche 930 because it’s a challenge.

Before that day, I had never driven an SMG-equipped BMW. Thankfully, about an hour earlier I had taken several laps in an E46 M3 Convertible with SMG so I was familiarized at least to the point I could get myself around the track in a semi-reasonable fashion.

I sat in the M5 helmeted and strapped into the stock three-point belts… waiting for the signal to enter the track. As the track was nearly empty, my wait was short. With a quick thumbs-up, I floored the M5. Both rear tires lit up so I let off the pedal a bit (no reason to cause a scene in the hot pits) as the car lurched forward. I shifted (too early) into second, then into third as I entered the track.

The first turn is left, and I gave the car light throttle as I rounded the corner expecting the weight of the vehicle to carry it out. It took a microsecond to realize how different this car felt from what I was anticipating! I am used to driving an E39 540i 6-speed (my dad has one). It’s a great car, but on the “too large and heavy” side for me. Expecting the E60 M5 to feel like the E39 540i was my mistake. In all honesty, it felt much closer in “heft” (the feeling of mass being tossed around the track) to my E46 330i!

Down the first short straight, I lined the M5 up for a right sweeper. Being an unfamiliar-to-me SMG, I think I was in 3rd (had it been stick, I would have known). Throttle response was immediate as tiny stabs on the throttle were met with immediate acceleration – again, I was still shocked at how little mass was felt through the steering wheel and throttle.

Braking before the hard left up the hill, I really pushed it to the point where ABS hiccupped a bit. I bled far too much speed off, but I knew the 507-hp V10 wouldn’t have any issue recapturing it further up the track. Up the hill I went… where Bill had both rear wheels spinning… I was floored, but carrying about 20-30 mph less so my rears were planted. As I crested at the top, I cranked the wheel hard right and the M5 turned sharply. As expected, there was a brief delay as I asked 3500+ pounds to change directions (this was about the only time I could really feel the mass), but the tires didn’t howl in protest.

Down the back straight I played it cool. At one point, I topped 100 mph before tapping the brakes (I could easily have hit more), but I was in an unfamiliar car so I didn’t really feel comfortable coming around the long, fast, final corner with too much speed. The M5 was rock solid – absolutely planted – at nearly 100 mph on the sweeper. It was seriously glued down.

The front straight was my best opportunity to plant the throttle into the rubber stop, so I did. I think I hit about 130 mph (where Bill could touch 150 mph) before braking into Turn 1. Again, the M5 didn’t exhibit any tendency to wander or track at this speed. Had the track continued, I wouldn’t have hesitated to run it to redline in all the gears!

I only had a couple laps in the M5 – too short, I know. Bill wanted the car back. Others deserved a chance to take it out.

Looking back at the drive, I am amazed at how well the suspension tuning, and engine power, hid the mass of the M5. It really felt like my 330i (with a boatload more power, of course).

Compared to nearly everything else I drove on the track that day, the M5 was easily most prepared for track duty. Everything worked so precisely well together, it made an average driver (myself) feel very, very comfortable at speed.

One comment I made to Bill Auberlen (as he threw the M5 around the track) had to do with future owners of the M5… what a shame it would be for someone to never experience the V10 at full-tilt down the straight, the power of both rear tires clawing for traction at speed, or the g-forces of an ABS-stop from 100+ mph. An M5 track excursion should be a pre-requisite for M5 ownership!

What a killer car.

(Pics of the M5 on the track that day- just beautiful.)