BMW M5 CS: Best power-to-weight ratio of all M cars ever made
The new BMW M5 CS is not only the most powerful production series BMW ever made, but also the best when it comes to the power-to-weight ratio. BimmerToday put together an interesting infographic showing how the new M5 CS ranks against all the current M cars, and even against some iconic sportscars, like the E46 M3 CSL. The power-to-weight ratio is an important metric for determining the optimal performance of a car. Basically, the metric determines how many kilograms must be moved by one horsepower.
Featuring 635 PS and 70 kilograms lower than the M5 Competition, the new M5 CS is the first BMW series car ever to remain below a power-to-weight ratio of 3 kilograms per horsepower. BimmerToday says that for this exercise they used the DIN curb weight, and including 75 kilograms for driver and luggage.
One immediate finding is that the ranking is dominated by models with the V8 TwinTurbo S63 engine which produces at at least 600 hp. However, heavy cars like the X5 M and X6 M Competition do not make it into the top 10. In their case, each horsepower has to move 3.67 kilograms.
Right after the V8-powered M5 and M8 models, you will notice the new generation G80 M3 and G82 M4 models with 3.38 kg/PS and 3.39 kg/PS, respectively. Both models are in the Competition guise with 510 PS and 1,725-1,730 kilograms of weight. The current generation BMW M4 CS (F82) is also listed with 3.435 kg/PS , while the recently unveiled M2 CS falls behind it with 3.444 kg/PS. There is a difference of 10 PS between them and 30 kilograms.
For comparison purposes, the ranking also features the legendary BMW M3 CSL (E46). The lightweight M3 weighs only 1,385 kilograms, but with 360 PS under the hood which brings the power-to-weight ratio at 3.847. Of course, the driving experience onboard an M3 CSL is completely different from that in a current M8.
If you are looking for the best power-to-weight ratio of any BMW product, then you need to get on two wheels. The The BMW M 1000 RR combines 212 hp with a weight of just 170 kilograms. Even with a full tank of fuel, the super bike only weighs 192 kilograms. So each horsepower actually has to move less than one kilogram!
[Source: BimmerToday]