2023 BMW M5 : 627 Horsepower of Daily Driveable Perfection

The BMW M5 has always occupied a unique position in the performance car world. It is the vehicle that proves you do not have to choose between carrying your family to school on Monday and lapping a circuit on Saturday. The 2023 BMW M5 continues that tradition with 627 horsepower, a cabin that rivals dedicated luxury sedans, and a chassis so intelligent that it makes the performance feel accessible rather than terrifying.

What makes the 2023 M5 particularly significant is its position as the final full model year of the F90 generation before the transition to the hybrid-powered G90 successor. For buyers who want the last pure internal combustion M5 at its most refined, the 2023 model year represents the definitive expression of that formula.

Muscular Restraint: The F90 M5 Exterior Design

The F90 M5 exterior achieves something that high-output performance sedans frequently fail at: looking fast without looking desperate. The wide front track is expressed through enlarged front wheel arch extensions that add visual muscle without resorting to oversized aerodynamic additions that would compromise the sedan’s elegant proportions. The front bumper’s large intake openings feed the cooling system requirements of the S63 V8 while creating a face that communicates performance intent with confidence.

The side profile carries the standard 5 Series sedan’s clean, well-resolved character with M-specific details layered in with precision. The sill extensions are subtle, the exterior mirrors carry M badging, and the wider rear track fills the back of the car with a planted authority that the standard 5 Series cannot match. The quad exhaust outlets at the rear, finished in black chrome on Competition specification, provide a visual cue to the powertrain beneath that delivers on everything they promise.

Available in a range of colors that include the Competition-exclusive options like the striking Frozen Marina Bay Blue and Isle of Man Green, the 2023 M5 offers enough visual distinction from the standard 5 Series to satisfy buyers who want recognition of what the car represents while maintaining the sedan discretion that makes it such a practical daily driver.

M Sport carbon exterior packages are available for buyers who want to push the visual drama through carbon fiber mirror caps, front splitter, and rear diffuser elements that create a more track-focused exterior impression without changing the fundamental character of the sedan design.

Inside the Cockpit: Luxury That Serves Performance

The F90 M5’s interior is one of its most consistently praised attributes, combining Merino leather quality, genuine carbon fiber trim, and iDrive 7 technology into a cabin environment that matches dedicated luxury sedans rather than merely approaching them from the performance car side of the market.

The M-specific front seats are outstanding in their combination of lateral support and long-distance comfort. The ventilation and massage functions available on higher specification examples create a front seat experience that makes long motorway distances genuinely comfortable, while the deep bolstering holds occupants through the cornering forces that 627 horsepower and a chassis capable of managing them can generate. These are production car seats that achieve something most performance car seats fail at: genuine versatility across the full spectrum of driving the car demands.

The curved display integrating the 12.3-inch instrument cluster and 12.3-inch iDrive touchscreen in a single swept unit creates an information architecture that feels contemporary rather than assembled from previous generation components. The M-specific instrument display layouts provide configurable options that present performance data, powertrain information, and driving mode status in formats that the driver adapts to their preferences and driving context.

M Drive Pro, available on the Competition specification and as an option on standard M5, adds M Laptimer functionality, performance displays showing G-force, brake pressure, and power output, and the M Drift Analyser for track use. These additions transform the instrument display into a serious data acquisition tool for buyers who use the car’s track potential actively rather than theoretically.

Rear seating in the M5 sedan is genuinely excellent by any standard, not merely by performance sedan standards. The full four-door body and the 5 Series’ long wheelbase provide legroom and headroom that accommodate adults of any height in genuine comfort over any journey duration. The M5’s four-door practicality is one of its core advantages over coupe alternatives at similar price points, and the rear seat quality reinforces that advantage convincingly.

627 Horsepower and the S63: The Performance Conversation

The S63 twin-turbocharged 4.4-litre V8 in the 2023 BMW M5 Competition produces 627 horsepower and 750Nm of torque, delivered through an eight-speed M Steptronic transmission and BMW’s M xDrive all-wheel drive system. These figures enable 0-100 km/h in 3.3 seconds, a number that places the M5 Competition in supercar acceleration company while the car simultaneously accommodates four adults and their luggage in genuine comfort.

The S63’s character in its F90 state of tune is the most accomplished version of this engine, building twin-scroll boost rapidly from the lower rev range and delivering a continuous, uninterrupted surge of power that carries to the 7,200 rpm redline with an intensity that communicates the engineering achievement regardless of the numbers involved. The exhaust note through the standard system is a well-tuned V8 voice that the optional M Sport exhaust amplifies into something memorable, with the bypass valves in Sport Plus adding a crackle and pop on lift-off that rewards enthusiastic downshifts.

The M xDrive system in the 2023 M5 represents the most developed version of BMW’s approach to performance all-wheel drive, offering a 4WD Sport mode that biases torque delivery substantially rearward for a rear-wheel-drive character, and a 2WD mode that disengages the front axle entirely for drift-capable rear-wheel-drive dynamics. The transition between these modes is rapid, and the chassis stability control calibration in each mode is tuned to the character that mode delivers rather than applying a single standard across all configurations.

The M-specific adaptive suspension adjusts damping at individual corners in real time, creating a car that absorbs the surface imperfections of daily driving in Comfort mode while transforming into a flat, composed track tool in Sport Plus. The range between these extremes is the M5’s fundamental achievement: genuine daily usability that does not compromise genuine performance capability.

Fuel Economy: The Honest Super Sedan Calculation

A 4.4-litre twin-turbocharged V8 producing 627 horsepower in a 1,900-kilogram performance sedan returns official combined fuel economy figures of approximately 10.5 to 12.0 litres per 100km, with real-world mixed driving producing consumption between 14 and 18 litres per 100km for most owners.

The auto stop-start system contributes to urban economy without creating perceptible disruption to the driving experience, and the eight-speed transmission’s intelligent gear selection includes coasting capability that reduces motorway consumption for disciplined drivers. The cylinder deactivation system, which cuts four of the eight cylinders during light-load cruising, adds further motorway efficiency compared to constant full-cylinder operation.

For a vehicle of the M5’s performance level and capability range, fuel economy represents a manageable element of total ownership cost rather than a primary purchase consideration. Buyers approaching the M5 with fuel economy as a central concern have identified the wrong vehicle. Buyers who want to understand what the M5 delivers on the dimensions that matter should continue reading.

Safety and Technology: Comprehensive at the Performance Frontier

Car and Driver’s comprehensive 2023 BMW M5 evaluation provides independently verified performance data and expert assessment of the car’s safety technology, driver assistance capability, and real-world dynamic qualities, giving buyers a rigorous third-party reference alongside the manufacturer’s own specifications.

The 2023 M5 carries BMW’s full driver assistance suite alongside its performance hardware, which reflects the car’s positioning as a premium performance vehicle rather than a pure track tool. Active lane change assistance, adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go capability, cross-traffic warning, and automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection are all available through the Driving Assistant Professional package.

The M-specific stability control calibration maintains multiple intervention modes that allow progressive expansion of the driver’s operational envelope for track use while providing appropriate protection on public roads. The integration between the M xDrive’s torque distribution, the active M differential at the rear axle, and the stability control creates a coherent electronic chassis management architecture rather than independent systems that conflict at their boundaries.

The Head-Up Display projects speed, navigation guidance, and driver assistance information onto the windscreen in the driver’s natural sightline, eliminating the need to shift attention from the road for speed checks in dynamic driving situations. The surround view camera system provides complete situational awareness for a vehicle of this performance level navigating typical road and parking environments.

Trim Levels and Pricing: Understanding the 2023 M5 Market

The 2023 BMW M5 is available in two primary specifications that create meaningful differentiation in both equipment content and performance output.

The standard M5 produces 600 horsepower from a slightly less aggressively tuned S63 and comes with the standard M adaptive suspension and M xDrive as standard equipment. It represents the more accessible entry point to M5 ownership while delivering performance that the majority of buyers will never fully explore on public roads.

The M5 Competition lifts output to 627 horsepower, adds Competition-specific suspension tuning with firmer spring rates and revised damper calibration, revises the exhaust for an enhanced sound signature, and adds Competition-specific visual details including black chrome exhaust finishers and exclusive color options.

Pricing for the 2023 M5 in key markets:

Standard M5: from approximately $107,000 USD list price before options. Well-specified pre-owned examples with documented service history trade between $95,000 and $118,000 depending on mileage and specification.

M5 Competition: from approximately $117,000 USD list price. Pre-owned Competition examples with comprehensive specification and lower mileage trade between $108,000 and $135,000.

Key specification priorities for pre-owned evaluation include the Competition Package for the powertrain and chassis upgrade, M Drive Pro for track day users, the Executive Package for the massaging rear seats and extended comfort features, and complete service history with any software updates verified as applied.

Pros and Cons: The 2023 BMW M5 Honestly Assessed

Where the 2023 M5 is definitively excellent:

• 627 horsepower delivered with a refinement and daily usability that makes the performance genuinely accessible rather than demanding
• S63 V8 character combines turbocharged torque breadth with a high-revving intensity that rewards commitment with sound and sensation
• Four-door practicality with genuine adult rear seat comfort that coupe and convertible performance alternatives cannot provide
• iDrive 7 implementation with M Drive Pro and configurable performance displays creates a technology environment that matches the performance hardware
• M xDrive configurability from 4WD through rear-biased to pure 2WD creates driver engagement options across the full spectrum of ability and preference
• Adaptive suspension’s range from genuine daily comfort to track-focused firmness is the widest in the segment

Where honest buyer expectations apply:

• Competition suspension calibration on imperfect road surfaces requires acceptance of a firmness that not all daily driving conditions suit
• Fuel consumption at the performance the car encourages using is meaningful across high annual mileage ownership
• Insurance costs reflect the vehicle’s performance capability and replacement value in ways that require specialist broker engagement
• The eight-speed automatic only transmission in the 2023 production year means three-pedal manual engagement is unavailable
• S63 engine maintenance and component costs are proportional to the performance level they support

How the 2023 M5 Compares to Its Performance Sedan Rivals

The Mercedes-AMG E63 S is the most directly contested rival, offering a 630-horsepower twin-turbocharged V8 in a performance executive sedan with AMG’s specific brand character and the AMG Performance 4MATIC+ all-wheel drive system. The E63 S delivers a more overtly dramatic character and a sound profile that the M5’s more refined approach partially moderates. The M5 responds with superior chassis communication and a driver engagement quality that AMG’s torque-focused approach distributes differently.

The Audi RS7 brings a coupe-sedan format with 591 horsepower and Audi’s characteristic interior refinement in a visually distinctive body style. The RS7’s shooting brake silhouette appeals to buyers who want the performance sedan capability with more expressive visual character. The M5 responds with a more focused driving dynamic and the traditional four-door sedan practicality that the RS7 partially sacrifices for design.

The Porsche Panamera Turbo represents the ultimate performance sedan comparison at a higher price point, delivering Porsche’s handling heritage in a four-door format with performance that matches and occasionally exceeds the M5. The Panamera costs more, offers a different character, and appeals to buyers for whom Porsche’s specific driving philosophy aligns with their preferences more naturally than BMW’s approach.

Understanding where the M5 sits within BMW’s broader performance hierarchy helps buyers assess whether the super sedan format suits their ownership priorities better than performance-focused alternatives in other body styles. For buyers who appreciate the coupe format’s more focused character and are weighing it against the M5’s additional practicality, our comprehensive 2020 BMW M4 review examines how the M4’s rear-wheel-drive coupe dynamics compare to the M5’s all-wheel-drive sedan approach in terms of driver engagement and daily usability.

For buyers who are evaluating whether the M5’s performance sedan proposition better serves their needs than the large luxury SUV format, our full 2020 BMW X5 review covers what the large luxury SUV delivers in terms of space, technology, and driving quality, clarifying the format choice for buyers with both performance and family utility among their ownership priorities.

Who Should Buy a 2023 BMW M5?

The 2023 M5 is the right vehicle for a buyer who has resolved the format debate in favor of a performance executive sedan: the combination of four genuine adult seats, a proper boot, and 627 horsepower represents a specific answer to the question of how much a car can do simultaneously.

It suits professional buyers who use their car heavily across the working week and want that daily driver to feel genuinely rewarding on the commute and transform into a track day weapon on weekends. It suits buyers who regularly carry passengers who benefit from the rear seat comfort that the sedan format provides. It suits drivers who value the V8 character’s specific sensory experience as part of the ownership proposition.

The standard M5 suits buyers whose priority is the complete M5 experience at the lowest acquisition price and who prefer a slightly more compliance-oriented suspension calibration for daily use on variable road surfaces. The Competition suits buyers who will use the performance capabilities actively and who value the additional chassis and powertrain sharpness the Competition Package provides in real-world driving.

Final Verdict: The 2023 BMW M5 Is the Super Sedan at Its Absolute Best

The BMW M5 is the vehicle that invented the super sedan concept and has spent four decades defending its right to define it. The F90 generation in its 2023 final form is that defense made comprehensive. Every dimension of the vehicle has been developed to the point where the competition follows rather than leads, and the result is a car that delivers on the super sedan promise more completely than any rival currently manages.

The 2023 M5 is also historically significant as the final expression of the purely combustion-powered M5 formula, a fact that will only grow in importance as the G90 hybrid successor establishes its own character. Buyers who specifically want the last pure-combustion M5 at its most developed have a narrow remaining window before the pre-owned market prices that significance into the acquisition cost more fully.

Find a well-documented example with verified service history, take it on a test drive that combines the urban commute and motorway conditions of your actual weekly routine, and include at least one stretch of open road where the S63 can express itself fully. The 2023 BMW M5 will demonstrate everything that makes the super sedan concept worth caring about in a single drive.