Rides : Edo Competition BMW M5 Dark Edition Sends the E60 Generation Not-So-Gently into That Good Night

In case you haven’t heard, there’s a new BMW M5 on the way. Unfortunately, this means the outgoing M5 based on the E60 series chassis will quickly be forgotten by most poseurs (and a good many legitimate enthusiasts) in favor of the hot new F10 generation M5. That’s the automotive circle of life.

But nothing can change the fact that the old M5 is a spectacular car no matter how you slice it. The expertly-honed chassis, yowling normally-aspirated 5.0L V10 and standard 7-speed paddle shift transmission (a Cro-Magnon 6-speed manual was also offered here in North America) helped the E60 M5 enjoy a long reign as king of the super sedans. And the top-notch tuners at edo competition are giving the king a royal sendoff.



Dubbed the M5 Dark Edition, this tuning package is shown on the M5 Touring, which was never sold here (and now not even the regular 5 Series wagon is offered on this continent, but at least BMW can say the 5 Series GT is selling like gangbusters. Oh wait…), but we’re guessing pretty much every piece will fit on the sedan. It starts off with an aero kit that isn’t dramatically different from the stock M5, plus some snazzy 20” wheels wearing skinny-sidewalled Dunlop tires (though it’s definitely wearing Bridgestones in the pictures). The interior has also been bathed in custom leather and carbon fiber trim, though we’ll have to take edo’s word for it since the only pictures of the inside show the three-color stitching on the steering wheel and three (count 'em, three) pix of the 360 kph (224 mph) custom speedometer.

The higher-numbered speedometer is a none-too-subtle hint at the Dark Edition’s increased capabilities. The folks at edo competition have taught this hot rod hauler to breath deeper by adding high flow exhaust system, air filters and catalytic converters that, when combined with a reprogrammed ECU, increase output to 555hp and 413 lb.-ft of torque versus the stock version’s 500hp and 383 lb.-ft. The electronic speed limiter was removed, raising the top end from the German car standard (more or less) 155 mph to an Autobahn-gobbling 190 mph, and you’ll reach 62 mph in 4.2 seconds, half a tick of the stopwatch (or, since this is 2011, stopwatch app) sooner than the untouched factory model. Not bad for a mid-size station wagon, eh?



So while we’re excited about the new M5 with its twin-turbo thrust and dual-clutch trans, we’ll definitely miss its predecessor with its non-force-fed engine’s bark and rev-happy nature and its racecar-firm shifts from the single-clutch sequential gearbox.