Dyno Run Suggests The BMW M5 Could Really Be Pushing 690bhp

A dyno run carried out on a freshly run-in F90 M5 suggests that it could be putting out as much horsepower at the flywheel as a Ferrari 488!
Remote video URL

Hold onto your hats, people, because the F90 BMW M5 seems to be making way, way more power than advertised.

BMW will tell you it’s good for 592bhp and 553lb ft at the crank, which is a lot. But YouTube channel IND Distribution has just put its own – standard – car on a dyno and reached figures of 625bhp and 608lb ft… at the wheels. In four-wheel drive.

Dyno Run Suggests The BMW M5 Could Really Be Pushing 690bhp

If those numbers really are correct for this just-run-in F90 M5, allowing for a guesstimate drivetrain loss of 10 per cent, it would mean BMW is underestimating the M5’s figures by about 100bhp and well over 100lb ft. It would make it about as powerful as a Ferrari 488…

At 1855kg the M5 is a fair bit heavier than the 1544kg 488 GTB, but even with a 311kg deficit we have to admit we’re sceptical that the M5 can really be putting out quite that much of the good stuff…

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Comments

Hawkoga

That’s twice now BMW has made a M5 and claimed it had like 50 hp less than it actually has…

04/06/2018 - 14:39 |
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Anonymous

M5 vs 720 ’drag race’ incoming.

04/06/2018 - 14:55 |
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TheMindGarage

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

720 would win hands-down. More powerful and about 2/3rds of a ton lighter

04/06/2018 - 19:51 |
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dmackster1124

Understating power and even speed/acceleration is something every luxury/performance car company does

04/06/2018 - 15:28 |
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Oow that’s gread 😁

04/06/2018 - 16:04 |
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Anonymous

How come it lost to the heavier E63 in that Carwow drag then? Either the Merc also makes far more power than advertised…or the dyno reading is wrong.

04/06/2018 - 18:23 |
2 | 0
Chewbacca_buddy (McLaren squad)(VW GTI Clubsport)(McLaren 60

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

The E63 would probably make over 700 at the crank

04/06/2018 - 20:24 |
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240sx ftw

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

or the E63 has a superior drivetrain

04/07/2018 - 10:04 |
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Chewbacca_buddy (McLaren squad)(VW GTI Clubsport)(McLaren 60

Look at the torque curve, it picks up at about 2000 and doesn’t taper off at all which is really impressive

04/06/2018 - 20:21 |
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H4R1S_01

Ahh well, you see the drag races say otherwise.

04/06/2018 - 20:47 |
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Boaty McBoatface

10% drivetrain loss for an AWD? What planet are you guys living on? That’s the most conservative side of drivetrain loss you can imagine. Drivetrain loss is not a rule of thumb by any means, and for an AWD car with a torque converter it should be hefty.

I love BMWs and I from what I’ve read in many places the common agreement is that German auto makers will state power figures based on how much power their engine will produce in not ideal conditions (ambient temperature, humidity, elevation).

Assuming these things is tricky and imprecise. The only way to know is removing the engine.

04/07/2018 - 01:33 |
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ItsChar

BMW has been advertising their cars with whp since a while so I don’t get why everyone’s so surprised about it. It’s nothing new.

04/07/2018 - 01:57 |
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Anonymous

Everyone talks about the underrated mercs and bmws….but have they serched for the AUDI RS6 C7 that advertised 560 and made around 600. then the newer plus model made even more than 600 advertised, it was like 600 on the wheels in 4wd

04/08/2018 - 17:34 |
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