This Used BMW M5 Costs 60% Less Than A CS But Is Pretty Much The Same Thing

The big problem with BMW‘s ‘CS’ line of cars is they consistently make their supposedly lesser siblings seem even better. Yes, the M2 CS may be the greatest version of the entry-level M car with its carbon fibre garnish and adaptive dampers, but it doesn’t move the game on significantly from the substantially cheaper M2 Competition. It’s the deal same with the CS-badged M3 and M4, and we’re not expecting to the new M5 CS to be a revelation.

Again, its alterations aren’t ones which will fundamentally alter the car. There’s a very small boost in power (which the M5 didn’t need anyway), and a 70kg weight drop, which you’ll struggle to feel in a car that still tips the scales at around two tonnes. Finally, BMW has - once again - added carbon fibre addendum, but all that stuff won’t be to everyone’s tastes anyway.

The price for all this? £140,780. That’s about £40,000 more than the starting price for an M5 Competition, and still nearly £20,000 if you tack on the ‘Ultimate Pack’. You could, then, save yourself a lot of money by getting one of those. Or, you could nab an even bigger saving by getting an early F90 M5.

The one you see on this page is up for sale on BuyaCar.co.uk for £57,534, nearly 60 per cent less than the CS. And although we’re yet to drive an M5 CS, we can pretty much guarantee it’ll feel barely any different to drive.

All the important bits are still here. It looks much the same, it has a 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 (producing 592bhp as opposed to 626), and there’s a trick all-wheel drive system with multiple modes. 4WD is, BMW says, the quickest way around a track, but there’s also a more entertaining rear-biased ‘4WD Sport’ Mode. You can even ditch power to the front wheels entirely if you’re happy to foot the resulting tyre bills.

Our 2019-registered classifieds pick looks lovely in Marina Bay Blue metallic and has covered a mere 6460. It’s a safe buy, with some 18 months left on its official BMW warranty.

It’s worth pointing out that it’s often possible to score a big discount on a brand new M5 Competition, and the same will likely be true for the CS. Even with that in mind, an earlier F90 like this one represents spectacular value for money and is a great way to avoid the brunt of the initial depreciation.

Alternatively, you could wait a few more years, at which point these things would have shed many more thousands in value.

Tempted?