The BMW M5 CS is one of the quickest-accelerating sedans in the world, but does it really stand a chance against a performance bike? Carwow decided to answer this burning question by pitting the super saloon against the M 1000 RR – the very first M product from the Motorrad division. The video is an excellent reminder of why the power-to-weight ratio is more important than just simply comparing horsepower numbers.
Although the bike has “merely” 212 hp at the rider’s disposal, that water-cooled inline-four engine only has to move 192 kilograms. Despite the fact the limited-run M5 CS special edition has lost a substantial 70 kg over the Competition model, it’s still quite the porker as it tips the scales at a hefty 1,825 kg. Nevertheless, having an uprated twin-turbo V8 engine with 635 hp helps the large family sedan deliver supercar-like levels of performance in straight-line acceleration.
Although the M5 CS didn’t stand a chance in the drag race, the fact it completed the quarter mile in only 11 seconds is mind-boggling considering it’s a big and heavy four-door luxury sedan. The M 1000 RR was the first to cross the finish line in 10.3 seconds. The outcome was pretty much the same in the subsequent rolling races from 50 mph as the high-performance bike effortlessly completed the half mile considerably quicker than the sedan.
The four-wheeled BMW did ultimately manage to win one duel by being the first to come to a full stop from 100 mph. It goes without saying that it’s a lot trickier to perform an emergency braking maneuver with a bike than it is with a car, especially if the latter has carbon ceramic brakes and wide tires.
While the CS represents the swan song for the M5 F90, the M 1000 RR was recently updated for 2023. The flagship bike from BMW Motorrad now has a slightly higher top speed after aero tweaks that have also paid dividends in terms of boosting downforce for improved stability.
Source: Carwow / YouTube
