The Ultimate BMW M Track Day: 1M vs. M3 vs. E60 M5 vs. F10 M5 vs. X5M vs. X6M - There's Even A SURPRISE

For many folks around here, the ultimate dream come true would be to spend time on a track with all of BMW's current M vehicles. Well, it seems that our German friends at Autobild went ahead and granted you all a very special Christmas gift because that's exactly what the publication did when it decided to go ahead and put all of the current BMW M products on the track.

Here's the cool part. Autobild did lap times with each vehicle so you can see just how each vehicle did on its shakedown.

The M3 CRT edged out the all-new M5 by the skin of its teeth while the 1M managed to come in a surprising third place -- given that it has a standard gearbox and the least amount of power compared to these monsters, it's amazing it held up so well.

NOW, for the surprise. Autobild didn't just let this opportunity pass it by since it had its hands on the all-new 2012 M5. It managed to snag some time with the Porsche Panamera Turbo S and Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG equipped with the Performance Package.

Given the M5's credentials, these three options are the most likely two going head-to-head when buyers are going to plunk down their chunk of change. As you can see in the table down below, the podium wraps up with the Porsche on top, BMW in second and Mercedes lingering behind.

I give this test a thumbs up since EVO Magazine decided to put the Panamera S up against the M5 in a drag race and that's simply not fair given the power difference. Granted, I doubt many will be tracking these super saloons anytime soon...


This must have felt like Christmas for the folks at Autobild. Autobild knows what it takes to have a great story and has done a special edition on BMW M models, called "Fascination M." In this special comparo, Autobild gives an overview of all current BMW M models as well as interesting insights into M GmbH. Most interestingly, Autobild pitted all (yes, all) currently available M models against each other on a German race track named Sachsenring...