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      03-14-2018, 11:17 PM   #1
eclipxe
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Drives: 2018 M5
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Irvine CA

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F90 M5 first Impressions review vs. Tesla P90D

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I only had about 3 hours of drive time before having to drop off my F90 for PPF/detail, but here are my quick first impressions compared to my Tesla.

TLDR: The M5 blows the Tesla out of the water overall.

Performance: Still in break-in period, so have to keep it under 5500 rpm. Haven't floored it yet, but off-the-line feels equivalent to Insane mode when in Sports Plus on the M5. The Tesla was able to make me feel sick when launching in Ludicrous, will see if the M5 has the same when I can launch it. Torque is pretty instant. I'll revisit this once I can floor it.

Handling: Love the adjustability of the M5 vs. the Tesla. The Tesla has available smart air suspension, but it doesn't actually change the driving comfort or rigidness - its only for raising/lowering. The Tesla had a fairly flat but sometimes harsh ride (21's). The M5 is way more comfortable in Comfort mode and tightens up considerably in Sport/Sport Plus.

Steering feel: I'm not an expert here, but felt very similar.

Interior: M5 is way, way better. Quality of materials, lighting, seats. Wow. Entirely different class here. No ventilated seats on the Tesla. No Massage seats. The M5's seats are my favorite car seats.

Tech: This is actually one of the most important areas for me - Tesla has a reputation for being relatively "cutting edge" but the Model S hasn't really kept up since release.

M5's wireless careplay, wireless charging are awesome. iDrive is much more responsive and deeper than the Tesla MCU. I love the 3D camera/surround camera on the M5 - none on the Tesla. The Tesla doesn't even have blind spot detection (it has "side alerts" but its just using the ultrasonics, not far enough to detect an approaching car).

The M5's HUD is amazing - large, easy to read. Tesla needs a HUD.

Gesture controls work well and I prefer using them to the touch screen.

Autopilot/Drive Assist: Gen 1 autopilot on the Tesla was better than the M5 approach - better lane keeping. Gen 2 autopilot feels about on par as the M5. I was able to drive hands off for quite a while in SoCal traffic, just occasionally tapping the wheel. Didn't detect any bouncing between the lane and it was able to hold moderate curves very well. No automatic lane change in the M5 like the Tesla.

Overall, so far the M5 is a clear, clear winner - especially considering that it was $50k less than the Tesla.
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