Colors and Comfort are two things that you cannot resolve for yourself on a forum. Everyone had different tastes for color and needs/wants/perceptions for comfort. It like explaining what purple smells like.
Forget colors for now, but comfort. I drove every variant of the 5 series recently. Wife owns a 2018 G30 530iX Drive I own a 2019 540IX M Sport. and I attended a BMW track day featuring the M2, M340, M5, and M5C.
I can tell you the 530ix with the 18" rims is the most comfortable (compliant) but its got a good bit of body roll in the corners. My 540 is really an amazing piece of machinery and to me the value for the $ is there. The M550i I only drove on the street and at the time I was ordering the new model was being announced and the outgoing M550ix was no longer being built and the new one not released for build so that was out. The M5 is everything my car is with bigger balls and a super exhaust note. I'd be very happy driving it all day. Ride comfort mirrors my car (with the M Sport Suspension all day long) In comfort both my car and the M5 are super excellent daily drivers for all but the most princess and the pea people. The M5 really pulls itself around the track with ease for a 4,XXX lb. car its just awesome.
Jumped out of the M5 and into the M5C. We were not allowed to dial up Sport+ (locked out on both the M5 and M5C) but I drove several laps in both. The speed is not very different to my butt dyno. The Brakes were worlds apart. The ceramics are worth it if you track. Not sure about DD duties. I have ceramics on my other vehicle and they are dustless and great except for the first stop or two of the day.
The M5C with the ceramic brakes allowed for later braking and the instructor on board called it stabbing the brakes in the M5 and Harpooning the brakes 1.5 flags later in the M5C.
Comfort is not all that different when your full out but there was a cool down lap after each session. No doubt the M5 was softer and more suspension travel. The M5 has a Little more roll in the twisties but nothing I could not live with daily and nightly 24x7. The comp is for the person that
1. Wants the top of the top of the line -Bragging rights
2. Wants the extra bit of handling that I'd peg at M5 8.9/10 to the M5C at 10/10.
3. The Comp will most likely be harsher by a wider margin off the track but on the track I'd say you could be hard pressed to tell the difference.
4. If you have the coin get the ceramics. They don't fade even when being toasted. Check cost of replacement before you dive in. I'm sure they are not cheap !
So that's my assessment. If I could I'd rock the comp the little bit more of everything is worth the $ as I don't mod my cars and maybe the little extra bits help me stay happy longer stock even if its just in my head. To say with is better is splitting hairs.
I don't mind the firmer ride, but my little kids and wife prefer the ride in her 530. The older one always wants to take mine.
If you are considering either of these beasts you cannot go wrong. I just hope that you guys that rock these remember how lucky (and I know you work hard for them) you are to be able to sport the Apex predators of the 5 passenger 4 door, usable trunk, car world.
I've driven all the 4 door power houses from Audi, Benz and even Porsche (4 door variants) and for the $/Value/fun factor the M5 and M5C are way ahead by a large margin. IMHO You would have to spend way more $ to get something not quite as good. (Save the Porsche interior)
