BMW M5 vs Rolls-Royce Ghost

What's the difference?

Let’s get one thing out of the way: the new M5 is a very good car. Considering the emissions limitations and size increase of its base model, it is an impressive bit of engineering. 

What’s trickier is deciding whether the new car is really better to drive. Less edgy but supremely comfortable and quiet; BMW leaned into the daily usability of the plug-in hybrid M5 rather than amping the petrol-electric system for maximum thrills. And do you know what? That’s fine with me. 

The new M5 still performs on road and track and does an incredible job of hiding its weight (most of the time). Perhaps the G90 is a little more Audi RS6 than F90 in its demeanour but some would argue that’s no bad thing. 

The concept of the BMW M5 is not static, it evolves with the times, and the G90 is no exception. Expect future Competition and CS variants to unlock some extra lunacy. 

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with meals provided.

In a disruptive era when the coachbuilder has pivoted to SUVs like the Cullinan, a sort of London black cab that’s been dipped in opulence, and succeeds despite itself, and the brand’s grand, million-dollar EV, the Spectre, the Ghost is a safe and familiar space. 

A beautiful, long, broad, immaculate land boat. It’s a space Rolls inhabits with relish. 

The Ghost Series II feels nothing like a track-day option when you’re behind the wheel. But it might do if you were stepping out of a Phantom. Or a Cullinan. Or a Wraith. Especially if you’re stepping out of the back doors. 

It’s the perfect driver’s car. As long as all your other cars are also Rolls-Royces. 

The M5’s raw size is what you notice first. The G90 M5 is a whopping 113mm longer, 67mm wider and 37mm taller than the car it replaces, with the wheelbase stretched 24mm.

It is also the most pumped M5 yet, compared to a 520i it is 70mm chubbier at its flared wheel arches. The ‘M5’ insignia on the C-pillar means you’ll know this is the fast one. 

Presence is not in question, then, but beauty? Not the right word. The G90 makes its predecessors — especially the original ‘E28’ — look demure. 

The cabin layout builds on the concept debuted by the iX electric SUV, with twin integrated screens and focus on technology and minimal buttons. Materials are mostly high quality and feel fitting for the M5’s asking price.

Yes, its exterior is more monolithic than before. The previous iteration was hardly fiddly, but the (apparently client driven) evolution here edges ever so gracefully towards what Rolls-Royce might secretly think of as brutalism.

The Ghost Series II’s generous 2148mm width is further emphasised up front, stretched across its upright prow, with slimline headlights adding definition and — surprisingly — a touch of villainy.

New, Spectre-inspired tail lamps and a discreetly inscribed double ‘R’ monogram add a reserved flourish from behind, and buyers can choose from two new 22-inch, nine-spoke wheel designs.

It’s subtle, no doubt. But it’s also impeccable.

BMW has persevered with its twin-screen, minimal-button approach for its 'Operating System 8.5' in the M5. 

The 14.9-inch central touchscreen is bright, responsive and high resolution but the software remains a little strange. The main interface is classy but when looking for settings to adjust you’re presented with a Windows 95-esque panel of small square touch targets. It’s not intuitive. 

Wirelessly mirroring Apple CarPlay or Android Auto works a treat, at least. Digital climate controls keep temp adjustment persistently on screen and a shortcut to fan speed. The nipple-like vent direction adjustment grows on you, as do the digital vent sliders. 

The 12.3-inch digital driver’s display still doesn’t have the freedom of customisation and clarity of Audi’s interface. 

The M5 has two cupholders, a deep central storage cubby, door bins that swallow two 600mL plastic bottles and twin wireless charging pad that resolutely grips smartphones even under the sort of tummy-churning G-Forces this M5 can manage. 

Setting the M5 apart from the regular sedan is a unique centre console bunching 'M Drive' modes, 'M Hybrid' modes and other shortcut functions together next to the gear toggle and M-engraved crystal 'iDrive' controller.

Comfortable front seats are power adjustable with in/out, up/down lumbar support and have two memory positions. 

The 5096mm long M5’s back seat is very spacious. Headroom is good for those beyond 182cm (six-foot), the bench is extremely supportive, while leg and toe room are adequate.

A fold-down centre armrest has two cupholders and there are USB-C charge ports in the back of each bucket seat for a total of four. 

You can buy an accessory mount that holds tablets or smartphones for rear seat passenger entertainment, too.

When you look in the boot, BMW offering a Touring version of the latest M5 makes even more sense. The load aperture is big but the usable space is narrow; the sides intrude on load space. 

The 466-litre space will make fitting suitcases for an airport run tricky and, even with the 40/60 split-fold rear bench, you will struggle to fit a bike in the back. There’s no spare tyre, either.

Inside, yes, there are bonkers touches in this most refined of automotive spaces, such as upholstery pinpricked by 107,000 'Placed Perforations' of 1.2mm in diameter, each individually examined, that replicate the shape of some clouds spotted over Rolls-Royce's Goodwood HQ. 

Beside those flourishes of lunatic opulence, the more practical features feel pedestrian, but they’re comprehensive. The wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, the seamless 'Central Information Display' and the 18-speaker 1400-watt audio, the upgraded Wi-Fi hotspot and the unobtrusive USB-C ports. The rear-seats flush with giant, streaming-optimised screens and heated and ventilated massaging seats.

Rolls acknowledges the generational movement of its clientele from back seat to front, with over 90 per cent of buyers now opting to — gasp! — steer themselves in a Ghost. But with back-seat savoir faire in its DNA, Rolls simply extends its hospitality to every seat.

The Ghost Series II is yours for an indicative price of just $680,000 (or $800K for the Black Badge) plus substantial on-road costs. The Ghost Series II extended (which we didn’t drive at the international launch in Provence) will slip in at around $20K less than the Black Badge before additional charges. 

If they seem like big numbers, you’re probably the sort of person who looks at price tags, or who shops in shops that put price tags on things. These are not common traits of Rolls-Royce buyers, who may only be vaguely aware of the actual price of their vehicle, and whose historical impression of guillotines is generally unfavourable.

So, high six-hundreds is table stakes.

But you might also think the ‘standard’ Ghost, like all Rolls-Royces, is considered by most buyers to be a mere starting point, from which they’ll typically up-spec their ride from a sumptuous and expensive options list.

Spending another 10 percent of the purchase price on customisation is a bare-bones outlay for most owners, but even so, the evolved Ghost’s out-of-the-box features are so comprehensive as to be almost overwhelming. 

First, because the Ghost has been Rolls-Royce’s driver’s car since the first (modern) generation arrived in 2010, specifically to cater to a weird (for Rolls clientele) new generation of buyers who wanted to drive their Rolls themselves. 

So that price gets you, above all, that proven but superb 6.75-litre twin-turbo V12 engine, massaged via an eight-speed transmission and an AWD system that’s as rich and viscous as Crassus’s last libation.

There’s its subtly tinkered 'flight on land' 'Planar Suspension System' (note the unspoken dissonance between the terms ‘flight on land’ and ‘driver-focused'), with an ingenious 'Satellite Aided Transmission' system that uses GPS to pick the ideal gear with which to launch out of turns.

It works hand-in-velvet-glove with Goodwood's 'Flagbearer' camera system, which tracks the road ahead to chide potholes into submission in advance.

Because it’s a Rolls, though, that’s barely even the start of the story. 

The coachwork is extraordinary, with new trim options including natural open-pore 'Grey Stained Ash' design elements, a sumptuous new bamboo rayon textile called 'Duality Twill'.

There a night-sky inspired illuminated fascia that apes elements of time-lapse celestial photography, part of the central glass panel that stretches the length of the dash. 

Sure, you might expect that level of detail for the outlay. But for the outlay it’s far from missing anything you’d expect.

Unlike the Mercedes-AMG C63, BMW has kept the M5’s eight-cylinder heart and this has proven to be a good decision. 

The 4.4-litre twin-turbo petrol engine has been optimised with “a cross-bank exhaust manifold and optimised oil separation”, says BMW.

The V8 spins to 7200rpm though it isn't a screamer, outputting a full-bodied 430kW (5600-6500rpm) and 750Nm (1800-5400rpm).

Augmented with a transmission-mounted 145kW electric motor that can produce up to 450Nm, thanks to pre-gearing, maximum combined outputs are 535kW and 1000Nm. 

Weight blunts punch, though, so despite nearly 100kW and 250Nm more, the new M5 is a tenth slower to 100km/h than its predecessor (claimed), at 3.5 seconds for the sprint.

You can thank a 220kW/tonne power-to-weight ratio, worse than the old car's 233kW/tonne figure. The new G90 claws some time back with brute force, hitting 200km/h in just 10.9 seconds and goes on to a limited top speed of 305km/h.

You can choose from five powertrain settings, starting with 'Electric' and 'Hybrid' for everyday use, while 'eControl' lets you store battery power for urban use.

'Dynamic' provides the best balance, says BMW, while 'Dynamic Plus' is like a qualifying mode. Think maximum combined punch for up to 10 minutes, at which point you’ll have drained the battery. 

Driving in pure electric mode, the take-off can be a little jerky but the quietude and decent power make it pleasant. Power sources are combined expertly in Hybrid and giving it some stick in Dynamic is more than enough to make your passengers feel queasy.

Rolls doesn’t like acceleration figures — too gauche, darling — but armed with that proven 420kW and 850Nm V12, the Ghost Series II has serious heft. Delivering max torque from 1600rpm — just 600rpm above idle — the effect is genuinely of one endless surge, a wafting cloud of momentum that subtly slips between gears as it exudes itself across the countryside.

The Black Badge edition, like all of its, er, ‘disruptive’ ilk offers a ‘Low’ button (‘Low’ means ‘Sport’ in Rollspeak), which bumps gearshift speeds by 50 percent when you plant your foot, and delivers a distinctly non-Rolls-like pop and burble on overrun. It also provides an extra 21kW and 50Nm, because Black Badge is mean and tough.

Electric-only range is rated up to 69km in WLTP testing, but the 18.6kWh battery is more likely to give you around 60km in real-world driving. It can be topped up in about two hours using an 11kW AC charger, or overnight on a three-pin socket. 

BMW includes both Mode 3 (public) and Mode 2 (home) charging cables with the M5. 

The M5 uses 3.2L/100km of 98 RON premium unleaded in ADR testing, corresponding to just 72g/km of CO2, so it should sail through the first rounds of Australian emissions regulations. 

Indulging in what the V8 has to offer sees that consumption spike, though. An enthusiastic road drive saw the M5 gulp 12.4L/100km, according to the trip computer.

Provence is not entirely a driver’s paradise, with every stretch of slightly twisty tarmac only a counterpoint to a motorway lined with Marseille lorries, Depardieu-esque men in tractors who refuse to move to the verge, and small villages where each kerbside corners sit millimetres from the foot of an adjacent boulangerie.

Which is to say it’s neither a place for economy runs, nor a location at which to run up the consumption numbers with a madcap series of impromptu hill climbs.

Our Ghost II drive returned around 16L/100km, which feels about right with that gorilla-in-a-tuxedo 6.75L V12, and is only slightly above the official figures of 15.8L/100km. Not great, could be worse.

The three M5 elements start with daily usability. We trundled out of Bathurst in electric mode, with the adaptive dampers (and other myriad settings) in Comfort. 

The M5 has steel springs, double wishbone front suspension and a five-link rear axle, all of which has been heavily reworked by the boffins at M. Naturally, the ride is firm, though in Comfort the body moves through its motions smoothly. 

The M5 is an effortless tourer, its eight-speed automatic shmoozing through ratios as it climbs and descends steep gradients. Wind and tyre noise insulation is good on coarse chip tarmac, though a bit more burble from the V8 would be appreciated. 

The M5 has nine adjustable parameters to wake it up: 'Drivetrain', 'Energy Recovery', 'Drivelogic' (gear shift aggression), 'Chassis', 'Steering', 'Brake', 'M xDrive', stability control settings and 'M Sound'. Favourite settings can be stored to the wheel-mounted M1 and M2 buttons. 

With the dampers still in Comfort the M5 remains fantastically capable with power delivery from the xDrive mighty rewarding on corner exit. Sport dampers sharpen the experience up further, amplifying the M5’s surprising agility. Thank the rear-wheel steer for this big sedan’s switchback performance. 

Step beyond the limit of grip, brake too late, or get on the power too early, though, and the M5’s mass reveals itself rapidly. It doesn’t help that the accurate steering is devoid of feel. The brake-by-wire pedal is too numb and light, as well, making it tricky to judge grip levels on the road.

Feel is less of an issue on a dry Mount Panorama circuit, where the M5 turns out to be a total pussycat. The all-wheel drive, consistent dynamics, strong brakes and well-tuned stability control make for an approachable but seriously fast sedan.

The responsive transmission will hold gears to redline and is eager on the downshift in its most aggressive setting while tactile shift paddles make commanding ratio changes yourself that bit more engaging. 

Prodigious punch out of corners is matched by the impressive consistency of the carbon ceramic brakes. The M5 pulled up for The Chase every time with minimal fuss, even from above 250km/h.

Similar credit goes to the 285mm front and 295mm rear Hankook S1 Evo tyres which remained consistent and predictable all day despite reaching temperatures over 130 degrees, according to the tyre pressure monitor.

The Ghost Series II drives like a magic carpet, serene and untroubled; in almost any stable other than that of Rolls, calling it a ‘driver’s car’ would have you throttled by their skunkworks. Everything is relative.

Still, it hides its considerable dimensions well. There’s never any doubt that you’re in a large saloon, as you white-knuckle the Ghost’s impeccably appointed steering wheel, but there’s always enough power to deliver creamily instant throttle response, even in the case of initially misjudged cambers. 

Nor can the Black Badge hide the shimmy of that characteristic ‘flight on land’ body drift. The upside is that its manners are impeccable, even through the worst possible pieces of corrugation Provence can deliver. 

If anything, the Ghost Series II’s big-hearted bulk adds to the fun factor, especially in some of Rolls-Royce’s more garish colour options, when gasping South of France MAMILs stare in amazement as a bright yellow, five-and-a-half metre Rolls passes them on the outside, scattering their various baguettes and garlands of onions.

You get airbags, ESC, adaptive cruise, parking sensors and auto parking, and a rear camera. But don’t expect Rolls-Royce to allow the blighters at ANCAP to wreck one.

In Australia, BMW has moved to match other manufacturers in offering a five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty on all its cars. 

Servicing is recommended on a condition basis, with the M5’s multimedia system prompting a visit to the mechanics. BMW offers pre-paid service packs for five years/80,000km at a price of $5059 for the basic offer and $8152 for 'Inclusive Plus', which covers brake pad and rotor replacements. 

It is expensive next to a regular 5 Series but when you consider the purchase price and performance level, the M5’s service pricing is not astronomical. 

Expect just a four-year servicing and warranty offer for Australian customers of this vehicle. So that means an unlimited-mileage warranty, including all services, for the first four years.