Punch, consider yourself beaten to: Edmunds drives new BMW M5

You are probably not unfamiliar with the 2006 E60 M5, at least where raw data is concerned. You probably know all about the machine's brutal V10 and 8,250-rpm redline, its seven-speed SMG transmission and sub 4,000 pound curb weight, a not inconsiderable feat for a long, huge-engined sedan. You may even be aware of the warp speed button that raises the engine's startup output from 400-hp to the full 507. But you probably don't know how this data translates to experience, which is where Edmunds comes in. You can obviously conjecture that the M5 will be fast, which it is. It can hit 167 miles per hour if needed and dispatch the 0-60 standard in 4.7 seconds. According to Edmunds, the claimed numbers are similar to an STi's, but the M feels much faster. Possibly because of those six (count 'em) extra cylinders making locomotive thrust. The SMG setup is described as "herky-jerky," which isn't really a surprise, although it's apparently greatly improved over the SMG in the M3, plus it has a cool launch mode that takes the guess work out of 2F2F stoplight kills. As I'm sure you can imagine, the brakes and suspension on the new M5 are sublime, with the binders inspiring confidence and the chassis absorbing all but the sharpest frost heaves. Overall, "a virtuoso effort…only this one exceeds even the incredible demands placed upon the M division's broad shoulders."