2014 BMW M5

The last time the Dinan name graced the pages of Autoblog, Michael Harley was waxing poetic about the S3-R BMW 1M Coupe, a car that still stands in his ranks as one of the best cars he's ever driven. And that wasn't just because it was, you know, amazing. It's because as far as tuners go, Dinan produces some seriously well-executed products. Harley said of the 1M, for example, "It was so fully formed and well-rounded that it felt like BMW itself had made it." Eager to sample some of these wholly wonderful wares, I cleared a few hours in my Monterey Car Week schedule and booked a date with the S1 M5 you see here – the (current) daily driver of Mr. Steve Dinan, himself. But unlike the S3-R 1M the company tuned previously, the donor car in question here is vastly different and, if I'm honest, not as good. See, I adore the stock 1M in a way words cannot express, but the standard-issue M5... good as it is, there are indeed a few flaws. But after driving the Dinan S1 M5 around the Monterey Peninsula, I can confirm two things. First, Harley's conclusion that Dinan builds products that feel 100 percent BMW-spec is absolutely true. And second, Steve and the gang haven't just created a tuned M5, they've built a better one. Driving Notes Power is definitely a huge part of the Dinan M5 story, but trust me, the numbers don't tell the whole tale. Thanks to a carbon fiber cold air intake, free-flow exhaust system and the Dinantronics Performance Tuner that alters the car's ECU, output has been boosted to 675 horsepower and 644 pound-feet of torque – increases of 115 hp and 144 lb-ft over the standard M5. That horsepower number is even a full 100 greater than the Competition Pack-equipped sedan. The following statement should come as no shock, then: this thing is quick. And while Dinan doesn't provide specific 0-60 numbers, my seat-of-the-pants feeling is that it's somewhere in the high-three-second range – definitely quicker than the 4.1-second 0-60 sprint of the standard M5. It's a fast beast, too – the top speed is electronically limited to 190 miles per hour. This specific car was fitted with BMW's seven-speed M-DCT dual-clutch 'box, firing off incredibly quick shifts via the steering wheel-mounted paddles. If you're keen on rowing your own, the S1 kit is available for cars equipped with the six-speed manual transmission, as well. Like I said, this M5 isn't just about sheer oomph. Underneath that big, four-door body are a host of chassis upgrades, including negative camber front control arms, lightweight tubular anti-roll bars, and Dinan's specially developed adjustable coilover system – something that actually gives the car a lowered, more aggressive stance while decreasing body roll. The Dinan M5 is lighter, too – 4,300 pounds, versus the stock M5's curb weight of 4,390. And that lighter feeling is immediately noticeable the first time you enter a corner. The lowered ride …
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