Driven By Dan Scanlan

’23 DODGE CHALLENGER SRT HEMI BLACK GHOST

Dan Scanlan checks out the ’23 DODGE CHALLENGER SRT HEMI BLACK GHOST that channels the legendary 1970s Woodward Avenue Street racer!

Back in 1970s, a legendary Dodge Challenger R/T SE roamed Woodward Avenue, seeking out and often winning street races.

It came and went so stealthily; it earned the name Black Ghost. It carried distinctive options – black gator skin-like vinyl top, bumblebee tail stripe, hood pins and twin hood scoops. And it was piloted by Detroit cop Godfrey Qualls. Dodge’s tribute to that street racer carries an lengthy model designation: 2023 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye Widebody Black Ghost!

But as a farewell to possibly the most outrageous modern muscle car of all, Dodge paid homage to Qualls’ car as part of its final “Last Call” series of Challengers with black paint, “gator skin” roof graphics, twin scoops, hood pins, white tail stripes and classic Challenger script badges instead of Hellcat. Inside, there’s a “Black Ghost” badge on an air vent. So here we have one of only 300 Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye Widebody Black Ghost Editions ever.

The supercharged 6.2-liter HEMI V-8 makes 807 horsepower and 707 pound-feet of torque, one pony less than the Demon. Its 2.7-liter twin-screw supercharger almost hides the HEMI powerplant, breathing through real hood scoops and those inner headlights – DRL rings around carbon fiber tubes illuminated with the Hellcat logo inside.

Our 2,000-mile-old ’23 DODGE CHALLENGER SRT HEMI BLACK GHOST coupe’s HEMI coughs to life with a booming burp, then rumbles eagerly. We snatch the TorqueFlite eight-speed automatic with manual mode and paddle shifters, ready to spin those deep-dish Warp Speed Satin Carbon wheels. Then we check the drive modes.

Track mode – firmest suspension and steering feel, no traction control, super-quick shifts and paddle shifters engaged for all 807 horses. Sport mode – knocks that super-firm suspension and steering feel back a notch, transmission quick shifting with some traction/stability control. Custom – you pick settings, including a more sensible 500-horsepower, plus suspension/shift/steering and full traction control – just enough to play with, and not vaporize rubber. Eco and Valet modes turn off paddle shifters for less fun.

There’s also Line Lock, which engages front brakes so you can warm up rear rubber for a stickier launch. You track it all on the SRT Performance Pages, a full set of engine, power, torque, G-force, Line Lock, track and dragstrip times, even a dyno on the main touchscreen. And there is launch assist, with wheel sensors detecting high-speed wheelspin or hop to reduce torque and maximize traction for better launches.

In Custom, we set the handling, steering feel and shifting to Sport, and our 2,000-mile-old test car launched quickly to 60 mph with a somewhat subdued supercharger whine in a quick 4.8 seconds – it even got 15 mpg and used only 42 horsepower of its 807 horsepower to maintain 70 mph on I-95.

In Sport mode, the rear Pirellis went up in smoke, dialed-back traction control not keeping them in check as the Widebody’s rear wandered. So, the best ETs need launch assist.

Launch rpm set at 1,800-rpm, left-foot-brake as I pinned throttle, and the gauge screen told me to go – 60 mph in 3.9 seconds, and 100 mph in 8.5. It was barely contained mayhem as the rear tires fought for traction, then grabbed and smoked as it screamed and roared at warp speed. And the noise – a full supercharger scream and twin pipe bellow, each decisive shift accompanied by an exhaust “VRRRUMPP.”

Then I set the drive mode to Track – all the power, suspension stiffness and steering feel with no safety nannies – and the Pirellis donated more rubber to heaven – wow! For comparison, a ’20 Challenger R/T Scat Pack Widebody I tested with a 392 HEMI V-8 and 485 horsepower did 60 mph in 4.8 seconds in Sport, and 4.4 seconds in launch control, with 100 mph in 9.4 seconds. A 2016 Hellcat with 707 horsepower saw it scream to 60-mph in 3.6 seconds. And the797 horsepower ’21 Widebody Charger Hellcat clocked 60 mph in 4.7 seconds and 100 in 9, while launch control saw it hit 60 mph in 4 seconds, and 100 mph in 8.2.

The Black Ghost gives the independent short/long-arm front/five-link independent rear suspension some adaptive damping tuned to shift as much weight as possible on rear tires at launch for maximum traction. Wider Pirellis and three-mode damping gave us a firmly sprung but buffered ride in Auto, quickly absorbing bumps with a quick-yet-supple edge to the rebound. Sport mode gave us a taut-yet-forgiving ride that saw me tense for potholes that got whumped without much fuss. Track was a bit jittery, very tightly controlled over bumps, but not a jaw breaker.

Those flared fenders add 3.5 inches to fit Pirellis, each 1.5-inches wider – more contact patch and it shows. In Custom mode, with traction at Street setting and 500 horsepower, this Hellcat easily carried speed around corners, flat, stable and sure-footed on fairly fresh rubber. Steering feel in Sport was firm and very direct, letting me place the wider car easily enough and have more power to carefully play. Push a bit of power into a turn and it stayed fairly neutral, yet I could goose the rear out a bit with just a hair more, catchable with throttle and quick counter-steer.

The Widebody did not feel too nose-heavy, despite a 55/45 front/rear bias. In tight corners, its dated platform felt its weight, but carried it well enough. Add too much throttle – just a tad – and it’s easy to power the rears out. Push too much – again very easy – and its donuts for everyone and smoke enough to cloud a state road. Track is raw and only suited for a race course or dragstrip, too much power for the street with this heritage chassis, despite rubber and suspension. A skidpad is the place to let it all hang.

To stop the ’23 DODGE CHALLENGER SRT HEMI BLACK GHOST, six-piston front/four-piston rear Brembo Performance Brakes, massive 15.4-inches each. The brake pedal is bit high and with great control, a firm push resulting in fairly quick stops with no drama or fade after hard use, including back-to-back-to-back 100 mph hits. Our onboard G-force meter showed .92Gs on launch, an impressive 1.18Gs on braking, and .92Gs in turns to prove it has the handling chops despite a platform with Mercedes-Benz suspension dating from the 2000s.

The basic looks are as the Challenger premiered in 2008, thankfully true to its 1970’s ancestor with long nose, nice fender hips, neat rear shoulder line and simple tail with slit lights. The slim inset gloss black grill is joined by a wide lower intake with intercooler inside, and a ground-hugging air dam. Those hood pins are super retro-cool. That air dam wraps into wide flared fenders that rightly frame massive rubber. There’s a retro chrome gas cap on the driver’s side. The short tail’s stripe and high-angle spoiler join twin exhaust tips allowing the whole neighborhood to hear me!

The Challenger’s interior also looks pretty much the same, all black with silver accents, well executed in function despite being unchanged for a while. Highly bolstered Alcantara/Laguna leather seats get Hellcat SRT embossing. The meaty stitched suede-clad steering wheel gets a backlit red SRT hub logo, small alloy paddle shifters in back. The gauge package is framed in real carbon fiber, with analog 220-mph speedometer and 7,000-rpm tach flanking a color screen with audio, navigation, performance and other info.

The center 8.4-inch touchscreen has a navigation map with dated graphics, a much-loved Performance Page screen taking a while to load. And we loved the solid 506-watt, 9-speaker Alpine audio system with thundering bass at the head of the carbon fibered center console. It’s near the Drive Mode control. There’s no place to park a cellphone, but we had Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Access to the back seat was a bit tight, with just enough headroom, and leg room if someone moves up in front. The trunk was deep, with plenty of space, although it had a high liftover.

A base Dodge Challenger SXT with V-6 starts at $30,940. And if you can find one, our ‘23 Black Ghost starts at $99,315 with all seen here. You will never see another like it, a shape that pays homage to a really cool street racer as well as a great ancestor. Yes, it’s dated, with too much power to play in civilized traffic, but who cares!

The gang at Hagerty tracked that highly original black ‘70 Challenger R/T SE down for a story, accompanied by an Historic Vehicle Association video with Associate Producer cred going to a friend, Nick Williams: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jd0io1zktqI

Watch the Black Ghost’s 20-inch Pirelli P-ZEROS go up in smoke: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XiGYgGVNc4w

Check out the ’23 DODGE CHALLENGER SRT HEMI BLACK GHOST and latest Dodge performance vehicles @ https://www.dodge.com/dodge-muscle.html

’22 CORVETTE Z51: SUNSHINE SUPERCAR

This Corvette is an everyday drop-top driver that delivers exotic import performance at one-half to one-third the price. Dan Scanlan checks out the ’22 CORVETTE Z51: SUNSHINE SUPERCAR.

OK, so it’s a baby blue convertible. But do you want to see some numbers generated by our baby – ’22 CORVETTE Z51: SUNSHINE SUPERCAR? How about 495-horsepower and 470 pound-feet of torque from this Rapid Blue Convertible’s naturally-aspirated 6.2-liter LT2 V-8 with a performance exhaust and rear-mounted 8-speed dual clutch automatic. Use Launch control and it’s 60 mph in 2.9 seconds, and 100 mph in 7.7; the G-Force meter saying we pulled 1.0 Gs! And its power top drops in 13 seconds at speeds up to 30 mph.

This eighth-gen Corvette is the first with a mid-mounted engine inside an aluminum and steel skeleton designed to handle roofless firepower. Our test convertible gets the Z51 option’s five-horsepower boost and brakes. At 3,467 pounds, it’s exactly 101 pounds heavier than the coupe. Use it as a suntan grocery getter in Tour Mode, which backs off throttle and shift response a bit, and it’s still fast. We got 60 mph in 3.6 seconds with a bit of wheelspin at launch, and 8.6 to 100. Get more aggressive in Sport Mode, my favorite, and our 5,500-mile-old convertible hit 60 mph in 3.2 seconds, and 100 mph in 7.8, a bit more wheelspin at launch.

Sport Mode also gave me a tauter suspension as that dual-clutch automatic held lower gears for longer and snappy throttle blips on downshifts. Track Mode offers very quick shifts, plus even sharper steering and throttle. My Mode lets you custom-tune suspension and exhaust sound; while Z–Mode customizes powertrain with a silver steering wheel button activating it. And its launch control offers Wet, Dry, Sport I, Sport II or Race rear rubber slip control Modes.

I saw up to an indicated 20 mpg, engine seamlessly shifting from V-8 to V-4 on highways to save gas. But as with the coupe we tested a few months earlier, the convertible offered some creaking above and behind from the roof going over driveway lips and potholes. As for that coupe, it hit 60 mph in 3.9 seconds in Tour; 3.7 in Sport, with 100 mph in just under 8; and Launch Control saw 60 mph in 2.9 seconds, and 100 mph in 7.9. The coupe pulled .97 Gs on launch.

Top down, the ’22 CORVETTE Z51: SUNSHINE SUPERCAR let us hear everything it did – the engine’s machinery right behind us; sharp exhaust cracks at each rapid dual-clutch up-shift at about 6,300 rpm; and that hint of tire spin on launch before the Z51 option’s electronic limited slip differential funneled power evenly to rear rubber. We experienced a brief sideways slip in the first-second shift, then it just went arrow straight – check the video to see what it did to my hair! And those who autocross or drag race will like the burnout mode to get stickier rubber for better launches.

Under the skin lives short/long arm double wishbone suspension with forged aluminum upper and cast aluminum L-shape lower control arms all-round, plus monotube shocks and Magnetic Ride Control, which responds to bumps in milliseconds. In Tour Mode, the ride was supple and taut, just fine. But while firmer in Sport with every bump felt, it offered quick buffering at compression and no harshness during sharp impacts – just fine for a spirited commute. And with a front suspension lift that hikes the air dam by 40 millimeters, driveways were easier to deal with.

The C8 Corvette’s 40/60 front-rear weight bias seemed able to let me pivot around my low bucket seat in curves. It was superbly agile at any speed, very responsive and neutral. The Corvette easily went where pointed with almost no body roll sensed inside. I could push into a curve and stay glued as it went. Or I could power the tail out, easy to hold with quick steering and throttle control. It’s so much fun, even better with the top down. With its backbone chassis and high-pressure diecast aluminum parts assembled with structural adhesive, we felt no cowl shake with top down. We pulled an indicated 1.06 Gs in steady-state skid pad cornering.

Steering was very responsive, no-nonsense precise in Sport and Track with no slop. The Z51 gave us larger 13.6-inch discs in front and 13.8-inchers in back with Brembo 4-piston monobloc calipers, offering precise control and very short and straight stops with no fade even after repeated high speed use. The pedal was a bit high, with good braking control and no apparent nose dive. And we pulled 1.1 Gs at full pedal.

Even though this American exotic has been around for a while, people still don’t know it’s a Corvette. Yet it has some familiar Corvette design elements like a pointed nose with gloss black center inlet flanked by twin radiators under winged honeycomb grilles. There’s a deep lower air dam, while slit headlights add to the Vette face feel. Flat-edged flares on edgy front fenders frame Michelin Pilot Sport P245/35ZR20-inch rubber on black 5-spoke alloy wheels, huge Z51 disc brakes visible in between with black Corvette calipers. In back, wider P305/30ZR20’s. There’s blade-like lower sills and flowing lines on flanks that slash under side intakes that begin at the doors’ leading edges, trimmed in metallic black, two more radiators inside this complex of curve and blade.

The ’22 CORVETTE Z51: SUNSHINE SUPERCAR silhouette matches the coupe’s until the B-pillar. While the coupe’s roof and rear glass over engine taper to the tail, the convertible’s rear deck gets almost Ferrari-like headrest fairings behind seat head restraints. There’s a flat deck over the engine with vents, then a trunk lid vs. coupe hatchback. As rear roof fairings flow inward, rear fender-tops seem to look wider on the low wedge shape. The convertible’s spoiler is trimmed down for better rearward vision. But you can’t see the convertible’s V-8 amidships, hidden by a cover where the top stacks, rubber flaps covering fluid access points.

The engine in the coupe, right, is much more visible. Drop that top and it’s easy to slide into a blue and tan leather-lined cockpit with power-adjustable GT2 seats in more leather and suede. They aren’t as aggressively bolstered as that coupe’s optional sport seats, but they were firm and comfortable with heat/cooling for both. The 2-tone dashboard wraps around the driver; the passenger left on the other side of the center console’s high ridge with 17 climate control buttons. Alloy and carbon fiber dash accents abound.

The squared-off steering wheel had a thick suede rim, long paddle shifters behind falling readily to fingertips to snap off shifts. The rear-view mirror shows a slim tunnel of what’s behind, framed by sweeping rear fairings and engine cover bump. You can flip on a sharp widescreen rear video camera display. But the camera drops with the top, leaving the mirror only, so rearward side vision for lane changes has some blind spots. The crisp 12-inch instrument cluster is configurable to drive modes, with round or strip 7,000-rpm tachometers, and digital or analog-like speedometers. A head-up display is configurable, some drive modes adding G-force info. The 10-inch-wide center touchscreen has navigation, traffic, forward/rear/nose camera displays, apps and a powerful 14-speaker Bose audio system easily heard top down. It’s got Wi-Fi, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.

There’s no manual gearbox, just drive-by-wire transmission toggles for Reverse and Drive and buttons for Park, Neutral and Manual. Under a leather palm pad is a drive mode selector, with inductive charge slot for smartphones behind and between the seats. With swept-back windshield, high door tops and rear window/wind blocker, it was breezy but livable at suburban speeds. Like the coupe, there are two trunks for a total of 12.6 cubic feet of space.

A base Corvette Coupe starts at $62,195 with a 490-horsepower V-8 and rear-mounted 8-speed dual clutch automatic. The Convertible starts at $69,695. Our 3LT model kicks that up to $81,095 with Napa Leather GT2 seats and carbon-fiber trim, leather interior and suede trim. With options like the $6,345 Z51 package with rear axle performance ratio, high-performance tires/brakes/suspension/exhaust and low rear spoiler, it was $96,925. Our ’22 CORVETTE Z51: SUNSHINE SUPERCAR is still way less than anything that delivers Supercar performance from Italy, England or Germany!

Words, Photos & Video: Dan Scanlan

’22 Corvette Stingray Convertible Video: https://youtu.be/Xfe5a2v-Hr8

For the complete ’22 Corvette Stingray story, please visit https://www.chevrolet.com/performance/corvette

DURANGO SRT HELLCAT: ONE HELLUVA SUV

With 710 Hemi horsepower, room for six, and Supercar acceleration, Dodge’s latest Sport Utility Vehicle – DURANGO SRT HELLCAT: ONE HELLUVA SUV – has no peers, blogs Dan Scanlan.

Yes, the Durango has been around for 10 years, making it pretty long-in-tooth in automotive model cycles. And the fine folks at what is now Stellantis have put its supercharged HEMI in many other products including Chargers, Challengers and the Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk. Packing a supercharged 6.2-liter HEMI Hellcat V-8, rated at 710 horsepower and 645 foot-pounds of torque, makes our Durango tester the most powerful SUV made.

And it looks the part under that scooped and vented hood. There’s a massive ribbed supercharger with integrated electronic bypass valve regulating boost pressure to a maximum of 11.6 psi. Its HEMI-orange painted cast-iron engine block sports a forged-steel crankshaft with tuned damper, forged-alloy pistons; powder-forged connecting rods with high-load-capacity bushings and carbon-coated piston pins and a 260-millimeter crossover X-pipe, largest in the SRT lineup, ending twin-pipe exhaust.

The Hellcat barks to life, then a bassy idle that becomes a scream as soon as gas pedal is pushed and supercharger engages. The amount it engages can be fine-tuned via multiple drive modes: Auto (with Eco), Street, Sport and Track, as well as Custom to set engine, transmission, steering and suspension feel. And if you must use the Durango as an SUV, there’s Snow, Tow and lower-power Valet settings.

Eco dumbs down the throttle so you can drive this Hellcat gently, with smooth, metered gearshifts and just enough power without too much supercharger scream or acceleration. That’s for passengers in the cheap seats, OK for daily commuting and not slow at all – 60 mph in Eco only took 4.5 seconds. It helped us average almost 14 mpg on highway runs, more than enough power pass without a downshift.

But what’s a Hellcat without its scream? Set in Sport, which tightens up shifting and steering feel and gives you all the engine with traction/stability control armed, it leaped off the line to hit 60 in 3.5 seconds. But the E-ticket ride is using Launch Control. Set optimum launch rpm, hold the brake, then bury the gas pedal. In a second, the gauge display says “go-for-it”, and you release the brake. With a very rearward 30/70 torque split, the rear Pirellis gave us a controlled 6-foot-long burnout as we hit 60 mph in 3.36 seconds, and 100 in 8.7 – almost the fastest vehicle I’ve tested this year. Launch Assist is in use here as well, using wheel speed sensors to dampen wheel hop for full grip and managed tire slip for straight all-wheel-drive acceleration. We pulled 1.09Gs at full thrust. In Track mode, add exhaust “whoomps” on each sharp upshift, and overrun crackle and throttle blips on downshifts.

Despite being a 5,710-pound SUV that can tow up to 8,700 pounds, our almost-9,000-mile-old Durango really handles. Dodge claims it reduced understeer by 2.5 percent, so a driver can go into a corner faster and exit quicker. In sweeping curves, the Durango Hellcat had a bit of body roll as the 20-inch Pirelli Scorpions grabbed. Then it just carved the corner. We could just power through a curve, the rearward-biased all-wheel-drive allowing the tail out a bit on turns in Sport mode, easily catchable as power spread forward. The onboard G-force meters showed almost 1G in cornering. And as our video shows, it just goes through turns time after time with no drama, handling predictably, a very involving and communicative SUV that looked forward to curves.

As far as looks, 2021’s Durango gets a slimmer black mask grill with LED-rimmed projector beam headlights framed by DRLs, more aggressive forward-swept mesh grill over bumper, plus deep lower intake with serious chin spoiler and functional side intakes. Fog lamps get replaced by a cold-air scoop in the lower fascia to feed supercharger and Hellcat’s 92-mm throttle body. It gains a power bulge hood with center scoop and dual vents, while those Pirellis live on brushed alloy and pewter 10-spoke alloy wheels, tread peeking out from shouldered and flared fenders. Huge red Brembo calipers are visible inside spokes. There’s a new rear spoiler/sunshade that creates real downforce of 140 pounds at 180 mph, SRT says.
Inside, like the latest Chargers and Challengers, is an updated, clean, well-designed and built interior in black over red, complimented by hand-stitched leatherette covering flowing dashboard cowl and doors. Driver and passenger get heavily-bolstered Nappa leather sports buckets with embossed Hellcat logos, plus heat, cooling and multiple power adjustments. The flat-bottom steering wheel’s fat stitched leather rim gets a red-lit SRT badge, small alloy paddle shifters integrated with stereo controls in back.

The SRT-specific gauge package gets bright red-lit 200-mph speedometer and gas/engine temp gauges with floating needles. In the middle, a digital 7,000-rpm tach framing a central display inside for audio, navigation turn-by-turn info, multiple trip computer and mileage screens and engine gauges. Or set a digital speed readout, instant G-force, drag strip times and other performance info.

A new 10.1-inch main touchscreen handles navigation, a good 825-watt/19-speaker Harman Kardon audio system and performance pages to get engine gauges, G-force, power and torque, acceleration times and more. There are physical controls now for a/c, drive modes and launch control on smoked chrome buttons, vs. having to dive into layers of touchscreens as in year’s past. There’s a new user-friendly climate control too, plus a big inductive cellphone charger pad in the redesigned console near four USB ports and an MP3 input. Uconnect has Wi-Fi, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Back doors open on two leather-clad reclining bucket seats that don’t slide, so there’s just enough leg room for adults, while that longer wheelbase means the third row had adequate adult head and leg room. Fold second and third row seatbacks for a big 85.1-cu-ft. The power hatch opens high, but not hands-free.

The 710-horsepower ’21 Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat & 797-horsepower ’21 Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Redeye.

Base price for a V-6 rear-wheel-drive Durango is $33,340; our all-wheel-drive DURANGO SRT HELLCAT: ONE HELLUVA SUV starts at $80,995 with options like: $2,495 interior with suede headliner and premium digital gauges; $1,595 Laguna leather seats; $1,995 rear DVD/TV; $1,195 tow group and more for a final $92,040. This is the Hellcat I’d get since its daily driving manners are comfortable, yet it likes to play and go REALLY fast and roomy enough for six. But it is rare – Dodge will only build about 2,000 Durango SRT Hellcats for 2021.

Look & Listen: VIDEO, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRFiyJ2j-rk

Checkout the DURANGO SRT HELLCAT: ONE HELLUVA SUV and the entire Durango SRT lineup for 2021 @ https://www.dodge.com/durango/srt.html

MULTIPLE PERSONALITY: ‘21 BMW M5 COMPETITION

The twin-turbocharged, MULTIPLE PERSONALITY: ‘21 BMW M5 COMPETITION can be a comfortable family sedan. Or it can be a very fast four-seat sedan with all-wheel-drive to safely play, or go out Supercar hunting, blogs Dan Scanlan.

I had to double check the numbers. First, our 4,345-pound M5 Competition boasted 617 horsepower and 553 pound-feet of torque, with all-wheel-drive and launch control. The 4,600-mile-old sedan hit 60 mph in a hair over 3 seconds, and 100 mph in 7 – check out the video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fb2MXz9dfS4

Then let’s compare: a 4,610-pound Dodge Charger Hellcat Redeye with 797 horsepower and 707 pound-feet of torque did 60 mph in 4 seconds, and 100 mph in 8.2 with launch control on a slightly damp and cold night when we tested it. A 4,669-pound Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG S Wagon with twin-turbocharged 4-liter V-8, 603 horsepower and 627 pound-feet of peak torque, saw 60 mph in 3.1 seconds with launch control, and 100 mph in 8. Yes, our M5, with carbon fiber roof and twin-turbocharged V-8 power, is the quickest four-passenger sedan I’ve tested, given weather conditions and drivetrain configuration.

This updated sixth-gen version MULTIPLE PERSONALITY: ‘21 BMW M5 COMPETITION has cross-bank exhaust manifolds, direct injection and upgraded cooling to improve turbo response by reducing the distance exhaust gases flow to them. Default drive mode clicks on when you park yourself inside, giving all 617 horsepower, active stability control, full digital instrumentation and Head-Up display. Sport mode gives full power plus quicker gearshifts and stiffer suspension, with simplified digital dash showing tach, digital speed, gear and a G-force display if desired. Then there’s Track mode – full power, plus driver assistance, audio and center display off so you can focus. There’s also three xDrive modes – basic all-wheel-drive, rear-wheel-biased 4WD Sport, and rear-wheel-drive only, with stability and traction control limited or off.

You can set your two-favorite engine, transmission, suspension, steering, stability control and xDrive settings, then get quick access via two red “M” buttons on the steering wheel. M1 was efficient powertrain, comfort steering/suspension and full all-wheel drive for commuting; M2 preset engine and suspension on Sport Plus, steering on Sport, and full all-wheel-drive. In efficient M1, power aplenty to hit 60 mph in a very quick 3.6 seconds. M2 was quicker – 60 mph in 3.2 seconds, four tires grabbing as acceleration pinned me to the seat, then 100 mph in 7.2 seconds as the rear-biased M xDrive distributed torque between front and rear axles via a multi-plate clutch. An active differential splits torque between left and right rear wheels to keep us straight. We had a hint of rear wheelspin during launch control liftoff as we pulled .9Gs. In Track, a smoky burnout for fun, and tail-out drifting if you want. Select manual shifting in Sport Plus and you get an exhaust braaaap at upshifts, and delightful exhaust crackle on overrun. Mixing modes, we averaged 15 mpg.

The M5 has double-wishbone front/five-link rear suspension with Comfort, Sport and Sport damper control. Our M5 Competition model added new shocks and recalibrated damper control, a .2-inch lower ride and increased front negative camber, firmer rear anti-roll bar and 10 percent firmer springs. Plus low-profile 20-inch Pirelli P-ZERO run-flat rubber, wider in back, on forged M alloy wheels with huge cross-drilled carbon-ceramic brakes and gold calipers.

Even the M1 setting was firm enough for fun daily running, neatly buffered and not too soft as it handled bumps with quick but buffered rebound. But Sport tightened things up nicely but did not jar over bumps, and let its 4,345 pounds feel light and precise as it cornered as if on rails. There was no understeer in curves as xDrive shifted power where needed to pull us through – no body roll either. Tighter turns saw the rear-biased xDrive letting the tail power out a bit, so easy to catch and play with as we pulled 1G in corners. It went where pointed with no drama, feeling a bit of its weight but never playing it. We had a bit of wheel-hop hitting a bump in mid-turn, but our M5 shrugged it off and stayed on course. Steering was direct with good feel in Sport, and very precise in Sport . The lighter carbon ceramic brakes had quick bite early on, then solid, quick stops with no fade and no real nose dive, if a bit grabby at slower speeds. We saw 1.2Gs on full stop.

Some other BMWs are going through a design crisis with tall twin-kidney grills. But the 5-Series’ seventh-gen version of 2016, got some freshening for 2021, those twin grills still somewhat slim, extending deeper into the bumper. Glaring LED headlights bend into turns, with twin L-shaped DRLs. There’s an aggressive, deep lower intake over integrated air dam. M5 Competitions get black accents everywhere, and M Division’s signature carbon fiber roof. There’s a near-fastback rear window and short deck with slim black spoiler. In back, large LED taillights live over a gloss diffuser with black chrome quad exhaust pipes. It’s subtly aggressive, low and wide, but doesn’t stand out too much.

Inside, a luxurious dark-over light-gray leather-lined cabin with serious tech and color-changeable accent lighting over strips of buff carbon fiber with chrome edging. Leather with twin stitching outlines the dashtop’s gentle cowl framing a configurable 12.3-inch-wide digital gauge package with 200-mph speedometer and an 8,000-rpm tach. A navigation screen, or car info can be shown in between, while a sport mode contracts the tach and speedo to frame a speed display incorporating a small G-force meter.

The grippy M steering wheel has paddle shifters in back. Dash center is another 12.3-inch-wide stand-up screen for navigation, audio, seat massage settings and more, controlled by a familiar iDrive twist/tap/jog controller on the center console with main menu buttons. There’s Apple CarPlay and wireless Android Auto, two USB ports up front and an inductive phone charger. But there’s more. And like Mercedes, it has an easy voice command: either say “Hey BMW” and ask it to work windows, adjust a/c, navigation, audio and. Or use gesture control. Long trips on winding roads were just fine in heavily-bolstered sport seats that heat, cool and offer massage settings, plus a very clear and powerful Bowers and Wilkins audio system. And friend can join the autobahn cruise with OK leg room and decent head room in back, plus a decent 14-square-foot trunk, which opens with a foot wave.

To play, a base 600-horsepower M5 with xDrive is $103,500; ours had the $7,600 Competition Package with 20-inch wheels and tires, sports exhaust, black trim, horsepower boost to 617-horsepower and suspension mods. It also had a $3,600 paint job; $3,500 full leather interior; $3,350 executive package with soft-close doors, rear sunshades, heated front and rear seats with front ventilation and massage; parking assist and surround-view camera; $1,000 gas guzzlers tax, and a bit more for an as-tested price of $139,645.

For more information about the MULTIPLE PERSONALITY: ‘21 BMW M5 COMPETITION and the latest performance-luxury M-models from BMW, please visit https://www.bmwusa.com/vehicles/m-models.html