5 lighter (and cheaper!) alternatives to the NEW BMW M5

So in the last week, BMW unveiled the all-new G90 M5, and there are a few things you could say about it, the main one being it's very heavy. To be specific the new BMW M5 weighs a whopping 2510kg. Yes, you read that right the new M5 weighs in at two and a half tonnes. That's the same as a small town.

However if you're anything like me and you don't want to drive the citadel of 5 series, there are other options past and present that both weigh and cost less, these are my top 5:

5. Audi S8 (2006-2010)- Avg. Used Price: $17,000

I only have three words to say about this one- Lamborghini Gallardo V10. One of the many criticisms of the newest BMW M5 is that its hybrid V8 just doen't aggressive enough. Well, how about this, a 5.2 litre V8 taken straight out of a Lamborghini.

Not only did you get a sound akin to the sound of angels descending from heaven, but you also got 443 horsepower, and a 0-60 time of 4.9 seconds, all in a car fully loaded with: Seats that look like they come straight out of a first-class airline cabin, of course they heat up too, with memory settings. All of this in a car which is essentially a large briefcase with a V10 in the front.

4. W212 Mercedes- Benz E63 AMG- Avg. Used Price: $23,500

2 less cylinders than the S8, but 106 more horses. The W212 E63 AMG was the it saloon of the 2010s. Not only did the AMG-tuned E-Class beat the F10 M5 but it also overtakes the newest G90 M5 too.

No, it won't have all the same technology and touch screens and power numbers as the newest M5, but, it's: Lighter (1920kg vs 2510kg), louder (a grunting brute of a 6.2-liter V8 vs BMW's smaller displacement 4.4-liter twin-turbo powerplant, which comes with some help from an electric motor), and for the extra 178 horsepower from BMW's powerplant, the M5 is only 0.5 seconds quicker to 60 (3.5 vs 4 seconds).

3. Audi SQ5 (2012)- Avg. Used Price- $20,000

Yes, it is a diesel, yes it is slower, yes it is an SUV, (and if you've read my writing before you'll know how I feel about SUVs) and yet I'd take one of these over the newest M5 because the Audi SQ5 isn't just good for an SUV, it's a very good car.

You might be wondering why I've listed the SQ5 higher than legendary sedans such as the E63 or S8, and there is a method to the madness, and here's the method- I was genuinely surprised something this big, bloated, and heavy is somehow lighter than BMW's new M5.

There are other reasons why the SQ5 is ranked so high too, but they're all sensible reasons. Sensible reason number one is that the SQ5 has the most boot space, for all your golf clubs that you'll need if you're looking for a fast family car. Reason number two, you'll get half-decent fuel economy from the 3-liter V6 diesel engine, according to AutoCar.com, you can expect around 33 MPG.

2. E60 BMW M5- Avg. Used Price- $30,000

I know what you're thinking. An unreliable V10 for $30,000, with old technology, and to that I raise you this:

This is my optimistic take on it- Most of the M5s that had issues are probably off the road by now, it's been nearly 20 years, and that's why you'll be paying a premium for an E60 these days. The E60 M5 in its time was one of the class leaders for ride comfort, as well as interior comfort making it one of the best all-rounders BMW has ever made. Oh, and if you want to be sensible and fast BMW did the M5 as a wagon too.

Anyway, the stuff you're interest in. The E60 M5 comes with 500 horses under the bonnet from its 5-liter V10. With all that power you'll get to 60 in less than 5 seconds, and you'll sound good doing it too, with that violin-like sound that V10 makes. As you'd expect, the E60 is just over half a tonne lighter than the G90 (1830kg vs 2510kg).

1. E34 BMW M5- Avg. Used Price- $40,000

So, this is it, the ultimate family car. The E34 M5 is not only the ultimate BMW, but the ultimate car. It's hard to quantify, but the E34 is perfection.

From its inline 6, the super sedan pushes out around 335 horsepower, and I know that isn't a lot compared to the 700 horsepower beasts that have become the norm in times of recent, but at the time that was in the same ballpark as the Ferrari Testarossa of the same era. It's a similar story with 0-60. For me by any standards, the 5.9 seconds that the M5 gets to 0 is still incredibly fast. Putting this into context, this full-fat, full-luxury, full-sized saloon could go from stationary to 60 in the same amount of time as the Testarossa.

Step inside, and you'll find an interior that truly makes you feel like a billionaire, with captain-style chairs at the front, rear seats fit for royalty, and of course an optional car phone. All of this whilst weighing a shade of 1600kg. If you're going to buy an M5, buy this one.