[SteveC]

Well there's no doubt that the M5 is in a different league. By that I don't automatically mean a 'better' or superior league, I mean different.

If, above all you enjoy driving, then an M3 and M5 is a different experience to an M135i. The M135i is like the very best curry, vs. the M5's evening with a top chef. The well prepared 250 dirt bike vs. the works-prepared open classer, The Phildelphia vs the Vienna Philharmonic....you get the picture

With the M5 there's more refinement, a lot more performance, superior brakes, more sophisticated suspension, superior tuneability, far higher limits, thanks to the M-Diff, nicer cabin, leatherwork, lots more toys etc.

On the other hand, the m135i is not without its significant charms. Its smaller, so easier to drive quickly along backroads, its steering is, if anything faster than the M5's, and you can have just as much fun going slightly slower.

I am delighted with the new M5 and while its clearly a larger car, that largeness doesn't translate into a feeling of lardiness. As a driver's car, its right up there....a magnificent achievement in automotive engineering. Having said that, if someone took it off me tomorrow and gave me back my M135i, it wouldn't take me 10 minutes to adapt and start enjoying the smaller car. There're simply too many good things to enjoy about it

This change has illustrated 2 things. That a full M car is definitely a very nice thing to drive and place to be and that in the M135i, BMW built one of the best value for money, fun-to-own cars on the road.
I'm now going to enjoy my new M5 to the full, but I'll bet you that if the M2 lives up to its promise, its going to set new standards for automotive fun.