This is it. Having been teased/tormented for months with spy pictures of a heavily camouflaged test mule and further taunted by the recently revealed M5 Concept at the Shanghai Motor Show, official images of the production-ready F10 series BMW M5 have emerged.
Stylistically, the latest M5 is further confirmation that BMW’s M division is eschewing the boy-racer approach to its product’s design and opting for subtle lines as opposed to sledgehammer aesthetics.
The deep front air dam is perhaps the most aggressive feature of the new car. There’s some mild flaring to the wheel arches, signature chromed “gills” on the front wings with incorporated repeaters and a revised rear valance punctuated by a quartet of sizeable exhaust tips. It’s a package that is relatively refined, but with a hint of pent-up aggression bubbling just beneath its surface. The M5 will come standard with “light-alloy” 19-inch wheels and 20-inch wheels with five slim double spokes will be optional.
V10 to V8 twin-turbo
Power will be provided by an uprated version of the company’s 4,4-litre twin-turbo V8 engine. This unit will develop 412 kW between 6 000 r/min and 7 000 r/min. A handy 680 N.m of torque will be available from a very low 1 500 r/min up to 5 750 r/min. BMW promises the rise of power and torque through the rev range will be lag-free. Also, the rev limiter will only intervene at 7 200 r/min. This figure is not as high as the 8 400 r/min of the previous-generation V10 M5, but nonetheless significant for a turbocharged V8.
At 1 870 kg, the new M5’s mass is very close to the 1 897 kg of the previous M5 CAR tested in August 2005.
Power will be channelled to the rear wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission and there will be enough shove, according to BMW, to propel the car to 100 km/h from standstill in 4,4 seconds. The 0-200 km/h run should take around 13 seconds, while the top speed will be electronically limited to 250 km/h. Customers may, however, opt for an M Driver’s package, which takes the top speed up to 305 km/h.
As we have seen in numerous M5 videos over the past couple of months, the new M5 is especially great at drifting, no doubt helped by a rear-axle diff lock that can lock up to 100 per cent depending on conditions.
M button
As with previous M cars, an M button can be programmed by the driver/owner to change specific parameters. The driver will have control over accelerator response, the Drivelogic shift programme for the gearbox, DSC (Dynamic Stability Control) and damping. A tasty addition to the M button is the ability to alter what the heads-up display shows.
The M5 also debuts a number of interesting technologies, one of which is BMW’s ConnectedDrive. With the correct app installed, Apple iPhone and other smartphone users will be able to receive web-broadcast radio stations, while Facebook and Twitter posts will be displayed on the on-board monitor.
So when will you be able to tweet about your new M5 from inside your M5? Locally from November… We can’t wait.
