BMW M GmbH has made its BMW M5 high-performance sedan better than ever with some stylistic fine-tuning and a skilfully honed operating concept. The 4.4 litre turbocharged V8 engine generates 592bhp and comes mated to an eight speed M Steptronic transmission with Drivelogic comes as standard, as does M xDrive all-wheel drive, which also includes a 2WD setting for pure rear-wheel drive. The M5 sprints from a zero to 100 kmph in 3.4 seconds, and passes the 200 kmph mark with just 11.1 seconds on the clock.
Featuring new shock absorbers from the BMW M8 Gran Coupé and a retuned chassis, the BMW M5 offers even better driveability and handling at the limit, combined with superior comfort levels. The BMW M5 sits seven millimetres lower than the 5 Series and includes other well-conceived tweaks to the suspension and springs. This setup makes allowance for the car’s extra power and truly comes into its own on the race track.
In terms of its design, as on the BMW 5 Series range, the updated BMW kidney grille drops down further into the front apron, its chrome surround now has a one-piece design framing both kidney elements, which sport M specific double bars and an M badge. The restyled front apron has bolder contouring and larger air intakes at the sides, while the large central air intake is hexagonal in shape and incorporates the oil cooler along with the radar sensor.
New L shaped light tubes searing in narrow streaks towards the kidney grille add a dynamic flourish to the newly designed LED headlights. The new option of BMW Individual lights Shadowline adds a dark-tinted accent to the Adaptive LED Headlights and BMW Laserlight.
The new two-button operating concept in the centre console originates from the BMW M8. The M Mode button lets the driver toggle swiftly between the ROAD and SPORT settings. The Setup button takes them straight to the central display’s menu, where they can select an individual configuration for the powertrain and chassis options. The BMW M5 Competition also offers TRACK mode, for an undiluted M feeling on race circuits.
