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The BMW M5: The King of the Sports Saloons is back

BMW M5 front e1503413486789
Don't be fooled by the domestic setting

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22 August 2017

  • Sixth generation of the BMW M5
  • 4.4-litre V8 engine with twin turbo technology
  • Eight-speed transmission and four wheel drive
  • 0-60mph in 3.4 seconds, top speed limited to 155mph
  • Available from February 2018

 

THE best car in the world is back. Rejoice, for there is a brand new BMW M5 on the way.

If you have ever driven a BMW M5 you probably know where we’re coming from. If you think we’re just being overly enthusiastic we should probably explain.  

At the end of the day the new M5 is a BMW 5 Series, in other words a four door saloon with a sizeable boot. Being a 5 Series it’s also well equipped, comfortable, and brilliantly engineered. There’s also the added bonus of being a lovely car to drive, either at speed or on a long cruise.

2018 BMW M5 interior
Driver focussed cabin

If you’re looking for a solid executive saloon car the 5 Series has few serious rivals. That’s why it’s a consistent performer in the company car popularity contest.

The new M5 has leather upholstery, dynamic driving modes, a new digital display, and a large touchscreen infotainment system. It will also have cruise control, climate control, and the seats will be heated. There are even a few new colour options that will be exclusive to the new M5.

The new M5 is all of those sensible things we just said. It’s also much more than that. That elephant in the corner can’t be ignored forever.

The new BMW M5, like the preceding five versions, can also be a fire breathing, tyre shredding, supercar slaying monster.

Tucked away under your right toe is a 4.4-litre V8 engine with two turbochargers. One was clearly insufficient. Improved lubrication and cooling systems keep the engine optimal and the modified exhaust manifold ensures those gases keep the turbos spinning nicely.

That V8 engine is bolted to a chassis specifically designed for the new M5. It also has variable dampers, electronically controlled shock absorbers, and a new rear axle.

The new BMW M5 has an eight-speed Steptronic transmission and is the first to come with four wheel drive to ensure all the power stands a chance of getting to the Tarmac. You can turn it off but, and here we quote BMW, “The pure rear-wheel-drive 2WD mode is designed for track use by experienced drivers and is dedicated entirely to pure driving pleasure without restrictive control systems.” Gulp.

The redesigned front bumper has bigger openings to siphon air to the engine, the front wings and bonnet are made of aluminium to save weight, and the roof is a plastic and carbon composite that helps lower the centre of gravity and improve handling.

The new BMW M5 has a lower, meaner, and more predatory stance than an ordinary 5 Series and that’s because it is anything but ordinary. Aggressively elegant seems to sum it up nicely. In the world of high-specification, high-performance sports saloons the BMW M5 is King.

New BMW M5
Sideways is the new forwards

All that power tucked away beneath your quivering big toe equates to some very big numbers. And some small ones too.

With fuel economy around 26mpg and emissions of 241g/km the new BMW M5 is not going to be a cheap car to run. It will also be expensive, although we don’t know exactly how much it will cost as it doesn’t go on sale until February 2018 and BMW hasn’t told us that bit yet. Suffice to say company car drivers should expect the tax man to take a sizeable chunk of their income in exchange for the keys to an M5. 

Frankly, nobody should care about that though. If you choose to drive an M5 frugality probably doesn’t feature very high on your list of priorities. The other numbers are much more enticing.

600bhp, 60mph in around 3.4 seconds, and a top speed of who knows what. We literally don’t know in this case. BMW has limited the new M5 to 155mph but the old M5 could hit 189mph without the limiter and it was down 50bhp and 70Nm of torque against the new model. Could the new M5 manage to break 200mph if let off the leash? We don’t know, but it’s not beyond the bounds of reason.

That’s why the new BMW M5 is the best car in the world. It does everything a 5 Series can do whilst also doing everything a supercar can do. It’s the best of both worlds in one stunning package.

After all, who wouldn’t want a comfortable, practical, four door saloon? Especially one that can eat a Porsche for breakfast.

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