BMW M5 (2024) debuts with 727 hp and over 2.4 tons of weight

June 28, 2024
10:30 pm
News

(Motorsport-Total.com/Motor1) – The tension was almost unbearable. There was teasing and speculation like crazy. BMW heated up the mood even more by telling us early on that there would finally be an M5 Touring again. Now the wait is over. Curtain up for the new BMW M5 Sedan (G90).

What we are experiencing is a blatant departure from everything that has previously defined an M5. We see an absolute edge that has abandoned any restraint in the design. Added to this is the first-time electrification of the legendary performance sedan and, as a result, a weight that is likely to bring tears to the eyes of enthusiasts and fans all over the world. We have already been able to inspect the new addition live and can tell you what to expect.

drive

In addition to the memorable fighting weight, which exceeds the 2.5 tonne mark with driver, the new plug-in hybrid drive train is of course the main cause for discussion. M fans already know the powerful combo of 4.4-litre biturbo V8 and permanently excited synchronous electric motor from the XM mega SUV. In the case of the new M5, the 585 hp combustion engine and the 197 hp electric motor provide a system output of 727 hp and 1,000 Nm of torque.

And why all the effort, including the painful weight disadvantage? After all, the new M5 is an almost incomprehensible 500 kilos heavier than its predecessor. Well, what I keep hearing from the engineers at the on-site appointment: With a pure combustion engine drive, the exhaust regulations would have made it significantly weaker than in the last M5 and you can’t convince the majority of your customers that.

I would add: Imagine that at some point a new Mercedes-AMG E 63 and the next Audi RS 7 with 700+ hp PHEV engines appear. BMW would be left looking like a wet poodle with 585 hp. That’s not nice in many ways, but that’s just how the market works.

Photo gallery: BMW M5 (2024) First pictures

Be that as it may, the driving performance is of course brutal despite the new love handles. But the truth is that the predecessor was better at getting off the ground. The plug-in M5 does the 0-100 km/h in 3.5 seconds. The old M5 Competition needed 3.3 seconds, the M5 CS even just 3.0. The 200 km/h mark is cracked in 10.9 seconds, here the M5 CS is also half a second faster. The top speed is 250 km/h, which can optionally be increased to 305 km/h.

The power is transmitted to all four wheels via an 8-speed automatic transmission. The new electric era also features the 4WD Sport mode, in which the all-wheel drive is more rear-biased. There is also the well-known 2WD mode, which enables pure rear-wheel drive and smoky drifts when the ESP is deactivated.

The main culprit for the extra weight has a net capacity of 18.6 kWh and lies flat in the underbody. The purely electric range is a maximum of 69 kilometers. It charges with up to 7.4 kW. A little later, 11 kW will be possible. The whole thing can be done via an update.

The Munich-based company has installed up to five operating modes in its new hybrid flagship. Hybrid, Electric and the eControl mode, which maintains the charge level, are standard. Dynamic and Dynamic Plus are also available as options for the race track. Here, the cooling system and system performance are conditioned accordingly. In Dynamic, it is constant for longer, and in Dynamic Plus it is maximum for a short time.

Driving dynamics

As is now known from various M vehicles, the new M5 also has a massive arsenal of additional struts and shear fields to increase torsional rigidity. The stiffer connection of the chassis to the body and the steering that is rigidly bolted to the front axle support also contribute to this.

The G90 comes with a double wishbone axle at the front and a multi-link axle at the rear. Both have specially designed links, stiffer bearings and more focused axle kinematics. When looking at the pictures, you might have noticed that it has massive shoulder training compared to the normal 5 Series. Yes, yes, BMW is going for a wide body for the first time and this is of course reflected in larger track widths.

An adaptive M chassis and, for the first time in an M5, rear-wheel steering with a steering angle of up to 1.5 degrees are standard. The latter also helps to remove a bit of virtual size and kilos from what is now a rather large performance sedan.

A steel brake system with six-piston calipers at the front and single-piston floating calipers at the rear is fitted as standard. The disc size is 410 and 398 millimeters. For an additional charge, the Munich-based company supplies carbon-ceramic brakes with 420 mm discs at the front, which save a total of 25 kilograms in weight.

Exterior

You can see for yourself that the time of sober understatement is definitely over for the M5. The new car breaks the mold and is a real eye-catcher. I suspect that the design won’t be to everyone’s taste, but I’m just going to go out on a limb and congratulate the design team. It really looks great. Especially in the new color Frozen Deep Grey metallic.

Believe it or not, the new M5 sedan is 5.09 meters long and 1.97 meters wide. The car is 78 millimeters wider at the front than the conventional 5 Series, and 45 millimeters wider at the rear. The sexy hips are not roughly attached, but rather, well, “subtly” drawn into the sheet metal. The kidney grille is glossy black and almost completely closed.

The aprons are also striking. At the front there is a very large, black central air intake, at the rear there is a real monster of a diffuser, which – also in black – protrudes very far and sculpturally from the rear apron. BMW itself speaks of a monolithic design. I think it can be left as it is.

The standard wheels measure 20 inches at the front and 21 inches at the rear. The tire format is 285/40 ZR20 at the front and 295/35 ZR21 at the rear. Rather unusual for a sports sedan: A panoramic glass roof is standard, a 30 kg lighter (!) carbon roof is available for an additional charge in the carbon package. If you tick all the lightweight boxes, the weight of the M5 is reduced by around 60 kg. Then it is still around 2,370 when empty. The four exhaust tailpipes each measure 100 millimeters in diameter.

interior

A look inside the interior shows that it can be quite sporty and extroverted if desired. In the pictures you can see the metallic leather with a slight shimmer effect, available for the first time, in the upper part of the seats and on the doors. A black interior is standard. Three bicolor variants are available as an option. Two more bicolor versions will be added in 2025.

The new steering wheel is flattened at the bottom and of course has the red M buttons, which can be used to call up preconfigured driving mode settings. The shift paddles are black with red accents. The standard equipment includes 4-zone automatic climate control, auxiliary air conditioning and a Bowers & Wilkins sound system with 18 speakers.

The new M5 is operated via the so-called Operating System 8.5. The familiar curved display consisting of a 12.3-inch instrument display and a 14.9-inch infotainment screen, as well as the head-up display, is equipped with M-specific graphics and displays. The trunk volume is 466 liters and the maximum towing capacity is 2,000 kilograms.

Market launch and prices

Production of the BMW M5 will start in July at the Dingolfing plant. It will then be launched on the market in November 2024. Incidentally, this will coincide with the M5 Touring, which we will not be able to show you in all its glory until mid-August. Prices start at 144,000 euros for the sedan, the station wagon is 2,000 euros more expensive.