The new BMW M5 is revealed with a plug-in hybrid powertrain delivering 717bhp, but it weighs 2.5 tonnes. Costs from £110,500.
Well, the new BMW M5 Touring hasn’t been revealed yet, but here’s the new BMW M5 with its new PHEV powertrain and looking bold and ‘green’.
As you’d expect, the M5 looks like a regular 5 Series on steroids, new look front and back with wide wheel arches front and back too, big air intakes, quad round tailpipes, 20″ front and 21″ rear alloys and bulging body bits.
Under the skin, there’s bespoke suspension with wider track front and back, coil springs with adaptive dampers, rear-wheel steering and new brake discs (ceramic optional) all of which are needed to support the mammoth weight – some 2.5 tonnes.
That ridiculous weight is down to the increased size of the new 5 Series, but much more because of the new PHEV powertrain.
The powertrain uses BMW’s 4.4-litre V8 good for 576bhp and an electric motor between the engine and gearbox good for 194bhp delivering a combined 717bhp to all four wheels through BMW’s eight-speed auto ‘box and an M Active diff at the back.
Despite all that power, this generation is slower than the current car, with 62mph coming up in 3.5 seconds (0.2s slower and half a second slower than 2021’s BMW M5 CS) mainly because of the 19.6kWh battery used to power the electric motor weighing in at over 200kg and the motor another 50kg.
Not that anyone buying a new M5 will worry too much about using the motor for anything other than performance, but if needed the M5 will do up to 43 miles in EV mode.
Inside, the basics are much the same as the rest of the 5 Series range but with adaptive sports seats and special colour and trim options, M-specific graphics and menus including drift analyser and track data and a choice of M Modes.
The new £110,500 BMW 5 will be at Goodwood this month, and first UK customer deliveries are expected in November.
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