The wraps officially came off the all-new BMW M5 at Frankfurt motor show today.
The M5 has already been seen in public – most notably at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in June – but has now been given its full introduction.
Like all M5s, the new car's styling is subtle, but aggressive in its details, most notably the lower air intakes, three gaping ducts to flow cooling air into the radiator, oil cooler and turbochargers. Nineteen inch alloy wheels are standard.
The M5 features a twin-turbo 4.4 V8 that offers 552bhp and 502lbft; 0-62mph in 4.4secs, 0-124mph in 13secs; 28.5mpg combined fuel economy and 232g/km of carbon.
M5s will be available with two top speeds – 155mph limited on the standard car or 190mph limited with an optional M Driver’s Package.
Peak power is 10 per cent up and torque 30 per cent up on the outgoing V10-powered E60 M5 and fuel economy 30 per cent better.
The transmission is a seven-speed, dual-clutch unit with steering-wheel mounted paddle-shifts driving through a new Active M differential with electronically-controlled multi-plate limited slip diff. Depending on the driving situation the diff can lock between 0 and 100 per cent, says BMW.
An M-specific chassis set-up includes M-tuned Servotronic steering, cockpit-adjustable dynamic damping and stability control with an m Dynamic setting.
Steering wheel buttons that can be programmed with chassis, engine and diff settings can now memorise two individual set-ups — the outgoing M5 could store a single setting on the M Drive button.
Prices for the all-new BMW M5 start from £73,040 when it goes on sale in the UK in November this year.
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