BMW M5 muscles in with V8

Text: Jack Rix / Photos: Larsson

01st February 2010

Meet the car that has the Mercedes E63 AMG running for cover! The standard diesel version of BMW’s new 5-Series faces its first Auto Express road test on Page 46 – but the flagship M5 supersaloon is already being prepared for launch. And our exclusive pictures reveal how the car will look.

Our team of spy photographers caught a pre-production prototype testing its traction control systems in icy conditions in Lapland. Heavy camouflage obscured the beefed-up body, though – which is where our detailed computer images come in.

To set it apart from regular models, the M5 gets deeper front and rear bumpers, a power bulge and bonnet vents. There’s also the trademark M Sport ‘gills’, just behind the front wheelarches. At the rear, two pairs of exhaust pipes protrude from the bumper.

The big story is that the previous car’s naturally aspirated V10 has made way for a direct-injection twin-turbo 4.4-litre V8 – an uprated version of the unit in the X6M and X5M. Gone too is the jerky SMG manual box, replaced by a dual-clutch seven-speeder.

Even though it’s lost two cylinders, the new engine will produce more power – at around 570bhp – but emit less CO2. Expect a 0-60mph time of less than 4.5 seconds and a top speed limited to 155mph.

Our sources have revealed the M5 will go on sale in 2011 – so a public debut at October’s Paris Motor Show is likely.