BMW M5 Neue Klasse testing heats up at the Nurburgring

The current eighth-generation BMW 5 Series was revealed less than two years ago, but we’ve already caught the facelifted model testing in super-saloon M5 guise – and now for the first time in regular 5 Series trim as well. 

As we can clearly see, the executive saloon will take on a significant design update as part of its mid-life refresh to keep it looking fresh alongside the long-awaited ‘Neue Klasse’ models.

BMW’s design language is taking something of a drastic turn with the brand’s ‘Neue Klasse’ styling not only coming to its electric cars but internal-combustion engined models too - evidenced here by the facelifted M5.

The BMW M5 may have only been unveiled less than two years ago, but in order to maintain a familiar face across its line up, BMW is significantly changing the looks of its super saloon - which is expected to arrive in 2027. It’s not just the M5 that’ll be tweaked either because we’ve caught the standard 5 Series model with a new look too. 

Since the current G60-generation 5 Series (G90 for the M5) went on sale, BMW has been teasing its upcoming Neue Klasse production series, which will kick off later this year at the Munich Motor Show with a new iX3 based on the Vision Neue Klasse X concept. Coming shortly after in 2026 will be the Neue Klasse Sedan, which will launch the first all-electric 3 Series. 

Both cars will sit on BMW’s new Neue Klasse platform, and while the current 5 Series and M5 use the German firm’s CLAR modular architecture, the new styling will be integrated on existing models too. That’s just as well, because fresh competition has arrived recently in the executive market for the 5 Series, with Audi’s all-new, all-electric A6 e-tron along with an internal-combustion engined A6 model and even Volvo’s new all-electric ES90. 

While we’ve seen the facelifted M5 testing in snowy conditions already, this one is being put through its paces around the Nurburgring - something that typically happens further into the development cycle, showing the car is getting nearer to launch. The camouflage is unchanged so we can still clearly see the Neue Klasse’s take on BMW’s iconic kidney grilles, with a much slimmer set that will be complemented by a fresh headlight design, too. As with the existing 5 Series and M5, the facelifted car’s grille will be blanked off to maintain its aerodynamic qualities. Beneath, we can see the air intakes will be reshaped, thanks to a new front bumper.

Behind those M5-specific wheels (which are now wrapped in more suitable summer tyres than the wintery testing) we can see the super saloon’s larger brake calipers, and down the side the 5 Series’ Hofmeister kink behind the rear passenger windows is on show. The rear of the M5 prototype gets a bespoke bumper and diffuser arrangement and we expect to see a tiny lip spoiler on the finished car as well. At the back is the typical quad-exhaust tip arrangement that now defines a fully-fledged BMW M car.

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BMW has already shown what its future models will look like inside with the roll out of ‘Panoramic iDrive’. This new dash layout will see the loss of the firm’s rotary iDrive controller while adding a huge, full-width ‘Panoramic Vision’ display on top of the dash, with a 17.9-inch central touchscreen in the middle. We expect the new 5 Series will follow this design to a certain extent with a more minimalist cabin than the current car. 

The M5 has a combined 717bhp and 1,000Nm of torque from its twin-turbocharged 4.4-litre V8 and plug-in hybrid system, with power being sent to all four wheels. We’re unlikely to see any major changes to the M5, 5 Series or i5’s powertrains as part of the facelift. 

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