Life & Style | Motoring

All rise, the new M5 has arrived

The new BMW M5 drops the V10 for a V8 but adds a twin-scroll turbocharger to produce 560 horses. We like

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Published: 00:00 June 24, 2011

The usual M attributes are all here, including bigger bumpers and side grills

Image Credit: Supplied picture
The usual M attributes are all here, including bigger bumpers, side gills and quad exhausts.

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Oops! It's happened to BMW yet again. In a matter of just a couple of weeks, it's the second time that leaked images have forced Munich to part with official photos and information earlier than it intended to. But just as in the 1 Series's case, we're not complaining at all.

The F10 M5 has arguably been the most hotly anticipated sports saloon for a long time, even before the previous version officially went out of production. Fuelling the fire of impatience was the concept that BMW revealed at the Shanghai auto show earlier this year. One thing that we absolutely love about this car is that it looks exactly like the burly Shanghai concept.

The muscular saloon is distinguished from its executive sibling by styling and performance characteristics including a front apron with oversized air intakes for both the engine and brakes, flared wheel arches that enhance the athletic looks and the wider stance, signature M ‘gills' with integrated indicator bars; a rear apron with diffuser flanked by a pair of twin exhaust tailpipes, a gurney-style rear boot lid spoiler and 19in double-spoke M light-alloy wheels.

Obviously, it's not looks alone that sets this saloon apart. Although we are a bit disappointed that BMW has ditched the screaming V10 for a blown V8 in this new M5, Munich assures us that the new lump is going to be better than its predecessor in every way.

The numbers are reassuring. The 4.4-litre V8 engine with a twin-scroll turbocharger is good for 560bhp and 680Nm of twist from just 1,500rpm. The 0-100kph dash is despatched in a mere 4.4 seconds, and it takes just 13 seconds to hit 200kph from standstill, while the top speed is limited to 250kph.

This can be upped to supercar-baiting 305kph with the optional M Driver's Package. Despite a 10 per cent spike in power over the V10 lump and 30 per cent more torque, BMW has managed to cut fuel consumption by more than 30 per cent, thanks to the usual green tricks like auto stop-start and brake energy recuperation.