The new BMW M5 is indeed hybrid!

As expected, the new BMW M5 eagerly embraces electrification and thus avoids any penalties.

We will have to get used to it; legendary sports cars like the Porsche 911, Bentley Continental GT, or BMW M5 have no choice but to electrify to survive. A renunciation, an outrage, a betrayal? Absolutely not!!!

Launched 40 years ago, the M5 is now in its seventh generation. While it has long turned its back on the magical V10, it takes a step forward with a new M Hybrid powertrain that combines an emotional 4.4-liter V8 engine with a fifth-generation BMW eDrive motor. Together, they generate a combined power of 727 hp/535 kW and a maximum torque of 1,000 Nm. No problem, we’re facing the most powerful BMW M5 of all time.

The sole combustion engine develops 585 hp/430 kW, while the powerful fifth-generation BMW eDrive electric motor contributes 197 hp/145 kW. It is directly integrated into the M Steptronic 8-speed transmission and can provide an instantaneous torque of 450 Nm on demand. This allows the car to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.5 seconds, with the ears flattered by the unique sound of a roaring V8. But the true benefit of electrification is especially noticeable in the acceleration from 80 to 120 km/h, which takes only 2.9 seconds, or 0.3 seconds less than what the previous generation required.

In fully electric mode, the new BMW M5 can reach 140 km/h. The lithium-ion battery, optimally placed in the floor, ensures a low center of gravity and does not restrict the cabin space. With a net capacity of 18.6 kWh, the high-voltage battery allows for a range of up to 69 kilometers in 100% electric mode.

The M5 asserts its sportiness by gaining some stature. The increase in width, due to the more muscular wheel arches and longer beams, is particularly striking. Compared to the BMW 5 Series Sedan, the BMW M5 Sedan is 75 millimeters wider at the front and 48 millimeters wider at the rear. The total width of the vehicle is now 1,970 millimeters compared to 1,903 mm for the previous generation.

The BMW M5 will make its first public appearance at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in England in July 2024. Production will start shortly afterward at the BMW Group factory in Dingolfing for a launch in November 2024. It will be available starting at €159,000, and with combined CO2 emissions of 37 – 39 g/km, it will not be subject to any penalties. That’s a saving of €60,000 compared to the previous generation, not bad, right?

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