BMW took the actual wraps off the 2018 M5 model – it had made an earlier debut in a video game – that mavens had been waiting for since early this year.
There are two overwhelmingly unsurprising items of note about the new speedster: it doesn’t look dramatically different than a regular 5 Series model and it is much different than the 5 Series model.
The all-new, sixth-generation M5 features the M-specific all-wheel-drive system, M xDrive. This new system allows the M5 to reach new heights of dynamic performance and delivers poise in all driving situations.
“Thanks to M xDrive, the all-new BMW M5 can be piloted with the familiar blend of sportiness and unerring accuracy both on the racetrack and out on the open road,” Frank van Meel, Chairman of the Board of Management at BMW M GmbH,“while also delighting drivers with its significantly enhanced directional stability and controllability right up to the limits of performance when driving in adverse conditions such as on wet roads or snow.”
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It tackles all of this with a twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter V8 as with the last model, but it makes 600 horsepower and 553 pound-feet of torque: an increase of 40 hp and 53 lb-ft of torque respectively compared with the 2017 model.
The M5 is also capable of a top speed of 189 mph when equipped with the M Driver’s Package. Otherwise, the car is limited to 155 mph. All of this power and torque goes through an 8-speed automatic to an all-wheel-drive system, the first for an M5.
The all-wheel drive racer does the zero-to-60 sprint in 3.2 seconds, helped in part by the all-wheel drive that puts all of that horsepower on the ground and three different drive modes that, including the sport mode that helps too.
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As usual, the M5 exterior looks very similar to that of the 5 Series, but a closer look reveals larger grilles, a rear valance with a faux diffuser as well as the normal vents in the fenders, as well as the subtle M5 badge on the side. Not quite a “sleeper,” but more of a buttoned-down look.
“The BMW M5 has always embodied the perfect blend of mature business sedan and high-performance components,” said Domagoj Dukec, vice president of Design BMW i and BMW M.
“So you can think of the BMW M5 as the world’s fastest-moving tailored suit.”
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Of course, there is a special edition of the new model. The maker is offering a “First Edition” special-edition model limited to a worldwide run of 400 vehicles with 50 units coming to the U.S. The 2018 BMW M5 First Edition will be available starting spring of 2018. Pricing information will come closer to launch.
The all-new BMW M5 First Edition has exclusive Frozen Dark Red Metallic paintwork and includes BMW Individual high-gloss Shadow Line trim with extended features. This means that the kidney grille, the M gills and the four tailpipes of the sports exhaust all come in high-gloss black. The M5 First Edition is fitted as standard with 20-inch seven-double-spoke light-alloy wheels in black.
The interior features Piano Finish Black applications are complemented by a plaque on the center console indicating the car’s production number (“M5 First Edition 1/400”), pointing to the exclusivity of this BMW M5. The M5 First Edition comes as standard with high-quality M multifunction seats. It is also available with full-leather upholstery in Smoke White with red contrast stitching.
It also comes available in a video game “Need for SpeedT Payback,” the action driving blockbuster releasing this fall. This marks first time BMW has revealed a car through a videogame partnership, unveiling the new BMW M5 at gamescom, Europe’s biggest trade fair for interactive games and entertainment.
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“The new BMW M5 is a stunning car,” said Marcus Nilsson, Executive Producer at Ghost Games. “With immense horsepower and torque combined with gorgeous design, our players are going to love getting behind the wheel of the new M5. Whether it’s pulling off intense heist missions, or outrunning cops in epic pursuits or just cruising the open world, this car embodies performance, speed and desire, making it one of the pinnacle rides in Need for Speed Payback.”
