As you probably already know by now, BMW is preparing the next M5 sports sedan and they promised it would be "a brilliant car." The first concept version will be unveiled at the 2011 Shanghai Motor Show, with a production version to follow at the Frankfurt Motor Show a few months later.
With the new M5, BMW will focus on improving all the aspects of the car. First, the car will be built on an all-new aluminum chassis and will feature the intense use of carbon fiber. This will help reduce the car’s weight considerably. It will also produce 25% less CO2 and the new V8 engine will require less fuel.
Under the hood is where it may get a bit tricky. Originally, the new M5 was to carry the same twin-turbocharged 4.4 liter V8 engine that can be found in the BMW X6 M. This is still the case, but instead of the 555 hp found in the X6 M, the engine is said to deliver an impressive 578 HP in the M5.
UPDATE 03/25/2011: Good news for all of you who were waiting for the new BMW M5. According to BimmerToday, the M5 will finally have its top speed limiter removed so that it will be able to hit a top speed of 189mph. However, this will only happen for the German market. The US market will only get a manual gearbox.
Exterior and Interior
Next to the mechanical changes, the 2013 M5 will also get a new exterior and a more luxury orientated interior. We know the Concept 6-Series Coupepreviews the next generation 6-Series, but expect the M5 to also borrow elements from it.
Spy shots revealed new production wheels, a new shift knob, and the meaty looking Pirelli tires. The interior will also get new seats and a tachometer with a reduced redline.
The F10 M5 will be offered with ceramic brakes, a first time for a production model BMW. Ceramic brakes provide great braking power, well wear over time, produce less brake dust, and are very lightweight. These kind of brakes are also used for models like the Porsche GT2 and the Nissan GT-R.
Engine
“a bold business car that at the push of a button turns into a sports car.”
For the next M5, BMW will use the same engine found in the X6 M, but the twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter V8 engine that puts out 555 HP and 680 Nm of torque in the X6M is rumored to be able to deliver 578 HP in the M5.
There’s a reason this car is being hyped up so much and that reason can be found in the performance numbers. Dr. Kay Segler, president of BMW M GmbH, describes the M5 as “a bold business car that at the push of a button turns into a sports car.” It will sprint from 0 to 62mph in just 4.4 seconds and will hit a limited top speed of 155mph or 188 mph with the optional M Driver’s Package.
The car will also get an electronically-controlled limited slip differential and Dynamic Performance Control.
Rendering credit: BMWBlog
When Can I Get One?
BMW has announced that the BMW M5 will finally be revealed at the Shanghai Auto Show - albeit in concept form, the same place where BMW will also be bringing the 6-Series Coupe. A production version will be revealed in September at the Frankfurt Motor Show.
The Competition
If rumors about the M5 are true, and it will really deliver 578 HP, then the M5 will be the most powerful model and its competitors will have plenty to fear. On the other hand, the XF-R has its benefits as well. It is more elegant and luxurious with a good amount of aggressiveness in its design. It may only be powered by a 5.0 Liter supercharged V8 that pumps out 510 HP, but these other factors will surely sway some votes in Jaguar’s direction.
The Cadillac CTS-V has also gained a lot of terrain on the US market, and with good reason. For one thing, it’s cheap compared to the other models - it starts from $64,290 - and it also features a very impressive 6.2 liter supercharged V-8 with an output of 556 HP and 551 lb.-ft. of torque.
Powerful engine Combines sportiness with luxury If there’s any truth to these renderings, then it should look great We hope the exterior design will not be similar to the recently launched 6-Series We anticipate a high price tag 