skip to main |
skip to sidebar
This first official promo of the new F10 BMW M5 attempts to give us a more dynamic view of the Bavarian sports saloon with scenes from the track. For some reason though, BMW has masked most of the video with a dramatic but redundant music soundtrack since most of us are interested in hearing the sounds of the twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter V8 engine.
The all-new 2012 BMW M5 sports sedan will be making its first public appearance at The Goodwood Festival of Speed, which takes place in the UK between July 1 and 3, the German automaker announced today. The most powerful production version of the M5 series to date comes with a high-revving 4.4-liter turbocharged V8 pumping out 560hp from 5,750-7,000rpm and 680Nm [501.5 lb-ft] of torque from 1,500rpm. It goes on sale this fall.
With the first photos of the all-new 2012 M5 making the internet rounds since the early hours of Wednesday morning, BMW decided to lift the embargo and officially present the fifth generation of its high-performance saloon. 
As with all previous M5s since the introduction of the first generation model back in 1984, the most important highlight of the car is tucked away behind the double kidney grilles. This time, BMW’s M division opted for a 4.4-liter twin-turbocharged V8 engine that replaces the previous M5’s more exotic but less powerful, naturally aspirated 5.0-liter V10 with 507HP.
These are the first official pictures of the all-new BMW M5. It is based on the latest generation of the 5-Series, the F10, and boasts all the visual cues that you expect from a car that has been honed by BMW’s famous M-division: namely huge air intakes in the front bumper, side vents in the front wings bearing the M-logo, 20-inch wheels with 265/35 front and 295/30 rear ZR-rated tires, and twin tailpipes at either end of the rear diffuser. 
As anticipated, the new model breaks with tradition by using a twin-turbocharged V8 (the outgoing M5 had a V10 and the one before that a V8, with the previous versions making do with in-line straight sixes, all naturally aspirated) sourced from the X5 M and X6 M. Losing two cylinders and gaining two turbochargers seems like a fair trade, though, since the new M5’s output is up by 45 hp, from 507 to 552, and, more importantly, maximum torque has risen from 383 to 501 lb-ft (53,0 to 69,4 kgm).
The hype surrounding the upcoming M5 continues with a new video released by BMW showing the Bavarian firm’s high-performance sedan being tested at the company's Miramas proving grounds in the south of France. Given that the M5 is scheduled to be unveiled at the Frankfurt motor show in September, these are probably the final rounds of testing before production begins.
Revealed in concept car guise at the recent Shanghai auto show, the new BMW M5 will not only be the first turbocharged M5 to hit the streets, but also the first one with an optional all-wheel drive system, or at least that’s what an unnamed company insider told British car magazine, Autocar. The company official said the all-wheel drive model will be built around the upcoming V8-powered M5 sedan, but didn’t go into any further details on the technical specs.
