A new generation of the BMW 5-series is on the way and wears the codename G60. But the most exciting news will come in July 2024, when the M division will launch the new M5. Dubbed G90, the top-of-the-line model will only be available in Label Red high-performance guise rated at 735 horsepower and 735 pound-feet of torque. You guessed it-the next M5 shares its plug-in-hybrid drivetrain with the polarizing XM SUV out this summer. While it will be offered as a sedan once again, we hear that the M5 Touring station wagon (G99), due to go into production in late 2024, is at long last considered for exportation to North America.
The new BMW M5 should sport an electric range of close to 60 miles and a maximum speed of 87 mph in EV mode, sources say. On the debit side, it carries a weight penalty of over 440 pounds compared to the outgoing M5. While the extra grunt is said to cut the 60 mph acceleration time by a few ticks (we already managed a blisteringly quick 2.8 seconds in the current M5 Competition), it remains to be seen which effect-if any-the extra body fat has on the best-in-class handling.
According to those in the know, the next BMW M5 remains loyal to the classic steel suspension, but introduces rear-wheel steering, bigger brakes, and optional 22-inch wheels. Drivers can choose between three energy regeneration stages, two calibrations for the steering and brakes, and five different drive modes including eControl, which prioritizes the electric motor. The 644-hp unit fitted to the “base” XM will not be offered in the new M5. If anything, there might be an even brawnier Label Black high-flyer which would mate the 627-hp V-8 of the defunct M5 CS to a bigger electric motor.
Author: Georg Kacher
Source: CarandDriver.com