It’s shaping up to be a confusing and unusual time for performance cars, and the new BMW M5 is the most recent example of a cherished nameplate undergoing significant change. The latest fast Bavarian sedan is here, and wow, is there ever a lot to unpack. The first plug-in hybrid M5 borrows its powertrain from the flagship XM SUV, and while that does endow it with a modest all-electric range, there are a few elephants in the room worth addressing.
An M5 needs to be quick, and BMW says this new one will run from zero-to-62 mph in 3.5 seconds. Hang on, didn’t BMW claim that the old M5 Competition ran from zero-to-62 mph in 3.4 seconds? Yes, yes it did. Will you notice one tenth of a second? Probably not, but how often does a flagship performance sedan get slower over the generations?
It’s not slower for a deficit of power, at least. With 717 horsepower and 738 lb.-ft. of torque on tap, the new M5 sees a considerable power boost over its predecessor. Granted, only 577 horsepower come from the S68B44T0 4.4-liter bi-turbo V8 engine, because this new M5 is a plug-in hybrid. A 14.8 kWh battery pack and an electric motor integrated into the eight-speed automatic transmission adds the extra thrust to get a combined output north of 700 horsepower and an electric range of 25 miles, but it certainly doesn’t help the curb weight. Going by DIN curb weight, this thing weighs 5,368 pounds. Ouch. The old one had a DIN curb weight of 4,177 pounds, and even that wasn’t light in the grand scheme of things.
So, if the old M5 also rode on the CLAR architecture, what else could be bloating the curb weight? Well, rear-wheel steering of up to 1.5 degrees probably isn’t keeping things light, and although it can pay dividends in virtually shortening the wheelbase, it likely won’t help other conditions in which you’ll notice vehicle heft. Speaking of electronics, the new M5 features all manner of gizmos under the skin beyond four-wheel-steering. As with before, the all-wheel-drive system can be put into two-wheel-drive mode for smoky drifts, the stability control has multiple driver-selectable intervention thresholds, and the dampers are adaptive units.
Unlike before, BMW claims “near-linear” wheelspin intervention for the stability control, which should enhance the subtlety of the system when on track. Speaking of closed-course driving, the most hardcore preset for shutting down ADAS is locked behind an optional M Drive Professional package, a must for any M5 that could be seeing track time because while advanced driver assistance systems can be of great benefit on the street, they can be of great detriment in a high-performance driving environment.
Taking a step back, the new M5 doesn’t have the big sniff treatment given to the M3 and M4, but the design certainly isn’t without sin. Why are the kidney grilles largely blanked off? Why is there a Camry dent in each corner of the rear bumper? This new executive express just doesn’t look as executive as the last one, and it’s not a traditionally handsome sedan that happens to be bonkers quick. On the plus side, being 2.8 inches wider than a standard 5 Series thanks to seriously pumped fenders ought to give the new M5 serious on-road presence.
Moving to the inside, the new BMW M5 is fairly standard 5 Series fare with some sporty bits. However, this upholstery choice certainly stands out, and by not rocking the boat too much, BMW’s done well with the cabin. Of all areas on the new M5, the interior ought to be the most widely agreeable, as it should be, because that’s where drivers will spend the most time.
On paper, the new M5 doesn’t exactly seem like the greatest possible successor to the outgoing car, but I will admit that I’m not the target market for this car. So, with that in mind, let’s go check and see what actual F90 M5 owners are saying on the Bimmerpost forums:
Well, we certainly know where that M5 owner stands, and they aren’t the only one. It seems that the new G90 M5 is receiving a lukewarm reception from many current M5 owners, largely due to the specs on paper.
Alright, so an extra 15 kilograms or 33 pounds isn’t a lot more weight than an X5 M Competition, but not only does the math check out, the X5 M Competition is a midsize SUV. That’s a hefty benchmark.
Not much to say about this one, except ouch. Then again, the outgoing M5 was a brutally fast performance sedan, and following it up in an era of increased emissions sensitivity in a way that pleases everyone was going to be a nigh-on impossible act.
If there’s one widely agreeable positive first impression of the new M5 that we can end on, at least BMW launched the new M5 in a good color. That green is pretty solid, and would look good on a variety of cars. Past that, it’ll be interesting to see how this thing shakes out in the real world. BMW hasn’t been a mainstream enthusiast brand for years now because mainstream enthusiasts generally don’t buy new luxury cars, but when a niche high-end product like the new M5 isn’t getting flowers from late-model M5 owners, it might be a good idea for the brand to do some reflection.
(Photo credits: BMW)
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This still doesn’t do anything better than an F10 M5 which had almost the same drivetrain + weighed considerably less. The F10 M5 had hydraulic steering and a 6-speed manual available, which makes it the last M5 in my book. E60 M5 and E39 M5 are still the best M5’s, and they’re aging quite well.
Say what you will about the rest of BMW’s design team, their paint mixers are kicking all kinds of ass. The entire brand is pretty much “okay it looks like trash but have you SEEN that green?”
That pearl really accentuates the awkwardness!
“that’s a gorgeous color on that 200%-scale Kia Forte!”
They have some deep purples (pun intended) that are just magnificent
I was never the target market for these things but no
Heavy, but I prefer 5400lb and for it to keep its V8 than for it to be lighter and not have it.
Anyone complaining about more weight than the old one must ignore the only reason this thing is a phev is due to government regulations.
Of course my real preference is for governments to not regulate ice cars out of existence, but that isn’t happening anytime soon.
The M5 started with an inline 6, I’d much rather see it return to that than turn into a sedan version of an SUV.
I know this sounds crazy, but yes, I think a Miata is a better sports car than an f250, even thought the Miata doesn’t have a V8 and the f250 does.
More cylinders doesn’t mean that it’s not a terrible sports car.
It’s a modern BMW: ugly, bloated, but available in an awesome green (or purple) almost nobody will order. Would love that green on my car. The old one was already heavy (though . . . 1200 lbs more, holy Athena!) and the loss of acceleration on paper is entirely academic (and it’s probably quicker in most circumstances it would actually see), but that’s exactly the crap that matters to the typical buyer.
Oh, and it weighs double my car.
She’s so!
Duhhhh duhhhh duhhhh duhhh duh duhhhhhhhh
Heav-eyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy
I lost my love of Bimmers somewhere around the early aughts, but that green is amazing!
The 128i/135i were the last ones I coveted. And they had some great colors too.
I’m wondering if the way it drives will make up for it. Also interested in seeing comparisons of things like 0-30 times, since the instant torque might make it faster off the line.
It’s an odd combo to put PHEV with the M5 though. We have a 330e PHEV, but it’s not the performance 3 series, and most reviewers to agree that the 330i is a bit more balanced. We got the 330e because it’s still a really fun car to drive, but also gives us electric commutes and 40+ mpg on the highway. It was a very minimal compromise for performance with a lot of good benefits for how we use the car. It seems like we aren’t getting the next 330e in the US, but are getting a PHEV M5. And if the PHEV didn’t improve the overall M5 experience, it probably wasn’t a good move for the performance trims. Maybe it will surprise people when they get to drive it.
I think it might be because of emissions. They can probably only sell so many pure ICE V8s before they’re in a pickle, and European regulations are much stricter than American ones. There’s probably some loophole that making a gas chugging V8 a PHEV opens up.
These jagoffs issue military ranks for posting?
Don’t worry. I assume this will still have an M badge on the rear. As long as that’s noticeable enough for the middle managers to see it as they walk from their parked non-m cars past the reserved parking spots to the front door then it’s every bit as functional as the last one.
I have liked M5s through the years, but it has never been a no-compromises performance machine.
WTH, I didn’t even notice the rankings! Wow. I shouldn’t be surprised and, yet…
Gravy Seals
Meal Team Six
GIVE US THE WAGON
YES! WAGONS ARE THE PERFECT CAR FORM! (That’s an “estate” to our UK friends…)
This thing is a quarter ton more than my Explorer. I must admit, though, that the 770 HP is very nice. the fact that the thing weighs a HALF TON + more than the previous version and loses exactly .1 second to 62 though is incredible. I mean, I guess if you’re paying the better part of $200,000 for one of these and those tenths matter (I guess), but the whining over what was supercar speed a decade ago for an all-electric range and (I’m guessing) better fuel economy overall is getting slightly outrageous. Then again, so is pricing on any new car, so there’s that…
For fuggs sake, this weighs more than a 1,000 lbs more than my 3.0l V6 diesel Cayenne with a cast iron block. WTF?!
Did they buy the batteries from VinFast? That’s the only way to account for the extra weight. Also the F90 CS was probably the last good looking M Car made.
Yeah, the PHEV can’t be the only reason for the weight increase. The difference in weight between a 330e and a 330i is only about 400-450 pounds and the only difference is the battery and electric motor, because they use the same engine and transmission. The engine is just de-tuned so that the 330e has the same 0-60 number as the gas car.
The battery pack is only about 40% bigger in this new 5 series than the 330e. I would expect it has a larger electric motor though, but that doesn’t explain 1200 pounds. I would expect that all adds maybe 650-700 pounds.
It’s the XM platform. The frame rails, control arms, uprights, driveline and subframes are all designed to handle the weight of a 3-row SUV, and since the components I listed are half the vehicle, it weighs as much as a 3-row SUV. They platform-shared the M5 exactly the wrong way, this is how you kill a model, or maybe give it a stay of execution.
I imagine corporate wanted to discontinue the 5-series altogether in favor of the more profitable X-range and the engineers had to find a cheap way to excuse its continued existence, so they accepted platform sharing as a cost-cutting compromise. This is what we get, something arguably better than death.
Wow. I feel like my dad will have zero regrets getting a leftover M550 over the new M5.
Vehicles the 5,368 pound M5 weighs more than:
Tesla Model X (up to 5250 lbs)
Hyundai Ioniq 5 N (4,861 lbs)
Two ND Miatas (2,403 each, 4800 for two)
E39 M5 + Suzuki Cappuccino (3,957 + 1500 lbs)
2015 S65 AMG Sedan (4800 lbs with a TT V-12)
Kia EV9 Wind (lowest range spec is 5100 lbs)
In fact, the new M5 is less than one average adult American (181 pounds) under the weight of a new G-Wagen at 5554 pounds. Needless to say, this thing is fat, stupid, and needs a diet, just like the average American for that matter.
2 ND Miatas pulling around a chariot with some servants to fan you would be an absolute baller setup and still weigh less than the M5.
And that weight quoted was for automatic RFs, which while I prefer the soft top, a pair of RFs towing a chariot, both in Soul Red Crystal of course, would be absolutely peak.
When I finish eating this deep fried chicken cheese breakfast biscuit I bought on EasyPay, I’m gonna come over there and wheeze, I’m gonna show you cough, did we leave the remote in the baby’s stroller again I want to watch the new season Pregnant Teen American Bachelor: Festival of PG-13 Sex
It weighs more than ten R1300GS’s or twelve S1000RR’s, Munich’s other, better flagship models.
2 Honda Goldwings more than the outgoing F90.
It weighs almost exactly the same as my f150……… When I have a full load of rock in the bed.
It is also a Class 2 truck in the US, since it has a GVWR over 6,000lb.
I just find it funny it weighs more than a Pacifica phev.
Complicate and lose lightness.
Ze German way!
Schade. Früher war es anders.
Well… At least the green is nice.
Yesterday, I attempted profoundity, saying I’ve been a sourpuss and should shut my mouth a spell.
Then I saw this.
Fuck, that’s ugly. The every entire rear quarter of the car has been given the Silverado Grill/Tower of Power of Babel treatment: in the absence of direction or intention in the design language, use all of them as much as you can as loudly as possible. The same is true for the front. The middle half actually looks okay to me.
It weighs more than my F-150 longbed.
Help us, Oblackwing-Kenobi, you’re our only hope.
This thing weighs about the same as an X5 50e and a B58 powered X7. It’s a full 500 pounds heavier than a fully loaded Cayenne. It’s two normal sized adult men in the car away from weighing as much as an unladen G WAGON!
What the fuck is wrong with the Germans? There is absolutely no need for cars to be this heavy. The RS6 Avant weighs 5,000 pounds and it doesn’t even have any electrification. Why the hell does the M2 weigh 2 tons? The list is endless.
Either make it a full EV or stick to gas. This abomination is somehow worse than the sum of its parts. The i5 M60 is literally LIGHTER than this and is a full EV! Brilliant work, BMW. You took an icon and made it fatter, slower, less engaging, and more complicated. It’s somehow worse in every single way. German engineers are the only people on the planet who are capable at arriving at solutions this complex and unnecessary.
But why make it one of the other? Now you can have more BMW patented unreliability parts to break. /s
Absolutely, it always amazes me how even mundane cars like a Passat or Tiguan can be so close to 2 tons with no advantage of their lightest competition.
Weighs almost as much as my RAM 1500
Weighs more than mine.
What’s the big deal? It’s just evolving in parallel with the average BMW customer who’s also getting heavier and slower
Maybe it’s the color, I’m a sucker for green, but I think it looks pretty good. But WTF on that weight. If rear axle steering added even 100lbs I’d be shocked. That reads more like a GVWR than a wet weight. It’s 400lbs heavier than my Q7, which is an AWD three row SUV that too has rear axle steering, plus instead of a CF roof it’s a huge expanse of tempered glass. Absolutely bonkers. Does the battery and electric motor really weigh half a ton?
Damn crazy weighs as much as my truck and more then my FJ.
Geez, my buddy’s Edsel would call this car “fatass”, like the boys call Eric Cartman.
The absolute heaviest Edsel ever made was under 4700lbs
Yup, 4,700 < 5,368.
Yucki. The next coming trend is lightweight cars after electric highlights how bad more weight is.
Sad a 1500lb car would smoke this thing in all categories with 300hp while burning far less gas tires and brakes.
All the more reason that 90’s cars are selling for decent money.