BMW’s Next-gen Performance Sedan, The M5, Spied At Nurburgring Racetrack

BMW has a new 5 Series sedan in the pipeline, and now, its performance variant, the M5, has been spotted testing at the Nurburgring racetrack in Germany. While the current M5 Competition has a 625PS, twin-turbo V8 engine, the eighth-generation M5 is more likely to get an electrified (hybrid) drivetrain. Moreover, it’ll also get an all-electric counterpart, the M performance variant of the i5 EV. 

Despite the camouflage, it’s easy to discern some of the design cues that we have seen previously in i5 EV test mule sightings, such as the headlights and grille design (the kidney grille is covered in the EV). The ICE M5 will get a functional kidney grille with a large lower grille flanked by triangular side air vents. 

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Over on the sides, the M5 has a low, ground-hugging stance and massive multi-spoke (likely M lightweight) alloy wheels. 

At the rear, the new 5 Series will get a similar sloping roofline that ends in a subtle boot lid spoiler. It’ll get completely new split LED taillights alongside a large diffuser and quad exhaust exits.

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The next-gen 5 Series will get mild-hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrains, and the same should apply to the M5 as well. The sports sedan currently gets a 4.4-litre, twin-turbo V8 engine that makes 625PS in the M5 Competition. However, this will likely be replaced with an electrified powertrain. A smaller six-cylinder engine could be on the cards, but the M5 is also likely to retain the V8, pairing it with a plug-in hybrid system similar to the XM. The super-SUV makes a mammoth 653PS, so the twin-turbo V8, plug-in hybrid powertrain is a fitting upgrade for the M5, too. 

Also read: All-electric BMW i5 Teased Alongside Launch Confirmation Of New-generation 5 Series In October 2023

The eighth-generation 5 Series sedan is set to break cover in October 2023, but it’ll likely be a longer wait for its performance variant, which is expected to arrive sometime in 2024. The all-electric i5 EV’s M performance version should also break cover next year. The ICE M5 will be a rival for the Mercedes-AMG E 63and Audi RS6.