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The new BMW M5 has been spotted testing near Germany’s Nurburgring. Shedding some of its disguise, the flagship 5-series shows off three gaping intakes set into the front bumper to aid cooling.

The super-saloon will likely get the same 4.4-litre V8 to that found in the X6 M SUV, but it will be tweaked to give a unique character.

A raft of clever “active” aerodynamics features are also planned for the M5 to make it more slippery. BMW believes a 10 per cent reduction in drag reduces...Read the full article

What!, no hybrid!?.

I am surprised that after all their trumpeting with their concept car and it claims of better fuel consumption, lower Co'2 emissions and impressive performance without the need for a big thristy V-8 that this new M5 has none of these, why? 

Perhaps the normal 5-Series will have some hybrid versions. Remember that the M5 is but the top version of a whole series. Why should the M5 go hybrid if there are no, or very few, hybrids in the normal range?

There's a lot of Efficient Dynamics yet to be introduced on M models.

"The wheelbase is expected to be 10mm longer than the current car's, but despite the larger dimensions BMW wants the new M5 to be the same weight as the current M5’s 1830kg."

 

That sounds groundbreaking.  Wheelbase 10mm longer but miraculously no gain in weight. O what the measures the M division takes....j

"3 twin-scroll twin turbocharge" => not a NA engine => the end of the M5!

The spirit of M is dying... Sad days...

And why not a Diesel M5 now?

 

 

 Right about know I really wonder in just how bad shape are BMW's books?

VW/Audi can innovate but BMW has nothing on the horizon except some sort of car for the year 2015 or beyond.  Seems that there budget is going and maybe the company. j

jl4069:

VW/Audi can innovate but BMW has nothing on the horizon except some sort of car for the year 2015 or beyond.  Seems that there budget is going and maybe the company.

 

Yeah, roll on the 600hp, 2000+ kg next RS6.

 The problem with both Audi and BM is they can't do high performance along with a reasonable let alone a comortable ride. For that reason the XFR is the class leader.

I didn't see the XFR mentioned in this topic before. My reply concerns the quote about VW/Audi.

Am very aware of this but felt the need to mention the XFR as the Audi and BMW fan clubs can become so obsessed with one another they can forget that the megafast exec class is not just a two horse race. There's the AMG E Class contending too but, alas, it's another boneshaker. 

tannedbaldhead:

 The problem with both Audi and BM is they can't do high performance along with a reasonable let alone a comortable ride. For that reason the XFR is the class leader.

Actually, the M5 (and the M3 for that matter) ride pretty decently, given their sporting chassis and performances.

tannedbaldhead:

The problem with both Audi and BM is they can't do high performance along with a reasonable let alone a comortable ride. For that reason the XFR is the class leader.

Jaguar will have the last laugh when the M5 is launched. if you look at the front of the XFR one of the lower air-intakes is just a blank. That is where the extra oil cooler will go when the 5.0 V8 SC engine gets uprated to 550+PS & 700 Nm. Coupled with the ZF 8-Speeder it will be pretty good & will give the new & probably brilliant M5 a run for its money.