[15] Bmw M5 E39 At Today Discuss

Things are about to get a lot more normal under the hood of the BMW M5. The outgoing car packed an utterly insane 5.0-liter V-10, which made 500 hp—at a screaming 7750 rpm. Prior to that, the E39 M5, which was sold in the late 1990s and early 2000s, roared along with a 394-hp, 4.9-liter V-8. In terms of bringing ecstasy to drivers, that car didn’t so much compete with AMG-tuned Benzes as it did with freebasing. And now, BMW has given us the full scoop on the all-new, fifth-generation M5. Read on to find out just what the men from Munich have done to the 5er.

The First M5 to Come With a Turbocharger

The present and future of the automotive industry—even in the salacious world of high-performance über-sedans—sees big, naturally aspirated engines replaced by smaller mills, force-fed air through turbo- or supercharging. BMW’s M5 is no exception, banishing the wild V-10 from last generation to the history books, and installing a direct-injected, twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter V-8. BMW North America will advertise the powerplant at 560 hp. That would be four more than the Cadillac CTS-V’s supercharged V-8. The company promises 500 lb-ft of torque starting at a mere 1500 rpm, as well. These numbers may sound familiar if you’re a fan of the Bavarian propeller brand: a version of the engine is already in service, making slightly less horsepower, in the X5 M and X6M.

Where the powertrain differs from that of the monster SUVs, however, is in delivering the goods to the pavement. The M-fettled X5 and X6 use a six-speed automatic and feature all-wheel drive. M’s latest 5-series will instead feature a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox—a close relative of the transmission doing duty in the M3 and 335is—and while it hasn’t been announced yet, we expect a six-speed manual to be on offer to us Yankees. Regardless of the transmission, power is dispatched to the rear wheels only.

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BMW projects that the M5 will be capable of a 0-to-62-mph run in 4.4 seconds, and a top speed of 190 mph for cars fitted with the M Driver’s package. (BMW hasn’t yet indicated whether this option will be available in the U.S.) Considering that we’ve seen times in the low-four-second range for the last-gen M5, we won’t be surprised if BMW’s acceleration estimate turns out to be conservative.

On to the Rest of the Car

The magic of the M brand may start with the engines, but we have high hopes for the rest of the M5 as well. The new sedan will feature BMW’s Active M differential—it’s essentially an electronically controlled limited-slip—as well as the full M Drive feature set, allowing drivers to tap a button (one marked M1 and one marked M2, neither of which should be confused with M cars past or future) to make their M5 go from caged monster to outright fire-breather or the other way around. Throttle response, damping, steering responsiveness, and the dual clutch’s shift program all can be altered individually, too.

Fortunately, BMW has installed hydraulic power steering for the new M5, not the electric power-steering system that's in use on most other 5-series models. We’ve been less than enthused with that system, so hope the retention of older-but-better hydraulic steering results in some actual steering feel in the M.

View PhotosA New Suit—But Not Too New

Despite the often-raucous performance of cars festooned with the legendary M badge, most of the BMW M cars are tastefully upgraded with body kits and wheels. The effect isn’t as subtle as Audi’s S and RS treatments, but falls short of the baroque fittings on recent Mercedes-Benz AMG offerings. The new M5 should carry on this tradition, flaring its wheel arches, and adding the sub-brand’s characteristic chrome fender vents, a new lower rear fascia with a diffuser, quad exhaust outlets, and an integrated “Gurney-style” rear spoiler. The M5 will ride on standard 19-inch rims, with 20s available as an upgrade.

The interior of the M5 will be slathered with the high-end leather that you expect and your caboose demands. Sport seats bend and contour in every imaginable direction, there’s “aluminum trace” interior trim, and the car packs every gadget the Bavarian company offers: a head-up display, active and adaptive headlights, lane-departure warning, and enough cameras to satisfy the Department of Homeland Security.

BMW is planning to reveal the M5 to a live audience at the 24 Hours of the Nürburgring. Pricing and options information will be announced closer to the car's spring 2012 on-sale date.

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