BMW began building the next-generation M5 super sedan after the mid-life facelift for the current-generation M5 was introduced in 2020, and we have already seen many prototypes being tested under dense camouflage. Another set of photos of the most potent 5 Series were captured by our spies in Munich today, but this time the test vehicle is dressed in the full production body, complete with production lamp units at the front and rear as well as wide wheel arches to accommodate the huge wheels.
It sports a “electrified vehicle” label, confirming Markus Flasch’s statement from 2021 that the upcoming BMW M5 will be offered as a hybrid electric vehicle. The next-generation M5 will debut in 2024, one year after the next-generation 5 Series, according to a story that the British magazine CAR published (G60).
The plug-in hybrid electric vehicle may be equipped with a V8 gasoline engine and two 750 horsepower and 1,000 nm electric motors. Because it would require substantially more sophisticated battery technology, the release of a completely electric BMW i5M model may not be feasible at present time. However, BMW will have access to this technology in 2025 thanks to the Die Neue Klasse cluster architecture. For BMW to provide a comparable level of dynamic performance, batteries would need to get lighter.
In the interim, BMW M will focus on PHEVs and modify existing EV models like the iX M60. The upcoming M5 could include the newest technological advancements from the BMW Group, such as the BMW Curved Display (a fully digital instrument cluster and central display that is seamlessly integrated), iDrive 8.0, and BMW Digital Key Plus with Ultra-Wideband technology (Digital Key 3.0). The brand-new car may also include Level 2 autonomous driving capabilities, including hands-free highway driving and hands-free parking.
