Press Release
The new BMW M5
The World of Ultra-Performance
The absolute pinnacle in Sports Sedan motoring has a name – and now this car will be available in the USA: the new BMW M5. This most sophisticated 5 Series is also the most powerful 5 Series ever: five liters engine capacity, 10 cylinders, 500 hp, 383 lb-ft maximum torque and engine speeds beyond the 8,000-rpm limit give the sports-minded BMW driver the ultimate in performance, eliminating the distinction between the perfect car for everyday motoring and an equally ideal car for ambitious motorsport.A principle highly successful for two decades: intelligent power, not simple muscle.
Introducing this new power concept, the fourth-generation M5 once again sets the benchmark in the high-performance Sports Sedan segment, a segment, indeed, established by BMW itself with the first M5 back in 1984. In this very special world of motoring the first M5 and its successors in the last 20 years have always set the standard as the perfect synthesis of the comfortable and elegant everyday sedan, the supreme power of a high-performance engine and, as a result, superior dynamism at all times. With sales of more than 35,000 units, the M5 is also very successful in economic terms in its unique combination of outstanding performance in an unpretentious style and sophisticated motoring of the highest caliber, a feature typical of all BMW M Cars.The new M5 now raises this principle to an even higher standard never seen before: Betraying its extreme level of performance only in a very mild form to the outside, the ten-cylinder engine with its virtually never-ending surge of muscle, interacting with the seven-speed SMG gearbox, gives the driver an all-new dimension of supreme, effortless motoring.
In a nutshell, the BMW M5 comes with the most innovative drive concept, the best power-to-weight ratio, supreme handling, and all the qualities required for everyday motoring in this outstanding segment of the market. It is an everyday sedan with the heart of an athlete, a sports car with ideal qualities for everyday motoring – the new M5 meets both of these requirements in perfection.
First high-revving V10 engine in a production sedan.
The V10 is the currently only high-speed engine in a production sedan. Featuring 10 cylinders, five liters engine capacity, maximum output of 500 bhp and maximum torque 383 lb-ft, the M5 is also the most powerful production model within the BMW range. Twenty years after the first M5 established the segment of the high-performance Sports Sedan, the new engine is now once again setting the benchmark in its class.But power is not everything. Rather, what really counts in a BMW M Car is acceleration and, as a result, the car’s driving dynamics. And this depends on the thrust actually conveyed to the drive wheels as well as the weight of the car. The power developed by the wheels on the road, in turn, depends on engine torque and the transmission ratio. And precisely these are the strengths of BMW’s high-speed engine concept, allowing an optimum transmission ratio at all times and, accordingly, truly outstanding power and performance on the road.
The high-speed engine concept – the perfect solution.
The engineers at BMW M see the concept of the compact, fast-revving normal-aspiration engine as the best solution in every respect: Reaching engine speeds of up to 8,250 rpm, the ten-cylinder enters a speed range previously reserved to the thoroughbred sports car.Compared with the former eight-cylinder M5, engine power is up by more than 25 per cent. The new M5 thus even achieves the magic 100 bhp per liter limit even at SAE net, offering specific output otherwise only to be found in motorsport.
A masterpiece in engine construction.
The two rows of five cylinders forming the V10 are arranged at an angle of 90° in the interest of smoothness and comfort ensured by the perfect balance of masses on the crankdrive. The crankcase comes in bedplate design to provide outstanding stiffness under very substantial combustion pressure, high engine speeds, and powerful vibrations. Grey-cast iron inlays are cast into the aluminum bedplate to ensure optimum support and running smoothness of the crankshaft, at the same time enhancing both noise and vibration control and supporting the fast flow of oil. And last but not least, the extremely stiff crankshaft runs in no less than six bearings.Introducing the new M5 engine, BMW is using the bedplate concept for the first time in a production V-engine.
High-pressure double-VANOS and individual throttle butterflies.
Variable double-VANOS camshaft control ensures an optimum gas charge cycle matched perfectly to the engine, allowing extremely short valve adjustment times. In practice this means more power, a smoother torque curve, optimum responsiveness, greater fuel economy and cleaner emissions.Again reflecting motorsport requirements, each cylinder has its own throttle butterfly operated fully electronically and independently for each row of cylinders.
Twin-chamber stainless-steel exhaust system.
Made of stainless steel without any seams or connection points, the exhaust system on the new M5 engine forms two separate chambers up to the rear muffler, before exhaust gases leave the system through the four tailpipes so characteristic of a BMW M Car. And it almost goes without saying that exhaust emissions comply in full with the U.S. LEV II standard.World’s most sophisticated engine control unit center.
The MS S65 engine control unit is the “command center� responsible for the V10’s outstanding performance and emission data. No other engine management in the world offers the same level of package density with the most powerful processors currently approved for use in an automobile. This is clearly necessary, considering that due to the high engine speed as well as the many management and control functions the demands made of engine management are particularly significant in this case.A new highlight in engine management: ionic current technology.
Ionic current technology detects engine knocking as well as any ignition or combustion misfiring. This technology is able to sense any tendency to knock via the spark plug in each cylinder, monitoring the ignition process and detecting any risk of misfiring. The spark plug therefore serves also as an actuator for the ignition and as a sensor monitoring the combustion process.Seven-speed SMG gearbox conveying M Power to the road.
To provide all its qualities in full, the high-speed engine must be combined with an appropriate transmission. This allows the engine to offer its full torque at all times converted into optimum power and thrust by a short overall transmission ratio.Introducing the seven-speed SMG gearbox, BMW M has a unique transmission for conveying the power of the V10 ideally via the drivetrain to the wheels. Indeed, BMW M is the first manufacturer worldwide to offer such a sequential gearbox with seven gears and Drivelogic. Even more consistently than the former six-speed gearbox, seven-speed SMG allows both a manual gearshift with extremely short shift times and comfortable cruising in the automatic mode. And last but not least, the additional gear shortens the gap between engine speeds and torque when shifting from one gear to another.
New SMG transmission increasing gearshift speed by 20 per cent.
The driver shifts gears on the seven-speed SMG gearbox either via the shift lever in the middle or by paddles on the steering wheel. Compared with the former SMG transmission, this new generation of SMG technology shifts gears another 20 per cent faster: Never before has a gearbox of this kind provided such a fast gearshift. The big advantage for the driver of the M5 is that gears shift in a consistent “flow� much faster than even an experienced driver is able to achieve. In practice, this means that the inevitable interruption of power flow when shifting gears is hardly perceptible. The M5 accelerates virtually without the slightest jolt or interruption from a standstill all the way to its top speed.Drivelogic: the driver chooses how SMG should shift gears.
Featuring its Drivelogic function, SMG offers the driver a total of 11 gearshift options allowing him to adjust the gearshift characteristics of SMG to his preferred style of motoring.Six of these driving programs can be pre-selected within the sequential manual shift function (S-mode), ranging from smooth but dynamic all the way to high-performance. In the S-mode, therefore, the driver always shifts gears by hand.
In the automatic D (Drive)-mode the transmission shifts the seven gears automatically without any intervention on the part of the driver. This gearshift varies as a function of the driving program, the driving situation, the speed of the car, and the position of the gas pedal.
SMG also enhances driving safety and motoring comfort.
The seven-speed SMG gearbox not only supports the driver in achieving the same performance as in motorsport, but also offers a wide range of safety features. In a critical situation – for example when shifting back on a slippery surface – SMG opens the clutch within fractions of a second to keep the M5 stable on the road by avoiding high engine forces on the drive wheels.Other special functions are the Hillclimb Assistant enabling the driver to set off on an uphill grades without the car rolling back as well as Mountain Detection changing the gearshift points on uphill and downhill grades: When driving uphill, the system prevents the transmission from constantly shifting up and down, when driving downhill it keeps the lower gears in mesh longer than usual in order to capitalize on the engine’s braking effect.
Maximum driving pleasure.
The combination of the of the V10 engine and seven-speed SMG allows a level of performance on the road so far regarded as quite impossible in a production sedan. In particular, however, the new M5 offers the driver maximum pleasure at the wheel never experienced before. Compared with the former M5, the new high-performance model weighing 4,013 lb or 1,820 kg which ensures higher standards in every respect, accelerating to 60 mph in just 4.6 seconds and achieving a top speed of 155 mph or 250 km/h limited only by electronic control.Testing the M5 on Nürburgring.
The combination of practical power and low weight speaks for the new M5 also in comparison with all the car’s direct competitors. Here again, the M5 sets the benchmark, showing all competitors its four tailpipes from behind.The Nordschleife, the “Northern Circuit�, of the legendary Nürburgring Race Track is probably the ultimate test in terms of driving dynamics. This is where for decades, on this most demanding race track in the world, the real performers have shown their qualities. Nowhere else is the interaction of all a car’s components when driving to the limit as clear and obvious as on the Nordschleife. And this is where the M5, lapping the circuit in approximately 8 minutes, is able to match thoroughbred sports cars and – easily – beat the competition, Incidentally, all M Models have always been tested here out of an old BMW tradition.
The M Suspension: special features of the top suspension in the 5 Series.
Lap times of this kind prove the performance the BMW M5 is able to offer on the road whenever the driver wishes. And since performance of this caliber cannot be achieved even with the highly developed suspension of the “basic� 5 Series, the M5 is a truly unique car also in terms of its suspension and set-up.Modification of many details turning the 5 Series into the M5.
To provide this kind of performance, the complete suspension and its assistance systems have either been developed as totally new components, or as significantly modified or adapted to that special M performance of the new M5. As an example, the suspension of the M5 is not just the same suspension as on the 5 Series lowered further to the ground, but rather an entirely different construction optimized for the M5.The suspension and chassis assistance systems, while in part bearing the same names, have also been optimized by the engineers at BMW M for the new car. So that ultimately the M5 represents the pinnacle within BMW’s highly successful 5 Series also in terms of its suspension technology, while in terms of looks and character it is naturally an entirely different, unique model.
Variable M differential lock.
The BMW M5 comes with a variable, speed-sensing differential lock giving the car superior driving stability and optimum traction particularly when accelerating out of a bend. The variable M differential lock provides the decisive edge in terms of traction even in the most demanding driving situations with the drive wheels running on surfaces extremely different in their frictional coefficient. Another advantage is that the variable M differential lock immediately builds up growing locking action with the difference in speed between the drive wheels increasing, thus ensuring smooth motoring refinement and superb traction at all times.Exclusive to the BMW M5: DSC with two-stage control.
BMW M has developed a new generation of DSC Dynamic Stability Control especially for the M5. This new DSC is activated or deactivated by the driver though the MDrive Manager in the steering wheel in two stages, providing optimum drive power in all situations. While stage I retains basically the same characteristics as “regular� DSC on the 5 Series, stage II – the M Dynamic Mode – is particularly for the really sports-minded driver, enhancing traction even under difficult conditions.EDC-C: from firm and taut to more compliant and comfortable.
The suspension on the BMW M5 features EDC-C Electronic Damper Control. Hence, the chassis and suspension of the M5 offers the driver the full range of damping options – from firm and taut all the way to more compliant and comfortable. The driver activates EDC-C from the MDrive Manager button in the steering wheel or through a push-button next to the gear selector lever.Power button for individual performance.
Since the driver does not always need all the power and agility of the M5, for example in city traffic, the engine automatically starts in the comfort-oriented P 400 power program with 400 bhp engine output. To use the full power of the ten-cylinder, all the driver then has to do is press the power button in the selector lever cover, the kinematics of the gas pedal instantaneously switching over to full performance in the P 500 and, respectively, the P 500 Sports Program, the former for dynamic, the latter for absolutely uncompromising sports motoring.High-performance brakes like in motorsport.
Extra large brake discs on all four wheels ensure superior stopping power without fading. Like many other features on the M5, these extra-light compound brake discs also come from motorsport. The double-piston swing calipers made of aluminum give the M5 stopping distances absolutely equal to those of a thoroughbred sports car: traveling at a speed of 60 mph, the M5 takes just 114 feet or 35 metres to come to a standstill.High-performance athlete in a business suit.
A wolf in sheep’s clothing – that analogy would be quite appropriate if the “basic� 5 Series as such and in particular the new M5 did not have such a dynamic look from the start. For it is a fact that even the “regular� 5 Series is sporting, elegant and powerful to behold: It is no coincidence that the 5 Series represents the dynamic business class within the BMW range.The M5 stands out from the regular model series through a wide range of both conspicuous and hidden details making the car even more powerful, sporting and dynamic in its looks. So it is far more appropriate to see the new M5 as an athlete in business attire.
Exterior with modest understatement.
The differences and distinctions in design versus the “basic� 5 Series are discreet but consistent. Indeed, precisely these distinctions give the M5 a high standard of visual independence without querying its relationship with the 5 Series as such. The first points you will notice from outside are the modified front and rear air dams. Then there are the rear spoiler and rear diffuser for even higher down-forces as well as the modified side sills and the flared wheel arches wider than normal.By tradition, an M Model also stands out from a “normal� BMW through the exclusive design of the exterior mirrors, the typical gills on the front side panel, the four exhaust tailpipes now acknowledged as a standard feature of BMW M Cars, as well as the exclusive design of the wheels.
