BMW M5 (2011)

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BMW M5 (2011): the new F10M unveiled

By Ben Pulman

First Official Pictures

15 June 2011 17:00

This is the new BMW M5. Long lauded as the greatest performance saloon on the planet, this is the fifth generation BMW M5, boasting 10 percent more power than its predecessor (making it the most powerful M car ever), 30 percent more torque, yet the company claims fuel consumption is improved by 30% too.

So finally we can get the definitive facts and figures on the new BMW M5’s engine?

We can indeed. Out goes the E60’s screaming naturally aspirated 5.0-litre V10, and in its place is a 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8. It’s effectively the same engine you’ll find in the X5M and X6M. but it boasts a little more power… There’s 552bhp at 6000-7000rpm – it’s 547bhp for the M SUVs. That’s 52bhp more than before, but it’s the torque figure that stands out (and will give the M5 a new character): 502lb ft is produced from just 1500rpm to 5750rpm.

Mate all of the above with a seven-speed dual-clutch M-DCT gearbox (we won’t miss the old 7-spd SMG automated manual) and a rear-wheel drive chassis, and the new M5 will hit 62mph in 4.4 seconds, putting it on par with the CLS63 AMG. The official fuel figures are near-identical to the Merc’s too: 28.5mpg and 232g/km for the new M5, thanks in part to a stop/start system and direct fuel injection. The top speed, as ever, is pegged to 155mph (though the optional M Driver’s Package increases this to 190mph) while 0-124mph takes just 13 seconds.