June 28, 2024

The 2025 BMW M5 Has Put On Weight, Is Slower Than Before


The all-new, seventh-generation BMW M5 is now out and with it brings the quintessential sport sedan into the electrified age with its first-ever plug-in hybrid powertrain.

The 2025 M5 packs a reworked 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 engine that, by itself, puts out 600 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 750 Nm from 1,800 to 5,600 rpm. This is mated to an 8-speed M automatic transmission driving all four wheels via the M xDrive all-wheel drive system. Specifically, for the G90 M5 though, there’s also an integrated electric motor that puts out 197 horsepower and 280 Nm for a grand total of 727 horsepower and 1,000 Nm of torque. An underfloor 22.1-kWh (18.6 kWh net) lithium-ion battery provides up to 69 kilometers of all-electric range at speeds of up to 140 km/h and this one can be charged via an AC input (7.4 kW maximum).



Stopping the all-new M5 are beefy M Compound brakes with 410 mm discs and six-piston fixed calipers at the front and 398 mm single-piston floating calipers out back. M Carbon ceramic brakes are also available as an option.

Sadly, despite the bonkers numbers, the G90 is slower than the F90 that it replaces. The all-new M5 now takes 3.5 seconds to reach 100 km/h—a tenth slower than the previous M5 (two-tenths versus the M5 Competition). This is down to a less-than-ideal power-to-weight ratio. The electric motor, batteries, and related hardware means the G90 M5 has put on some weight. But no one expected it to weigh in at 2,510 kilograms—about 570 kilograms heavier than the previous F90 M5. This puts this sports sedan in the same league as the Chevrolet Tahoe, Range Rover Sport, and even Ford F-150. The all-new M5 makes around 294 horsepower per ton versus 312 horsepower per ton in the non-Competition F90 M5 and 330 horsepower per ton in the F90 M5 Competition.

Design-wise, the M5 looks the part with its aggressive-looking wheel arches that bump up the width by 75 mm at the front and 48 mm at the back. The front clip is like the regular 5 Series with its partially closed-off kidney grille, but here, it’s finished in high-gloss black. That said, it does sport larger air intakes similar to its M Hybrid V8 racing car. Over to the sides, it rides on staggered wheels measuring 20 inches at the front and 21 inches at the back. The M5 logo also replaces the “5” logo on the C-pillar. At the back, there’s a rear spoiler, a two-section diffuser, and tailpipes finished in black chrome.



Inside, the M5 sticks to the regular 5 Series’ dashboard layout, but gets dressed up in appropriate M wear including a new steering wheel (with red center marker) and dedicated M buttons for personalized drive modes. The Curved Display with its 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and 14.9-inch central touchscreen also gets M-specific touches, as does the expansive Interaction Bar ambient lighting system and head-up display.

The all-new M5 will start production in July with global sales starting in November. A Touring (wagon) version will also be introduced towards the end of this year.


2 comments:

  1. What's the reason why new cars are getting heavier(and usually bigger)?

    ReplyDelete
  2. The M5, like most BMW products, is rear-wheel drive and also out of date, I think since BMW doesn't even have much manufacturing presences in Eastern Europe then I think BMW should be a replacement for Nissan as a partner for Renault - hence Renault would acquire BMW the same way the former did with Jeep in 1979 and Nissan in 1999 - and if Renault were to own BMW therefore the German carmaker's front-wheel drive products may not only switch to Renault/Dacia hardware. (But also BMW's RWD products would switch to Renault tech since most French cars until today are majority FWD like Peugeot.)

    ReplyDelete

Feel free to comment or share your views. Comments that are derogatory and/or spam will not be tolerated. We reserve the right to moderate and/or remove comments.