Whenever BMW unveils their renowned M5, the four-door supercar market receives a new benchmark that always raises the standard. The unveil of the new BMW F90 M5 was anticipated by many after leaked information and pictures scattering the web, but was nonetheless remarkable. Whilst automotive manufacturers have set the bar so high that four-door sedans accelerating to 100km/h under 4 seconds has become a dime a dozen, BMW still manages to stun and awe at every release of its most iconic powerhouse.

The standout feature of the new M5 has to be the new M xDrive system that now comes as standard on the car. This implies that the imposing brute has four-wheel drive that is rear biased and funnels torque through an electronically controlled limited-slip differential to lay down all its power. First the M5 will direct all its power towards the rear wheels, and when these have reached their limits of adhesion, the power will be channelled to the front wheels. Purists will be amongst the first to ask if their beloved M5 comes with an optional manual transmission, and the answer is unfortunately no. Nevertheless, the move for solely an automatic tuned eight-speed M Steptronic transmission seems to be the right choice for an M5 of modern times.

Providing ample power for the new BMW M5 is a 4.4-litre V8 bi-turbo engine with M TwinPower Turbo technology. The flagship powerhouse now features newly developed turbochargers, ultra-efficient indirect charge air cooling and increased fuel injection pressure together help to raise output and, above all, torque. This all gets the drivetrain to churn out 600hp at 5,600 – 6,700 rpm, while a monumental 750Nm of torque is placed at the driver’s disposal from as low down as 1,800 rpm and remains there until 5,600 rpm. The car is electronically limited to 250km/h, but the optional M Driver’s Package can keep the fun going till 305 km/h. Getting up to top speed will happen faster than you can comprehend, as the M5 completes the 0-100km/h sprint in 3.4 seconds.

The new M5 includes revisions to its bodywork over the regular 5 series to fit in seamlessly with the current range of M Sport models. The front side panels and front bumper trim have been redesigned to boast larger apertures for the air feeding the cooling systems and brakes. The front and rear lights are indisputably a true eye catcher and look utterly pleasing in true BMW fashion. The exhaust system’s quartet of tailpipes are a visual pointer to the power generated by the BMW M5 and also lay on a suitably sporting soundtrack for the job in hand, courtesy of their flap control system. The driver can use a button to adjust the engine sound as desired. To match the aggressive tailpipes the car comes standard with 19-inch wheels, but 20-inch variants are an option.

The new BMW F90 M5 can be ordered from September 2017, priced at €117,900, with deliveries beginning in spring 2018. Scheduled for launch on the same sales start date as the standard M5 is the BMW M5 First Edition. This special-edition version – limited to a run of 400 examples worldwide – has BMW Individual Frozen Dark Red Metallic paintwork, is exclusively appointed and costs an extra €19,500 over the standard model.

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