BMW used the Los Angeles Auto Show to show off the 2018 BMW M5 that will be available in spring 2018 and to announce the retail price of the latest entry in BMW's long line of super sedans. The sixth-generation BMW M5 is the fastest M5 ever, the most technologically advanced M vehicle so far, and the first M car that lets drivers switch between rear-wheel drive and all-wheel drive.
At the heart of the F90 BMW M5 is a 4.4-liter V8 with the latest M TwinPower Turbo technology. This motor produces 600 horsepower and 553 pound-feet of torque. The new M5 therefore claims 40 more horsepower and 53 more pound-feet of torque than its predecessor. All that power is channeled through a new eight-speed M Steptronic transmission with Drivelogic. That's enough to move the new M5 from zero to 60 miles per hour in 3.2 seconds; about a second faster than the previous M5. With the optional M Driver's Package, the new M5's top speed is 189 miles per hour.
How all that power gets to the pavement is probably the biggest news about the new F90 M5. This car features the first-ever BMW M xDrive all-wheel drive system with the capability to switch to rear-wheel drive only. New M5 drivers therefore have the tools they need to get all those 600 horses to the pavement for maximum acceleration and grip. Or if they want to recapture the feel of a rear-wheel drive car or turn the car into a tire-shredding drifter, they can simply switch to rear-wheel drive.
The all-new 2018 BMW M5 will be available in the spring with manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) of $102,600 plus $995 Destination and Handling charge. That's roughly a $7,000 bump over the previous generation M5 which, given the large increase in power and quickness, the ability to switch from all-wheel to two-wheel drive, and all of the new 5 Series technology and connectivity, seems almost reasonable.—Scott Blazey
[Photos courtesy of BMW AG.]
