Latest news with #M5
Edmunds
a day ago
- Automotive
- Edmunds
Audi RS 6 Avant vs. BMW M5 Touring: Big Wagons Hit the Track
And he's right. When you drive the two wagons back to back, there is an immediate sense that the Audi is more agile. It felt sharper than the M5 in just about every section on the track, save for the straightaways, which favored the BMW. But even with less power, the RS 6 was ultimately the better thrill. Its V8 supplied ample power and included a fun growling soundtrack in every foot-down moment. The gearbox was smooth while operating on its own and got even better when we chose to do the work ourselves with the paddle shifters. And once those Continental tires got some heat in them, the RS 6 clung on around corners more like a supercar and less like a family wagon. Weirdly, the thing we liked least about the RS 6 Performance is one of its highlight features: the self-locking center differential. The Audi's ability to shuffle power between all four wheels depending on the situation is a good thing, but it did so a bit clumsier than we would've liked. During a quick corner, we could feel (and hear) the car trimming the power from the inside wheel, which felt unnatural. A system like this shouldn't be noticeable to the driver, and it definitely was. The M5 has a ridiculous list of ways that you can configure the car for driving. You have individual control over the steering, brakes, engine, transmission, all-wheel-drive system, suspension and exhaust. Then there's a separate manual altogether for the electric elements, controlling whether the Touring drives in all-electric, hybrid or recharge mode depending on battery levels. If reading this was confusing, that's because doing it in real life was as well. It will take the owner multiple track days to figure out the best way to dial in the car to their liking.
The Sun
4 days ago
- Automotive
- The Sun
Mansory unleashes customisation and Power Boost for the Latest BMW M5
RENOWNED for its unapologetically flamboyant designs and performance enhancements, Mansory has unveiled its latest tuning programme for the new generation hybrid BMW M5. The tuner has tackled the sedan's dual reputation for speed and substantial weight, introducing a blend of aggressive styling, power upgrades, and subtle weight-saving measures. Visually, the Mansory-enhanced M5 takes on a much bolder identity. A prominent carbon fibre bonnet with integrated air vents dominates the front, paired with a more pronounced splitter and modified intake trim–all fabricated from carbon fibre to reflect Mansory's signature material of choice. The front fascia is not only more aggressive but also intentionally dramatic. The transformation continues along the side profile. Carbon fibre details extend to the side gills, streamlined side skirts, and mirror caps. For added flair, the vehicle features Mansory's signature fender shields, evoking a Ferrari-esque influence, contributing to a more exotic visual identity. At the rear, the M5 is reimagined with an oversized diffuser and a centrally mounted triple tailpipe setup, proudly showcasing the upgraded sports exhaust system. Additional aerodynamic elements include a lip spoiler and a roof-mounted spoiler, both enhancing the sedan's sporty silhouette. Even the rear reflectors have not escaped attention, now framed in carbon fibre trims that resemble ventilation outlets. In an effort to counter the M5's significant 2,445 kg curb weight, Mansory has introduced a set of ultra-light 22-inch forged wheels with a multi-spoke design. Although the tuner has yet to provide concrete figures on the weight reduction, the wheels are expected to offer marginal improvements in performance and handling responsiveness. Under the bonnet, Mansory has left the M5's electric motor untouched, opting instead to focus on extracting greater output from the 4.4-litre twin-turbocharged V8 engine. The powerplant now produces a formidable 838hp and 1,150Nm of torque–an increase of 121hp and 150Nm over the standard version. These enhancements are expected to translate into notably sharper acceleration and road presence. The engine bay is completed with a carbon fibre engine cover branded with Mansory's logo, reinforcing the tuner's commitment to high-end detailing. While no updates have yet been confirmed for the chassis or suspension setup, Mansory has hinted at further developments to come, suggesting future upgrades may focus on handling dynamics and ride refinement. Inside the cabin, Mansory continues its tradition of bold interior makeovers. The reimagined cockpit features a striking black and orange leather upholstery scheme, complemented by bespoke floor mats and sportier pedal covers. The overall theme reflects the tuner's flair for luxury combined with motorsport-inspired aesthetics. This latest iteration of the BMW M5, reworked by Mansory, brings with it not only a sharper aesthetic and significant performance gains but also reinforces the appeal of personalised, high-performance vehicles in the electrified era. As with all Mansory creations, exclusivity and presence are guaranteed. Here, BMW Group Malaysia recently launched the BMW M5 at the MY BMW World 2025 exhibition for RM1,188,800.
Miami Herald
4 days ago
- Automotive
- Miami Herald
You'll Either Love or Hate What This Tuner Did to the BMW M5
Despite the illuminated kidney grille, the new G90-generation BMW M5 boasts understated beauty with a subtle hint of aggressiveness. Just like its long-roof Touring version, the clean lines and aero kits of the sedan aren't offensive, and despite the hefty weight it now carries, the electrified powertrain has brought the midsize M Bimmer to supercar territory in terms of power output: 717 horsepower and 738 lb-ft of torque, coming from a 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 plug-in hybrid setup. But in case subtlety isn't your thing, Mansory has just introduced a loud and screaming version of the BMW M5, with restraint thrown out the window. Even better, it has been given a power bump through the German tuner's P850 uptune offering. As the name implies, Mansory's P850 tune brings the overall output of the BMW M5 to 850 metric ponies, or 838 hp and 848 lb-ft on this side of the pond. These are huge jumps from the standard 717 hp and 738 lb-ft torque, which allow a 0-60 mph sprint in just 3.4 seconds. Mansory hasn't disclosed any performance figures, but we'd expect it to be close to three seconds flat for the century sprint. Details on how the final P850 figures were achieved weren't disclosed, but the S68 engine has likely been given the extra oomph, with the electric motors kept intact. In stock tune, the V8 powerplant churns out 577 hp and 553 lb-ft. Meanwhile, the electric motor is rated at 194 hp and 207 lb-ft. Apart from the engine tune, Mansory's BMW M5 also gets a sports exhaust with a triple exit at the back. The engine block is covered with a glossy carbon fiber material, but as with most things from the infamous brand, the exterior gets the wildest makeover. BMW has its own set of M Performance Parts for the new M5, but Mansory's recipe consists of outlandish elements. These include forged carbon fiber parts, orange pinstriping, and illuminated elements all over the super sedan. These are found on the hood, grille, front lip, front and rear air intakes/outlets, winglets, mirror caps, side skirts, C-pillar, fender, rear diffuser, and roof and decklid spoiler. The company also throws in a set of 22-inch glossy black forged wheels for good measure, matched with orange brake calipers. Bonus points for those who can spot the unusually positioned illuminated Mansory logos. Inside, the company didn't provide any details for the package, but options are available, including standard Mansory things like floor mats, custom upholstery, starlight headliner, and illuminated scuff plates. Mansory didn't announce the pricing for its BMW M5 package, but given the heft of upgrades, including the uptune and extensive use of expensive carbon fiber elements, expect eye-popping numbers to add on to your near-$120,000 super sedan. Copyright 2025 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
BBC News
4 days ago
- Automotive
- BBC News
M5 warning as junction closes for almost four months amid major upgrade
A taxi firm is increasing its prices and vulnerable patients could face longer waits for their medication as a motorway junction has closed for almost four Council's contractor Heidelberg Materials is refurbishing junction 26 of the M5 and the A38 Chelston link road near Wellington as part of a £5.7m project, with a complete closure in place until Hickinbottom, who runs Archie's Cabs, said: "We've considered closing, it's really that bad, we're going to have to increase our prices very slightly just during this period."Council bosses say they understands people have "real concerns" but added "this is the only available window" to complete the vital works. Mr Hickinbottom added: "My biggest fear is getting customers to Taunton train station and Musgrove Hospital. It's going to take longer."All sliproads at Junction 26, the roundabout and the A38 link road from the motorway to the Chelston roundabout are closed for at least 14 weeks. However, access to the Foxmoor Business Park will be Penk owns House of Cake in Wellington and is concerned this will have an impact on trade."We won't have the through traffic from people dropping off the motorway into Wellington, people may choose to stay at home rather than risk hitting the traffic," he said. Dr Mark Hunt, the owner and director of Home Instead care, has carers working in Taunton and Wellington."We have had to put contingency plans in place with people now going to have to travel further which is a cost to carers."Our clients can be quite vulnerable and frail, they can be taking time-critical medication so if we're late it can have an adverse impact on health," he added. The official diversion will take motorists off at either junction 25 (Taunton) or junction 27 (Tiverton) and along the chiefs are urging motorists to leave extra time for their Richard Wilkins, lead member for transport, said: "The road is over 50 years old and it's come to the end of its life. This is a huge job, we're basically relaying a complete road."
Otago Daily Times
13-06-2025
- Automotive
- Otago Daily Times
M5 legend blends old and new
ROAD TEST It's a new era, and this is no error. That's the message from BMW on why it has chosen to configure the latest version of a famous performance weapon, the M5, with plug-in hybrid power. As much as the fanbase might have mixed views about why this super sedan had to change, they can be reassured of one factor. That for all the new degree of good electric brings out, this machine is still fabulously bad. Yes, you might think the engine — still a V8, mind — sounds a bit flat and reckon that the car, as a whole, is right at the outer edge in terms of complexity. On the other hand, the M5 remains a technical titan and still has a full out "driver's car" feel. And there's definite wonderment from discovering that, yes, it can actually be economical (for an M5). Plus it looks fantastic, not least in the test car's surely high-fuss Frozen Gray paint. This latest M5 is a fascinating blend of old and new. V8 petrol is all about thunderous, thumping thrust ... but historically is never great for thrift. And, in respect to emissions? Don't even go there. Electric delivers power aplenty, but is often damned for lacking soul. Plus, the harder you go, the faster it depletes. If full-on is your driving style, even the biggest batteries struggle to meet demand. For 40 years, since the original E28 version was launched using the 3.5-litre straight-six engine from the BMW M1, the M5 has ruled the high-performance sedan world by drawing energy from petrol alone. Yet it quite simply cannot survive in the here-and-now without heading down a different path. The beating heart of the beast offers familiarity with a twin-turbocharged 4.4-litre V8 petrol engine that on its own musters up to 436kW of power and 750Nm of torque, the latter from just 1800rpm. The trick this time round is that it operates in conjunction with a 145kW and 280Nm electric motor mounted inside the car's ZF eight-speed automatic gearbox. Maximum power and torque figures when the petrol engine and electric motor are operating in full accord are 535kW and 1000Nm. As much as keeping the serious petrol engine and adding serious electric involvement, with plug-in recharging, is a new turn, at least there are still eight cylinders for a car that otherwise continues very much as it always has, on its own terms, laying down its own "supercar in a sedan body" lore. With its electric motor powered by an 18.6kWh battery, this M5 can purportedly run for close to 70km on electricity alone, tipping a useful wink to eco awareness. The primary point of the electric assistance, though, is to make the M5 even faster, even more accelerative and even more stomping than before. Fully unleashed it is breathtakingly brutal, yet at the same time as it claims a 0-100kmh sprint time of 3.5secs, BMW can also "hand on heart" say the M5 is capable of returning a fuel consumption of 1.7 litres per 100km. The smaller print with this figure from the official WLTP test, is that to stand any chance of seeing it involves keeping its battery topped up all the time and adhering very strictly to the testing protocol. Not likely? In which case, the more relevant count might be the depleted battery consumption figure, of 10.3 litres per 100km. I saw something near that on test. I also saw old historic habit, with instant return results in the 20s. Well, it's an M5. Driving it for reasonable distance at relevant speeds in pure electric was always possible during the whole week of test, all the same. It all comes down to how well you acquaint yourself with the car's operating options. As simple as it is to set up shortcuts to allow it to be either an angel or a demon at the press of a button, it is nonetheless a highly complex car. There are so many permutations. As much as the M5 is very obviously a hotted-up version of the brand's regular 5-Series/i5, it nonetheless presents as something far more special; a precise and involving weapon. With the cabin, the performance thematic demands a red engine stop-start button, and BMW M Sport red, blue and purple flashes everywhere you look, from the touchscreen to the fabric of the seatbelts to the little illuminated logos inset into the front bucket seats. Being an M it also gets carbon-fibre galore. The cabin proper is roomy and comfortable; anyone brave enough to ride along in this rocket will find decent head and legroom in the back. Overall quality is extremely good. The big feature is of course that massive, curved twin-screen digital layout atop the dashboard — 31cm for the instrument display, and 38cm for the infotainment screen. M5s are not in any way "soft" cars, but the ride is very firm. On the move, jolting means the click-wheel "iDrive" controller is your go-to. Try stabbing at a screen and the chance of hitting the wrong prompts is high. The car's M-ness in respect to operability means it has paddle shifters in carbon fibre, M1 and M2 memory buttons on the steering wheels and buttons on the centre console that trigger "road", "sport" and "race" modes. The first two are legitimate for public environs. The latter really not. Fiddling with the driving modes also changes the suspension firmness, the steering weight, the throttle response, and whether you want extra snappy responses from the eight-speed automatic gearbox. On top of this, you can sort the instruments in multiple ways, all with M-specific graphics and details. I also set up the memory buttons for two extremes of operability; the first was basically tailored towards as extreme performance as I dared — so, basically, a lot of settings in sport and sport plus — and the latter was for relaxed hybrid-rich driving mode, which of course is the new territory. As new as an M5 with ability to run wholly in electric is, even when it is pulling fully or mainly from the battery, it still feels brisker than any everyday EV. The only commonality is that it is totally quiet. I found I could escape our sub-division wholly in electric mode and then involve the engine coming up to the 100kmh sector our lane feeds into. You would wonder if this might be a bit of a stress for the engine, not least given this would be an engagement coming at the start of day, but BMW's engineers have clearly thought about that and refined the drivetrain accordingly so that the engine isn't rudely awakened from dormancy. Even then, the engagement is pretty seamless; you are more aware of the engine's background roar as it awakens rather than any jolting as two become one. Once the engine warms, it is even smoother. The engineering is pretty amazing, really. Another neat tweak is that it will pre-position in a gear to allow it to deliver a punch of 450Nm of torque for brief periods, if that is all you want. You can also charge the battery pack as you drive. That's worth considering because the car can only charge at up to 7kW on AC power, it takes hours to replenish. In briefing for the M5, M boss Franciscus van Meel admitted a multitude of options were considered — including smaller engines with fewer cylinders and a non-plug-in hybrid system — before concluding the V8 was integral to the appeal of the car and that a useful electric range was desirable in Europe especially. The challenge from then was to make the hybrid system powerful enough, and the chassis of the M5 competent enough, to overcome the significant weight gain of a plug-in hybrid system — some 500kg. The car's mass is significant at 2510kg. That's a full-on SUV count for a four-door sedan, whose heritage has been built on not just massive "kapow", but also scalpel-sharp handling and precision. Conceivably, the kilo count is why it has so much wallop, but to be fair, the car carries its tonnage really well. Yes, there are occasions when you are aware of it being a giant paperweight, but unlike the heavier-again XM, it escapes feeling ponderous and, when driving hard, it still feels fleet and intuitive. The mass is only really noticeable when braking hard and, even then, the car keeps very good balance and turn-in. What you become grateful for is how well planted and resolutely stable it feels. Even when surfaces are poor and the ride is set to the almost circuit-tuned sport plus mode it doesn't jump around. Fans of predecessor M5s will be pleased the V8 is still able to sound off loudly, with a satisfying snarl at lower revolutions, but be disappointed it lacks the jagged chatter of the old mill. They could well also need convincing about why a car that was complex enough in previous forms is much, much more so now. Even so, the M5 is a legend. There's nothing to say this one is not worthy of the badge. AT A GLANCE BMW M5 Overall rating: ★★★★★ Design and styling: ★★★★ Interior: ★★★★★ Performance: ★★★★★ Ride and handling: ★★★★ Safety: ★★★★★ Environmental: ★★★★ SPECIFICATIONS: Price: $244,900 ($254,600 as tested with BMW individual paint $7100, trailer tow hitch $2600). Powertrain: 4.4 litre twin-turbo V8 and electric motor, maximum combined power 550kW, maximum combined torque 1000Nm. Transmission: Eight-speed automatic, four-wheel drive with 2WD option. Safety rating: Five-star Ancap. Wheels and tyres: Alloy wheels, 285/40 R20 front, 295/40 R21 rear tyres. Fuel and economy: Premium unleaded fuel, 1.7L/100km on WLTP3 cycle (10.3L/100km on petrol alone), tank capacity 68 litres. Emissions: 38g per kilometre on combined cycle. Dimensions: Length, 5096mm; width, 1970mm; height, 1510mm. By Richard Bosselman
