2005 BMW M5 Photos, engines & full specs

BMW decided to take its gloves off from the M5, and while the previous generations of this moniker were somehow subtle, the 2004 E60 version was not subtle at all; it was flamboyant.

In 2004, BMW launched the fifth generation of the M5, or the fourth if you don’t take the M535i into account since it didn’t sport that specific badge. The difference between the most powerful version of the E60 5 Series and the rest of its siblings was massive. It wasn’t just about a specific engine and a stiffer suspension. It was about everything: from the car’s look to the interior and the technical underpinnings, it was a completely different vehicle. Furthermore, it didn’t have the exact same look.

At the front, there were still the same swept-back headlights that made people angry, even though in a few years, they were about to become trendy. But below, there was a new bumper. Instead of a single, narrow, and wide air intake, the automaker installed an upside-down trapezoidal shape in the middle, flanked by a pair of leaf-shaped scoops on the sides. All of these inlets were functional, either to cool the engine or the brakes.

From its profile, the enlarged wheel arches and the side vents placed above the turn signals on the front fenders were specific for the M5. In addition, the side sills were slightly pulled out to reduce the ground effect and lower the aerodynamic drag. Furthermore, unlike the rest of the E60 range, the M5 featured black trims around the windows instead of chromed ones. Finally, at the back, the automaker installed a discrete lip spoiler on the deck, while the rear bumper featured a diffuser and four exhausts to help the engine breathe.

Inside, BMW installed a luxurious, leather-wrapped interior. Furthermore, a set of Alcantara/suede seats was on the options list. The automaker also understood that such a high-performance sedan should have aluminum trims instead of wood grain. But it had to stick with the double-bubble dashboard design, like the rest of the range. Fronting the driver was an instrument cluster where the M-badge was placed inside the large dial of the tachometer, which was marked up to 9,000 rpm. The speedometer was also marked up to 330 kph (202 mph). On the M-badged steering wheel, besides the rest of the buttons that controlled the infotainment system, there was also a specific button that transformed the car, setting all parameters into sport mode. Between the front seats, the automaker placed the gearbox selector and three other buttons that controlled the dampers, the throttle response, and the stability control.

However, the M5 was more about the nice interior and the aggressive look; it was about performance. Its naturally aspirated V10 engine was designed by the same team that made BMW’s Formula 1 V10 engine. The seven-speed automated gearbox with a single clutch could be adjusted for faster or slower gear changes. For selected countries, BMW provided the M5 with a six-speed manual, but most of them were fitted with this seven-speed Sequential Manual Gearbox or SMG. Furthermore, like all its predecessors, the M5 featured a limited-slip differential, albeit it was electronically controlled, not entirely mechanical. Last but not least, customers could order the M5 with ceramic brakes and without a speed limiter.