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2018 BMW M5 Unveiled With 600 PS, AWD and RWD

A lot of people are no longer aware of this, but the BMW M5 nameplate is actually older than any other M model, with the exception of the Lamborghini-infused BMW M1.
2018 BMW M5 67 photos
Photo: BMW AG
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Coincidentally, the first M-branded BMW apart from the M1 was also a 5 Series, which was fitted with the… drum rolls, BMW M1 engine.

Approximately 34 years and five generations later, the 2018 BMW M5 F90 is finally here in all its glory and it's expectedly the quickest one yet.

Despite weighing a tad more kilos and using a modified version of the exact same engine as its F10 predecessor, the all-new M5 manages to outgun it from just about every technical angle.

The horsepower and torque numbers are almost identical to those of the limited M5 30 Jahre Edition, which came with 600 PS (592 hp) and 700 Nm (516.3 lb-ft) of torque. That said, the M5 F90's 4.4-liter, twin-turbocharged V8 develops the same amount of horsepower and 750 Nm (553.2 lb-ft) of torque.

On top of that small bump in torque figures, the 2018 BMW M5 has another ace up its sleeves, and that card comes in the form of an intelligent all-wheel-drive system that can be switched from AWD to RWD. Thanks to this neat little trick, the sledgehammer sedan from Munich can hit 100 km/h (62 mph) in just 3.4 seconds, exactly like its biggest rival, the 2017 Mercedes-AMG E63 S.

Sure, the AMG is slightly more powerful and has a lot more torque, but it's also about 25 kg (55 pounds) heavier, so in the real world the two should be neck and neck in a straight line.

Since it's the first all-paw system on the model ever, the so-called M xDrive is by far the biggest news surrounding the new M5. It works using a central transfer case with a multi-plate clutch, which can distribute power fully variable between the front and rear axle according to driver input and conditions. Also fully variable is the Active M differential on the rear axle, which has a locking effect between 0 and 100 percent for those pretty powerslides you see in some of the press photos.

Based on combinations of the electronic stability control modes (DSC on, MDM or DSC off) and M xDrive modes (4WD, 4WD Sport and 2WD), you now have five different driving configurations to choose from. Sure, they're not as many as in the M5 E60, but they should have way more different characters.

Unlike its predecessor, which was also available with a 6-speed manual as an option in some markets, the 2018 M5 will only come with a specially tuned eight-speed automatic from ZF. It should probably make the whole AWD to 2WD switch a tad easier on most folks.

As it happens, the addition of an AWD system and many other options hasn't taken that much of a toll on the model's mass, which sits at a nice and steady 1930 kg (4255 pounds) according to European standards.

Surprisingly, the rear tires are narrower than on its predecessor, while the front ones are much wider. Whenever we see a car with nearly identical front and rear tire width and all-wheel-drive we usually start thinking about terminal understeer, but we're also pretty sure that BMW M engineers know what they're doing.

Orders will start in September, while deliveries should begin all the way in spring 2018. Pricing in Germany starts at 117,900 euros, which makes it sit between the E63 and the E63 S in this regard. For an extra 19,500 euros, you can get a BMW M5 First Edition, of which only 400 units will be ever built and only comes in BMW Individual Frozen Dark Red Metallic paintwork (pictured above).

Those low on cash might want to buy the upcoming Need for Speed Payback, since the M5 seems to have a major role in it.
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About the author: Alex Oagana
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Alex handled his first real steering wheel at the age of five (on a field) and started practicing "Scandinavian Flicks" at 14 (on non-public gravel roads). Following his time at the University of Journalism, he landed his first real job at the local franchise of Top Gear magazine a few years before Mircea (Panait). Not long after, Alex entered the New Media realm with the autoevolution.com project.
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