Australian pricing for the F90 BMW M5 has been revealed ahead of the car’s second quarter 2018 local launch. Priced from $199,900 plus on-road costs, the new M5 Launch Edition is more than $30,000 less expensive than the model it replaces, yet like the standard 5 Series on which it’s based, is more powerful and more richly equipped. BMW will also be offering an M5 First Edition to just five local buyers, priced from $229,900.
Combining a twin turbocharged 441kW/750Nm 4.4-litre V8 and BMW’s Drive all-wheel drive system, the new M5 is capable of 0-100km/h sprints of just 3.4 seconds and a top speed of 305km/h with the M Driver’s Package specified.
“Never before has BMW M brought such an advanced car to market,” said BMW Group
Australia CEO, Marc Werner.
“Its combination of awesome power and torque, switchable four-wheel drive system,
innovative technologies and the ability to carry five passengers in comfort is truly unique.
“To bring this incredible package to market at such a strong price point is further proof of our standing among BMW’s M Division globally,” he said.
Central to the F90 BMW M5’s performance is a revised version of the M Division’s twin turbo 4.4-litre V8. Named S63B44T4, the engine now produces a huge 441kW of power from 5,600-6,700rpm and an insane 750Nm of torque between 1,800 and 5,600rpm – up from the F20 M5’s also scary 423kW and 680Nm. The benchmark 0-100km/h sprint is performed in just 3.4 seconds (faster than the old M5’s 4.2 second sprint) and with the M Driver’s Package specified, a top speed of 305km/h. Despite this performance, BMW claims combined fuel cycle economy of 10.5L/100km and CO2 emissions of 241g/km.
Unlike the old M5, the new model sends its power to BMW’s xDrive all-wheel drive system through an eight-speed M Steptronic automatic transmission – the seven-speed dual-clutch transmission and rear-drive drivetrain of the F10 are gone. Like the new Mercedes-AMG E63S, the all-wheel drive system in the F80 M5 allows the driver to select from drive modes – 4WD, 4WD Sport – which loosens the ESP and allows for ‘controlled slides with a safety net’ when activated in M Dynamic Mode – and most interestingly, 2WD with the front differential decoupled from the drivetrain. This allows for all-wheel drive security but with the ability to perform long drifts in track conditions. This ability, combined with 15kg less weight at 1,855kg, promises to make the new M5 ‘the most dynamic M5 yet’.
Like the current G30 BMW 5 Series, the M5 variant is more richly equipped than ever before and only offers few options for buyers to choose from. The new M5 is equipped with a significant amount of active safety equipment, including radar cruise control with full autonomous emergency braking, steering and lane control assist, lane keep assist with active side collision protection, front and rear traffic alert, crossroads warning, evasion warning, rear collision prevention, as well as lane departure warning and lane change warning. Like the 5 Series, the M5 offers semi-autonomous driving on motorways for 30 seconds without driver input – the car will autonomously brake, steer and accelerate itself.
Elsewhere, the new M5 includes automatic parking, 360-degree parking cameras that can be accessed from a smartphone app, adaptive beam LED headlights, 20-inch alloy wheels, an M sports exhaust with quad pipes, the latest iDrive 6 infotainment system with a 10.5-inch touchscreen, wireless phone charging, an M-specific colour heads-up display and voice control with natural speech recognition.
The options list for the new M5 is relatively short, with an $8,000 Indulgence Package (including soft-close doors, massaging front seats, TV functionality for the infotainment screen and rear seat 10.2-inch screens with Blu Ray players) and a $3,650 Innovations Package (roller sunblinds, quad-zone climate control, ventilated front seats, an ambient air package and BMW’s gesture control) joining single options such as wireless CarPlay, a 16-speaker Bowers & Wilkins Diamond sound system, an electric glass sunroof in lieu of the standard carbon fibre roof, night vision for the instrument dials and an M carbon fibre engine cover and M carbon ceramic brakes.
Alpine White is the only standard colour, with a choice of six premium finishes and a further nine choices available through BMW’s Individual program. The interior is available in just three main Merino leather choices combined with an illuminated M5 badge in each front seat. Three more colour choices are available through the BMW Individual program.
BMW will also be releasing a special M5 First Edition, priced from $229,990 plus on-road costs. Available to just five buyers locally, the First Edition will be made in only 400 units worldwide. “BMW Australia is over the moon with the specification and pricing levels we’ve achieved for the all-new M5,” said BMW Group Australia CEO, Marc Werner. “Now to bring out this very special M5 First Edition to five very lucky customers, with even further enhanced specification and exclusive specifications makes for an even greater continuation of the M5’s story,” he said.
Whilst the M5 First Edition earns no more power than the ‘standard’ M5, it does offer an exclusive Frozen Red metallic exterior hue and Smoke White with red stitching interior combination from BMW Individual, whilst also offering some equipment from the M5 options list such as the BMW M carbon fibre engine cover, 16 speaker Bowers & Wilkins Diamond sound system, TV function, rear seat entertainment screens, roller blinds for the rear windows, ventilated front seats, gesture control, quad-zone climate control, as well as ‘M5 First Edition 1/400’ interior badging and black floor mats with white piping and red stitching.
The M5 First Edition also arrives with 20-inch Jet Black wheels, with high gloss black exterior details, including the BMW kidney grille, tailpipes, window surrounds, side gills and rear lip spoiler.
2018 BMW M5 pricing (plus on-road costs):
Launch Edition: $199,900
First Edition: $230,900
The new BMW M5 arrives in Australia in Q2 2018.
Stay tuned to Chasing Cars for news regarding the new BMW M5 and watch our review of the 5 Series here.