BMW has released its fifth-generation M5 to the Australian market; the turbocharged V8 sedan available this month (February) from $230,000.
Following its international debut in Andalucia, Spain late last year the new M5 will feature a turbocharged 4.4-litre V8 developing 412kW/680Nm, ranking it above class competitors Jaguar XFR and Mercedes-Benz E 63 AMG with 375kW/625Nm and 386kW/700Nm respectively. The M5 sits midway between the pair on pricing.
The new M5 joins a 25-year lineage of high-performance sedans as the fastest, most powerful M car yet. New technology includes a high-revving turbocharged V8 that develops 10 per cent more power and 30 per cent more torque than its predecessor while consuming 30 per cent less fuel, a new seven-speed M double-clutch transmission and new Active M differential.
The package enables M5 to accelerate from 0-100km/h in just 4.3 seconds on its way to an electronically-limited top speed of 250km/h. Despite these lofty figures, the BMW M5 boasts a combined average economy figure of just 9.9L/100km while emitting 232g/km of CO2.
M5 includes a comprehensive equipment list that extends to four-zone climate control, electrically-adjustable heated front seats with memory, adaptive xenon headlights with high beam assistant, alarm, satellite navigation with hard disk drive, electrically-operated glass sunroof, park distance control, reversing camera, lane departure warning, surround view and night vision with pedestrian detection.
It does however omit some of the functionality included in overseas models, such as speed limit info facility (part of the HUD) due to the complexity of local speed limit zone signage, and the iPhone apps, which don’t pass Australian Design Rules.
The new BMW M5 Sedan is available now. Visit motoring.com.au again soon for our local launch review.
Click on this link to see more photos of the new BMW M5
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