BMW M5 now from $185K

BMW Australia has created a new entry point for its flagship 5 Series and, at $44,540 less than the standard M5, there can be no arguing the new M5 Pure opens BMW's biggest sports sedan to a new range of buyers.

Priced from $185,000 (plus on-road costs), the M5 Pure receives no more grunt, but with 412kW/680Nm outputs from its 4.4-litre twin-turbocharged V8 it was never short in that department anyway.

Interestingly, however, the M5’s 'Life Cycle Impulse' upgrade in 2013 saw it gain the Competition Package as standard, which bought base power to 423kW and also came with bespoke suspension and steering tuning. It is unavailable for the Pure Edition.

In the interest of keeping costs down, options are limited with a sunroof and TV among the highlights.

Continuing the ‘Pure’ trend we saw with the last-generation M3, the M5 Pure is finished in ‘frozen’ matt paintwork. The Pure sits on 20-inch light alloy wheels and features sports seats in extended Merino leather, tyre pressure monitor and BMW ConnectedDrive Freedom and Internet.

Despite removing items such as the sun-blind and soft-close door functionality, the M5 Pure does retain key technologies such as cruise control with brake function, lane change warning and head-up display. Dynamic damper control is also included, though to a different state of tune when compared to the Competition Pack-equipped variants.

While the M5 Pure becomes a regular production model, the two other M5 Editions are limited to 10 units Australia-wide and are packed with features to justify their $235,930 price tags.

The Nighthawk edition offers a choice of frozen (matte or metallic black paintwork, while the White Shadow variant offers the same options in white.

Both are equipped with the Competition Pack, meaning 423kW/680Nm but less than the 441kW/700Nm M5 30 Jahre special-edition released in 2014.

Black 20-inch alloys, high-end Bang & Olufsen surround sound, floor mats with contrast binding, and carbon-fibre trim (for the first time in an M5) to the interior, gear shifter for the seven-speed dual-clutch transmission and exterior mirror caps.

There’s also full Merino leather inside -- including the dash -- four-zone climate control, M multifunctional seats, glass electric sunroof, TV and Alcantara roof liner.

Stay tuned for our review of the updated M5 shortly.