New BMW M5 fast facts

The new BMW M5 is set to upset the big sports sedan status quo. So you can really look smart at the pub, here are eight things you need to know about it.

The new F90 is the sixth generation of M5 and the first to feature all-wheel drive. Other firsts for the model include the first use of a carbon-fibre roof and the first eight-speed gearbox.

The latter is a modified version of the ZF eight-speed auto used on a range of BMW models. It replaces the twin-clutch seven-speeder of the outgoing F10 generation.

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The new AWD system is call M xDrive. It features some hardware from the X5 and other AWD BMWs but couples them with BMW M’s own electronically controlled M Differential.

Most importantly, it is operated by a unique digital control system developed in-house at M, which offers 4WD, 4WDS port and 2WD modes. In the AWD modes torque is only transferred to the front wheels as loss of grip at the rears is sensed. 2WD is exactly that – cue a new set of rear tyres.

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Although the core engine is carried ever from the previous-gen F10, changes have been made. Among other changes a new oiling system is designed to be track-friendly and larger, smarter turbos have been added.

The latter feature electronic wastegates in place of the ‘analog’ pneumatic units used in previous generations. This tech allows BMW to precisely control boost across the performance spectrum.

Reduced turbo lag is a benefit, but later the larger blowers will allow BMW to power-up the M5 for a new M5 Competition variant. Power is currently capped at 441kW and torque plateaus at 750Nm over 1800-5600rpm.

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The combination of extra traction and less turbo lag has trimmed the F90 M5’s 0-100km/h standing start time by one second, to 3.4sec.

BMW insiders hint that this is conservative. Also impressive is the 0-200km/h time of 11.1sec. Top speed is limited to 305km/h. The new M5’s chassis was “honed on the world’s most challenging race circuit, the Nu¨rburgring Nordschleife”.

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One look at the front of the M5 will show you the priority the M engineers have placed on cooling. Behind an aggressive front valance is well, not a lot.

Radiators, oil-coolers and intercoolers and the like get a very clear shot at lots on incoming air. This ‘hollow’ look is invisible to the casual observer but gifts the car a real GT racecar feel up close to those who know what they’re looking for.

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The M5’s massive f395x36mm steel front rotors are gripped by large six-pistons callipers. But don’t expect to see many M5s hit the road without the optional M carbon ceramic brakes with 400x38mm front rotors.

Trainspotters will pick the gold-painted callipers (standard brakes are blue) but what’s harder to see is the 5kg-plus weight saving per wheel. And boy do they work – even after hammering the ceramic brakes lap after lap at Estoril circuit on our test drive the stopping power was incredible.

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The new F90 actually has narrower tyres than the car it replaces. Aussie M5s will come standard with 20-inch wheels (9.5-inch wide up front, 10.5 at rear) shod with 275/35 and 285/35 tyres respectively. Bigger tyres will fit but the new sizes have been chosen to deliver the grip balance for which the M chassis team was-looking.

At the limit, the car behaves essentially like a rear driver. Step back from that point and the ‘tuneability’ of the rear-end allows a canny driver to take pressure off the front tyres and allow the modest rear slip to point the car. This sort of behaviour is more often the domain of lithe sports cars as opposed to near-2000kg executive expresses.

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Key to these good manners is M’s rework of the 5 Series chassis. The five-link rear suspension gets new stiffer toe links and lower wishbones. Special elastomer rear axle mounts “ensure that there is no delay in transferring chassis forces”.

An additional steel X-brace and an aluminium transverse strut increase the stiffness of the chassis linkages. At the front-end the body structure itself is strengthened via tower-to-bulkhead and tower-to-front-end struts.

Now read the new BMW M5 review