No-compromise BMW M5 Competition revealed

With 460kW at its disposal, the new BMW M5 Competition's description as being "The most powerful and focussed M5 ever built" appears entirely apt.

To be tagged from $229,000 before on-road costs and due to go on sale here in the second half of the year, the brutal BMW M5 Competition sedan is a stand-alone model, sold as a complete entity rather than as an optional package.

It follows the mould set by M2, M3 and M4 BMW Competition models and comes a few days after an embarrassing leak by an Australian customer that went global.

The BMW M division has extracted an extra 19kW (up from 441kW) of power from the 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8, 460kW at 6000rpm, to give M5 Competition the potential to reach 100km/h in 3.3 seconds. That's an impressive 0.3 of a second faster than the regular M5.

The 0-200km/h takes 10.8 seconds – about the same time as many city runabout cars take to reach 100km/h.

Torque is the same 750Nm as the regular BMW M5, though extended to cover a wider rpm band from 1800rpm to 5800rpm.

With switchable xDrive AWD – it can run in rear-drive if the driver wants – the BMW M5 Competition comes with an Active M Differential at the rear. The driver is able to select the level of bark from the specific exhaust system via a button on the centre console too.

The transmission is BMW's eight-speed M Steptronic with a specifically designed racetrack-friendly oil-cooler, and can be run in three different modes. It also offers the usual paddle-shift levers on the steering wheel.

The M division has given the BMW M5 Competition's suspension a thorough rework with new, higher-rated engine mounts, along with M-specific suspension settings including 10 per cent stiffer springs, greater negative camber at the front, race-style ball joints instead of rubber mounts at the back, and a 7mm lower ride height.

Three levels of damping are available at the simple press of a button – Comfort, Sport and Sport Plus – while lightweight M compound brakes peek out from behind 20-inch wheels with staggered 275/35 R20 front, 285/35 R20 rear tyres.

Visually, the BMW M5 Competition is identified by those dominant 20-wheels, plus a myriad of relatively discreet styling tweaks including selected use of high-gloss black trim on the mirrors, kidney grille, front guards and rear spoiler.

The interior is decked out in proper BMW M5 manner, including an M Competition graphic that lights up when the car is started.

Despite the massive power, the M5 Competition is not about to break the bank on fuel economy with a claimed 10.8L/100km. It also runs a petrol particulate filter to meet upcoming, extra-stringent European emissions regulations.

As well as being the most focussed-ever M5, the M5 Competition will be pretty rare. According to BMW Group Australia CEO, Marc Werner, the initial allocation of 50 cars was sold out "within weeks" of its reveal.

Australian M5 Competition specifications will be announced closer to the new car's arrival later this year, sometime around September 2018.