The Perfect Storm/BMW M5
Now on to the icon. The showstopper. The main event. The new 5 on the block is a proper brute when it comes to all aspects of driving. Be it outright power, handling dynamics or the good old sheer driving pleasure.
When I first drove the BMW XM in early 2024, I was certain the new M5 would inherit that V8 plug-in hybrid powertrain. The XM’s 653 hp and 800 Nm were more than enough for the 2.7-tonne super SUV and would make immense sense and deliver all the much acclaimed sheer driving pleasure in what would be a lighter and lower automobile. About a year later, it happened.
Not only did the M5 tick all those boxes, BMW M also decisively turned up the power and torque from the engine’s rather “relaxed” state of tune in the XM. The “S68” went from 489 hp and 650 Nm in the XM to 585 hp and 750 Nm in the M5. In its most potent avatar, the F90 M5 CS, it made 635 hp and 750 Nm. However, the G90 M5 also packages the 145-kW electric motor between engine and transmission. That delivers up to 197 hp and 450 Nm at the drive stage which leads to a rated peak combined output of 727 hp and 1,000 Nm. Yes, there is a 400-volt 22.1-kWh battery pack which, together with the additional plumbing and wiring, brings the weight up to 2,435 kg. Even so, with the eight-speed automatic driving the re-calibrated M xDrive all-wheel-drive system, that’s 410 Nm/tonne and nearly 300 hp/tonne—substantial by any standard. Yet, these are all just numbers on paper. In the real world, an eight-cylinder engine in addition to an electric motor, which by itself delivers the output of an entire BMW X3 20d, makes for some blistering performance.
There’s so much to try and describe but, first, the bits we see. The Frozen Black exterior looks the part. The M light alloy wheels are 20-inch front and 21-inch rear, with 285/40 front and 295/35 rear rubber for maximum contact patch and effective torque transfer to the road. The M Carbon package brings tougher and lighter mirror covers, roof, and boot-lip spoiler. There are huge M compound brakes with red callipers for maximum stopping power. The details at the rear add to the appeal: a two-section diffuser packaging the twin dual-pipe exhaust finishers.
Inside, the racing red leather upholstery with contrasting black elements immediately captivates the senses. It is a hot day, but the equipment level in the M5 is peak 5 Series and there’s nothing I am left wanting. The large touchscreens and animated light bar I can do without, but it adds an element of drama for those who seek it. Not to mention the light-bar extensions in the door-panels also serve as blind-spot warnings. There is enough and genuinely perfect support to engage in the most demanding driving, um, antics one may wish to.
The steering wheel packs the traditional M1 and M2 buttons to quickly jump to one of two individual set-ups. That makes more sense in here because there are drive modes, with subcategory modes—for example, Sport, then Sport Plus—as well as separate M Hybrid modes with a focus on battery regen, hybrid drive, Dynamic or the full-power Dynamic Pro modes. There is also a Track driving mode which is not recommended for road use. So, there I was, stationary with an empty closed road ahead, sitting with Sport Plus and Dynamic Pro selected, battery at about 40 per cent charge level. And launch!
I could swear that the front lifted. The brutal forward propulsion realigned internal organs as the M5 sprinted from zero to 120 km/h in less than five seconds. Stamp on the brakes, turn in sharply, the M5 grips. What 2,435 kg? It feels like half that! Some sporty hatchbacks roll more than this does. The lower centre of gravity from the low-slung body, battery placement, and carbon roof all bend physics to keep the car pointed in the intended direction even though my eyes are rolling around their sockets with the ferocity of the collective responses to both steering and throttle inputs, while the back of my mind takes in the sonorous production courtesy the V8 and M sport exhaust system. It transcends conventional driving, yet blends old-school V8 motoring with modern electrification, all in a sublime package which, rather mischievously, subtly reiterates with each input how easily it can unalive you with a moment of lost focus.
Those who have not experienced the M5 first-hand or are other brand loyalists will speak baseless ill of it but, sitting here, I can assure you that it is clinically precise, defies its weight and dimensions, and makes you realise what a fast car is supposed to feel like. Well done, BMW M. The manic M5 lives on and, dare I say, better than ever. Now if only someone would let me have another go in the V10 E60 M5, I’d be eternally grateful.
For the sum of Rs 1.99 crore (ex-showroom), the BMW M5 presents itself as an absolute bargain compared to the Rs 1.95 crore (ex-showroom) Mercedes-AMG ask for the smaller electrified C-Class with half an engine and a numeric nomenclature I refuse to accept as reality. The new E 63 is still on its way. Audi have only just managed to swallow their pride and slide their truly excellent four-cylinder diesel into the revitalised A6, so a V8 RS 6 at this time is only a pipe dream. That said, the M5 is the last word in performance this side of Rs 2 crore. And, again, from where I’m sitting, it feels worth that asking price. The ultimate driving machine? Not in mine and many others’ books, certainly; there are other two-door German cars I’d love to have. Sheer driving pleasure? Oh, absolutely.
Story: Jim Gorde
Photography: Sanjay Raikar
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