A heavily-camouflaged BMW M5 was seen lapping the Nurburgring Nordschleife leading everyone to believe that the Munich automaker is readying the super saloon alongside the standard four-door sedan.
But no amount of disguise could mask the rumble of that engine note at speed, sounding nearly exactly like the same 4.4-litre twin-turbocharged V8 that powers the current F10 M5. No argument here, but we’re sure that BMW have given the engine a going over before deeming it ready to be carried over into the new car. Reportedly, its power figure will settle somewhere in the region of 447kW.
BMW is hard at work perfecting their next-generation 5 Series to replace the current model which first is now rolling on its sixth year in production. Slated for a 2017 market entrance, the upcoming version, codename G30, will have to feature markedly improved dynamics, refinement, build quality, and technology to keep pace with the newly updated offerings from Audi and Mercedes-Benz as well as new entrants such as the Volvo S90.
The next-generation M5, however, is scheduled to appear roughly a year after the standard 5 Series’ introduction, pegging it for an early 2018 debut.
Reports suggest that BMW will not take many design liberties with the G30 5 Series and, as a result, the car will likely stray not too far away from the current design. Thankfully, though, it will benefit from the Carbon Core and multimaterial construction technology garnered from the 7 Series. This, coupled with the more powerful engine, will provide the necessary performance to leave the current F10 M5 in its proverbial dust.
BMW is also expected to introduce semi-autonomous driving technologies to the 5 Series with this next version as well as other technologies such as a revised infotainment system coupled to a high-resolution screen to display dynamic instrument cluster much like Audi’s Virtual Cockpit.
For more on BMW vehicles, including pricing and specifications, check out our Showroom.
