BMW M5 spied taking on the Nurburgring

BMW has finally taken on the Green Hell to test their latest super saloon, the sixth generation M5. The high-performance M5 sedan calls the Nurburgring its second home as it has always been the car of choice for the Nurburgring Taxi. And why not, since the M5 is comfortable enough to ferry four people around while pulling their guts out with its performance.

The new generation M5 (codenamed F90) has now been confirmed to be equipped with BMW’s xDrive all-wheel-drive system. For the first time in its 32 years, the M5 will arrive with an all-wheel-drive system. However, BMW assures the purists that the rear-biased system would not tamper with the soul of the sports saloon, which is famous for burning tyres with its sliding rear. There will be three levels to choose from in the xDrive mode - 4WD, 4WD Sport and 2WD. Thus, with the touch of a button, the purists can enjoy the tail-happy M5 as it used to be. Under the hood will be a biturbo 4.4-litre V8 breathing out an excess of 620bhp. Transmission would be a new eight-speed automatic gearbox which replaces the previous seven-speed DCT.

As far as appearance is concerned, the new M5 seems to be following the 'sleeper' tradition. Subtle tweaks include aggressive front and rear bumpers, lowered ride height and larger M-Sport wheels with low-profile run-flat tyres. The test mule is running on 19-inch wheels, but expect a 20-inch to be part of the package. The quad exhaust tips at the back mean business. There are some more subtle changes on the test mule, including a bulging hood, sleeker Kidney grille and more sensors all around the car. On the inside, there are Recaro race seats, abundant use of leather and Alcantara and the same no-nonsense BMW interiors.

The new generation 5 Series (G30) is based on the new CLAR platform. Thus the top of the line M550i is lighter and quicker than the outgoing M5. Similarly, expect the new M5 to be a lot more ferocious with better handling characteristics and increased efficiency owing to the reduction in weight. The new platform which is shared by the flagship 7 Series also helps in increased dimension resulting in more space inside the cabin.

BMW is expected to develop an M5 Touring variant as well since its adversaries already came up with the likes of Audi RS6 Avant, Mercedes-AMG E63 Estate and the upcoming XF Shooting Break. Expect the new M5 to debut later this year at the 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show.