The all-new 2025 BMW M5 has stormed onto YouTube with the impact of a heavyweight boxer landing a knockout punch on a featherweight. True to the legacy of M cars, this M5 packs the raw engine performance to leave its AMG and Cadillac Blackwing rivals in the dust. However, while the 2025 M5 delivers on power, it lacks the distinctive charm and aura that made previous M5 generations truly iconic.
The BMW M5 has long been the pinnacle of M-performance, striking a perfect balance between exhilarating power and refined luxury. However, the 2025 model seems to take a different path compared to its predecessors, likely influenced by the growing pressure from major cities worldwide to restrict or phase out combustion engines by 2030. More performance cars are going to transition to fully electric or hybrid engines like the new M5 sooner or later. The most important question now is, what stands in the way of the 2025 M5 from being considered peak M?
A POWERFUL HYBRID POWERTRAIN THAT DELIVERS
Power has always been a hallmark of BMW M-performance vehicles, and the new M5 raises the bar with its 4.4-liter twin-turbocharged V8 plug-in hybrid engine, generating a combined 717 horsepower and 737 lb-ft of torque. The turbocharged V8 alone produces a staggering 585 horsepower, while the electric motor integrated with the transmission adds an impressive 197 hp.
To get all 717 horses down the road, BMW has equipped the M5 with their latest M-Steptronic 8 – speed transmission and xDrive all-wheel drive system with selective drive modes including a dedicated drift mode that sends all power to the rear wheels. All this translates to a 3.5 second 0-60mph sprint and a limited topspeed of 155mph. For thrill seekers, BMW offers the M-driver’s package for $2500 that removes the 155mph speed limit and enables this large four-door sedan to hit 190mph if you can find the road to stretch its legs.
The new hybrid system enables the M5 to drive on pure EV mode for a distance of 25 miles on a full charge. Although some hardcore M5 enthusiast might view the switch in powertrain sacrilegious, BMW have actually made the right decision in line with stricter emission regulations across the world. Nonetheless, despite power, the new M5 cannot live up to the visceral thrill found in the naturally aspirated engines E39 M5.
WEIGHTED MUSCLE: THE NEW M5 WEIGHT OVERSHADOWS ITS SPORTS HERITAGE
With growing consumer demand for cutting-edge technology and stricter vehicle safety standards, it’s no surprise that modern cars have gained significant weight compared to their predecessors. The trend toward larger, heavier vehicles extends to the new M5, which tips the scales at 2,435 kg (5,368 lbs). This makes the G90 M5 a staggering 500 kg heavier than the previous 6th-generation F90 M5 and nearly 700 kg more than the iconic first-generation E34 M5.
Part of the weight increase can be attributed to the new hybrid power unit, with the 14.8-kWh battery pack likely contributing a significant portion of the 500 kg gain over the outgoing F90 M5. While it’s easy to attribute modern weight gain to added safety features, for sports cars, weight plays a crucial role in determining cornering ability, handling, braking, and weight distribution. These are core performance areas where we suspect the new M5 may fall short against rivals like the Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing, Porsche Panamera Turbo S, and Audi RS7. We eagerly wait for head-to-head test of these ultimate luxury sports seconds to either prove us wrong or right, one thing that’s for certain is, that’s a test you don’t want to miss.
LIVING UPTO PAST LEGENDS : THE NEW M5 HAS BIG BOOTS TO FILL
The 2025 BMW M5 is stuck in complicated situation of living evolving into something better but failing to live upto the standard set by all other M5 particularly the third generation E39 M5 and the fourth generation E60. For many BMW aficionados, the E39 is the hero car that opened their eyes to the thrill of speed and luxury with its departure from the long standing inline six cylinder engines that powered all previous M5 to an angry 4.9 liter V-8 monster. To say that the E39 M5 was a good car will be an understatement of the genius and progress that the Bavarian giants made that set the standard to beat for all other sedans on the market.
While the E39 M5 proved BMW could build a monstrous sports sedan like non-other, the fourth generation E60 took the M5 to a whole new level with a 5.0 liter V-10 engine shoehorned into the hood along with some F1 technology borrowed from BMW Sauber F1 team. The E60 remains one of the greatest sports sedans ever built.
While the 2025 M5 is undoubtedly a remarkable car, it’s hard to imagine it living up to the iconic E39 and E60, given the legendary status, mystique, and excitement that surrounded those models at the time of their release. In many ways, the new M5’s biggest challenge lies in the fact that previous generations were crafted with driving enthusiasts in mind, offering just a touch of luxury. In contrast, this new breed is more focused on meeting stricter emissions regulations and catering to consumer demand for cutting-edge technology, ultimately taming the beast within.
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