On this video, we check out the wealthy legacy of one among BMW’s most celebrated high-performance cars: the BMW M5. Spanning a number of generations, every iteration of the M5 has outlined and redefined what a sports activities sedan may be. From the pioneering E28 to the cutting-edge G90, the M5 set a benchmark within the phase. Despite the fact that, the newest M5 may be setting a brand new benchmark by way of weigh. Previous to the unveil of the brand new G99 M5 Touring, BMW Welt in Munich hosted all of the earlier technology M5s, together with some particular one-offs, just like the E34 M5 Cabriolet and E60 M5 CSL.
The Starting: E28 BMW M5
The story begins within the mid-Eighties with the E28 M5. Launched in 1985, it was the primary M5 and one of many world’s earliest tremendous sedans. What made the E28 particular was its S38 engine, derived from BMW’s M1 supercar, packed into a typical 5 Sequence physique. Producing 286 horsepower, this 3.5-liter inline-six engine remodeled the E28 M5 right into a four-door sleeper able to unimaginable efficiency. Its delicate, businesslike exterior belied the facility lurking underneath the hood, making it an prompt icon.
The Evolution Continues: E34 BMW M5
Shifting into the Nineties, BMW launched the E34 M5, which launched a brand new degree of refinement. Hand-built at BMW’s manufacturing unit in Garching, this M5 featured a bigger 3.6-liter inline-six engine that produced 311 horsepower, later elevated to three.8 liters and 340 horsepower within the up to date mannequin. What set the E34 aside was not solely its precision however its versatility—it was the primary and solely M5 accessible in each sedan and Touring (wagon) varieties. The uncommon E34 M5 Touring stays a unicorn within the BMW world immediately.
Along with the sedan and Touring, BMW additionally created a particularly uncommon E34 M5 Cabriolet, a one-off idea that by no means noticed manufacturing. This convertible M5 had the potential to revolutionize the tremendous sedan market, however it stays a hidden gem in BMW’s historical past.
The V8 Revolution: E39 BMW M5
Subsequent up is the beloved E39 M5, which marked BMW’s shift to V8 energy. Launched in 1998, it got here with a 4.9-liter naturally aspirated V8 producing 400 horsepower. It’s usually hailed as one of many biggest M5s of all time because of its good stability of energy, dealing with, and day by day drivability. The E39 launched fashionable options like a six-speed guide transmission and complex electronics, making it a extra versatile machine than its predecessors.
The V10 Beast: E60 BMW M5
Maybe essentially the most dramatic shift within the M5’s historical past got here with the E60 technology in 2005. Beneath the hood was a 5.0-liter naturally aspirated V10 engine that produced 500 horsepower, sending shockwaves by the sports activities sedan market. The E60’s screaming V10, mated to BMW’s SMG automated guide gearbox, delivered blistering efficiency, however the automotive was additionally recognized for its uncooked, difficult driving expertise.
The E60’s legacy additionally contains one-off fashions just like the E60 M5 CSL, which featured excessive weight-saving measures, enhanced efficiency tuning, and sharper dealing with (in line with BMW), though it by no means reached manufacturing. It additionally had a dual-clutch transmission as a substitute of the SMG within the “common” M5.
The Turbocharged Period: F10 BMW M5
The F10 M5, launched in 2011, marked the M5’s transition to turbocharging. Powered by a 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8, this mannequin produced 560 horsepower and launched BMW’s superior M-DCT dual-clutch transmission. The F10 was quicker, extra highly effective, and extra refined than ever earlier than, however it was additionally heavier and extra electronically managed, which made it a departure from the rawer, naturally aspirated predecessors. For a lot of fanatics, the F10 represented a shift towards a extra luxurious, tech-driven M5.
Trendy Precision: F90 BMW M5
With the F90 technology, BMW took the M5 into a brand new realm by introducing all-wheel drive (xDrive) for the primary time. Launched in 2017, the F90 M5 delivered 600 horsepower and was praised for its means to mix uncooked efficiency with unimaginable stability. BMW added the power to modify the automotive into rear-wheel-drive mode, giving drivers the most effective of each worlds. The F90 additionally noticed the introduction of high-performance variants, together with the M5 Competitors and the ultra-exclusive M5 CS, essentially the most highly effective M5 thus far.
First Electrified Mannequin: G90 BMW M5
And now we arrive on the newest chapter within the M5’s historical past: the G90. The brand new technology M5 will function a hybrid powertrain, combining a twin-turbocharged V8 engine with electrical motors for an influence output of 717 horsepower. It’s additionally the heaviest BMW M5 ever made at 5,390 lbs.
Now let’s take a more in-depth take a look at these M5s:
