In early June, BMW M Workshop Manager Hans Rahn revealed that the next M5 will adopt a plug-in hybrid powertrain based on the S68 engine. This 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 is already available in the facelifted X7 and new 7 Series, with the production-ready XM to follow before the end of the year. As a reminder, the super sedan will be a PHEV, a prototype has been spotted up close with “Electrified Vehicle” stickers on its front doors and rear bumper.
Codenamed G90, the facelifted competitor to the AMG E63 sedan was spotted (in front of a Mazda Miata NC) with the definitive headlights while sporting the provisional taillights. A subtle decklid spoiler is noticeable, as is a not-so-subtle quad exhaust with big tips in the usual configuration rather than the stacked layout of the upcoming XM.
You can easily tell this is the full fat M version and not a lesser 5er by the bulging fenders and massive brakes front and rear. We expect the production model to ride slightly lower off the ground, as this test vehicle seemed to have generous ground clearance thanks to its in-development suspension. Although the front end is completely disguised, it’s easy to notice that the M5 won’t get the massive grille of the M3 since the kidneys are separate from the lower air intake.
As with the 2023 XM, the new M5 will have the charging port on the left front fender while the fuel cap will remain on the right rear fender. The prototypes give the impression of a cleaner exterior design and in one of the adjoining spy shots one can glimpse the revamped interior. It houses side-by-side screens in a single glass enclosure of the iDrive 8 with a 12.3-inch digital driver display and a 14.9-inch touchscreen for infotainment.
As for the powertrain, the M5 should offer somewhere in the region of 650 horsepower to match the XM which will debut soon. However, the plug-in hybrid SUV will get a premium derivative in 2023 with up to 750bhp to match last year’s Concept XM. It’s too early to tell if a potential M5 Competition, CS or another spicy flavor will match this.
If reports are to be believed, the next M5 is expected to enter production in July 2024. Plot twist – an M5 Touring (G99) will hit the assembly line in November of the same year and arrive in the United States. However, the regular 5 Series Touring (G61) is apparently not coming to the US, while the all-electric i5 wagon isn’t coming either.
Meanwhile, the standard 5-series sedan (G60) will roll out of the cover early next year, with a long-wheelbase model (G68) for China to follow.
