By Justin Jacobs
The BMW M5 is accredited with the honour of being the executive sedan that defined a segment. The first generation E28 M5 was the first of its kind. A four-door sedan for the executive that could hunt the latest sports cars over the weekend. Fast forward to 2020 and there is a new, updated model headed to South Africa.
The latest BMW M5 reveal followed soon after the unveiling of the refreshed BMW 5 Series a few weeks ago. The new BMW M5 features a few subtle updates which have just given the car a bit more aggression. The most noticeable changes come in the form of a revised front end which now features a larger kidney grille which extends further into the bumper. The bumper in question has also been slightly updated with a few larger air vents, gloss black detailing elements and new headlights which feature an L-shaped Day-Time Running light setup.
The rear receives new taillights with updated LED lights and a shadow-like tint around the edges. The bumper, like that upfront, features a few subtle changes, a new prominent diffuser and re-worked M specific tailpipes. The latest M5 Competition is also available with gloss black 19-inch wheels as standard as well as the ability to tick the carbon-ceramic brake box. There are two new colours available for the car in the form of Brands Hatch Grey and Motegi Red metallic.
The interior, however, gets the biggest update in the form of two 12.3-inch colour displays. One screen is dedicated to the driver as a digital instrument cluster and the other forms part of the infotainment system. The latter offers touch-sensitive inputs. The system incorporates the brands iDrive 7 as well as Apple CarPlay and Andriod Auto as standard.
Under the bonnet, the BMW M5 receives no changes but none were necessary. The 460 kW/750 Nm come thanks to a twin-turbocharged 4.4-litre V8 and thanks to the German automakers xDrive all-wheel-drive system the M5 Competition will hit 100km in around 3.3 seconds. That’s a figure that will worry many a supercar owner. For those who want even more thrill, the M5 Competition offers the ability to select rear-wheel drive only. While BMW states that this is for the race track, the car will send all its power to the two overwhelmed rear tyres and it will even assist in helping to maintain a drift. It’s only a matter of time before cars are controlled via a gaming console remote.
Pricing for the new BMW M5 Competition has not been confirmed as of yet but we should see them on our roads towards the end of this year.
