What's New: 2018 BMW M5

Exterior
Versus the M550i’s three-portal bumper, itself a hunkered-down take on the 5 Series, the M5 gets taller openings with some indented moldings at their upper edges instead of the M550i’s silver brackets. In back, the biggest change is quad exhaust tips, unique here versus the dual openings on lesser 5 Series sedans. Lower portions of the bumper are in body-colored paint instead of the M550i’s black.

The roof is carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic — a first for the M5, though other M models also employ it. Nineteen-inch alloy wheels wear P275/40R19 front and P285/40R19 rear tires; 20-inch wheels with tires of the same width are available.

Interior
Inside, the front seats have more aggressive bolstering, particularly at the shoulders, with an illuminated M5 logo at the base of the head restraint. The steering wheel has two extra red paddles, which sit inside the traditional shift paddles: M1 and M2, which allow you to fast-track the AWD, electronic stability system, transmission and engine response, suspension setup and head-up display to pre-authorized settings.

Under the Hood
BMW says it took its twin-turbo 4.4-liter V-8 on a “thorough overhaul,” from higher fuel-injection pressure to better lubrication and cooling. The resulting 553 pounds-feet of torque comes from 1,800-5,700 rpm, where the engine’s peak 600 hp starts. Drivers can choose between Efficient, Sport and Sport Plus modes, with set exhaust sounds you can further customize through an M Sound Control button. The results are considerable: 60 mph comes in a scant 3.2 seconds — far quicker than the M550i’s already-blistering 3.9-second sprint, per BMW’s numbers, and a bragging-rights tick ahead of the Mercedes-AMG E63 S (3.3 seconds, by Mercedes’ specs).

BMW claims the rear-biased AWD system allows a certain amount of rear-wheel slippage even in its default mode to give a sense of rear-drive dynamics. An active differential can route power between the left and right rear wheels. Sportier driving modes give an even heavier rear bias and allow more rear-wheel slippage. Finally, expert drivers can go full rear-drive with a mode that only directs power to the back.

The suspension — double wishbones in front and a five-link rear — employs M-specific tuning with firmer stabilizer bars, stiffer mounts and additional bracing. The adaptive shock absorbers have M-specific tuning, as well, with three selectable settings. Six-piston front brakes with 15.6-inch discs are standard; the rears have single-piston calipers and 15.0-inch discs. Optional carbon-ceramic brakes have slightly larger front discs (15.7 inches) and improved performance, but they also cut unsprung weight by 51 pounds.