BMW M5 Concept

I'll never forgive myself for being too poor to afford the outgoing E60 M5,  that 5 litre V10, who's engine won Engine of the year, twice. That car has collectible status in my stable. That engine was killed off, not because it was shit, but because of all these new emission laws.

In keeping with BMWtradition the M5 concept is incredibly close to the production car that's set to hit the streets, in the last quarter of the year. Based off the current F10 5 Series chassis, the M5's exterior has been pinched, pulled and imbued with the understated aggression that typifies BMW's M-fettled products. Up front, a revised front fascia houses three enlarged black mesh-covered intakes to feed the turbocharged eight-cylinder and supply the front brakes with cool air. The lower edge of the sculpted front bumper is a pure representation of BMW's latest M models and extends rearward to the aerodynamic rear apron equipped with an integrated diffuser. A deceptively subtle lip spoiler spans the trunk to provide downforce at speed, while M-specific quad exhausts shuttle spent.

pics and video after the jump...

The lightweight, black wheels fitted to the show car should be an accurate representation of what's available when the production model debuts. Forged and sized 20-inches at all four corners, each is wrapped in super-sticky Michelin Pilot Super Sport rubber, with the fronts wearing 265/35 ZR20s and the rears coated in 295/35 ZR20s – the first time BMW has fitted a staggered wheel setup on the M5.

As we've known for some time, the F10 M5 will pack a variant of the X5 M and X6 M's twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter V8 delivering somewhere north of 580 horsepower and a comparable amount of torque. Naturally, power will be sent to the rear wheels, with BMW employing a highly-modified version of its latest seven-speed M double-clutch transmission with Drivelogic to modify shift behavior and speed. (Fun Fact: The last E60 M5 was tested with a dual-clutch gearbox during development but never made it to production.) Combined with the new-for-the-U.S. Auto Start Stop functionality, BMW claims that emissions have been reduced by 25 percent when compared to the outgoing model's V10, while developing more power in the process. BMW claims this new turbo'd V8 is a rev machine and we'll be interested to see how the new M5's RPM band compares to its predecessor.

To be honest with you all when the F10, 5 series came out I wasn't impressed, the E60, had managed to grow on me and it'personality shone through. The F10 looked like a shrunken, 7, or an elongated 3, it didn't stamp it's identity in the line up. It's been the better part of a year since its release now and i'm seeing nice taut lines in the machine, and come to accept it's presence on the streets. The M5 however, exhibits everything I love in BMW's design language. It's got presence, looks menacing, muscular, without going over the top.

I've made it my lifes mission to own this beast.

L.G
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