New M5 will be 4WD, very fast, and very driftable

BMW has just announced that the latest iteration of its lust-worthy sports saloon, the M5, will be fitted with the manufacturer’s xDrive four-wheel drive system. But get down off the window ledge and put all thoughts of jumping out of your mind…they’ve made sure that this version of xDrive will continue to deliver what all M5 drivers want – tail-happy drifts accompanied by huge clouds of blue smoke off the rear tyres.

The M5 will have 5 different drive configurations available, and these will adjust the Dynamic Stability Control and M xDrive modes to deliver a spectrum of traction, ranging from “slight slip through the rear wheels when accelerating out of corners” through to a 100% pure rear wheel drive setting that “allows the driver to pick their own drift angle and treats connoisseurs to driving dynamics in their purest form”. (quoting from BMW’s press release). Sounds like they have all bases covered then.

Power comes courtesy of  a 4.4-litre V8 bi-turbo which has seen fettling of the turbos, indirect charge air cooling and increased fuel injection pressure. Outputs are now 441kW from 5,600 – 6,700RPM and 750Nm from 1,800 – 5,600RPM. So seriously powerful. The factory is quoting 0-100km/h in 3.4-seconds and 0-200km/h in 11.1-seconds. Option the M Driver Package and they’ll remove the limiter to allow the M5 to run all the way out to 305km/h (189mph in the old money.)

Transmission is an 8-speed Steptronic with Drivelogic to enable sequential manual shifting, again with  multiple driver -selectable modes.

Aluminium bonnet, carbon fibre-reinforced plastic roof and four tailpipes round out a specification list that whichever way you look at it is serious about high speed road and track work. It’s just that with the M xDrive tech onboard you’ll be able to have all those thrills in winter, too.

Exactly when it will be available in New Zealand and at what price is yet to be confirmed but expect it early 2018. It will be well worth starting to save up for.