Let the rumors begin! The next BMW M5 is starting to be the talk of automotive enthusiasts lately. With BMW’s introduction of powerful twin turbo engines (BMW X5M, BMW X6M) everyone is wondering what the new M5 will pack… a twin turbo V8 or maybe a twin turbo V10? What about the drivetrain? An 8-speed DCT or an improved version of the 7-speed SMG?
No matter what the new M5, due out in 2012, will have under the powerdome, it will have more than 550hp. Supposedly the new M5 will sport a KERS system similar to the one found in the Formula 1 that offers selective cylinder shut-down to conserve fuel in certain situations. In addition, the KERS system would employ a BOOST button, similar to F1, that allows the M5 to unleash max power in the fly. Sounds more like the “M” button the M5 already has doesn’t it?
What do you think the new BMW M5 (F10) will have for a powerplant? Will it be an activehybrid from hell, or a twin turbo version of the current V10? You don’t think BMW will scrap that V10 without slapping a couple turbos on it do you?
Enjoy the spy images below.
BMW insider quote – source: BMWBlog.com
It’s no longer a question of how much Power is necessary?
Now it’s all about making sure cars like the M5 will be relevant in the future. BMW are not concerned regarding the Power aspects of the M5 against it’s competitors. As per always BMW have understood that the base car has to be really really good before handing it over to the M Division. And that is where the new F10 excels it’s a drivers car.
And when you see it towards the end of the year you will see how BMW have delivered a car of brilliant proportion with it’s wide track and lower stance and then you say “This is going to be a great M car”When we went back to discover what made people fall for the M5 one thing we found surprising was that it had an advantage over the competition(At first) V10. So there it is from a marketing point of view everybody had a V8 , BMW had a V10.
So they began a rebuild on the new twin-turbo V8 by adding two extra cylinders and a unique cylinder cut-off system. To incorporate our then F1 ideals similar to the V10 and SMG marketing with the E60, We decided to follow through on how would the M5 of the future look like how would it be powered? how would it store and regenerate energy?
And the KERS technology then being integrated for F1 was straight out of the “Efficient Dynamics” rule book , so we thought about how would KERS apply itself to a street car so we assigned both divisions @ M and F1 to work on the development of a system for a car with original development mules in stripped out M3 Coupes behind closed doors. And although the tech was temperamental on an F1 car , M division and Motorsport managed to perfect and apply the technology for road car use, even with an F1 style boost to which prototypes are running the system within BMW tech facilities and have begun real-world testing in F10 prototypes.
Although with marketing resorting to determine another approach now that BMW have dissolved it’s F1 activities. Labeling the new technology under “Efficient Dynamics” is one option another is labeling it under a new term specifically for the M Division.
