BMW has just released a number of new videos on the upcoming 2018 M5, confirming most of our suspicions.
First off, the
BMW M5 will be the first M car ever to offer all-wheel drive, what
BMW calls M xDrive. The system will offer three drive modes, 4WD mode, 4WD Sport mode and finally 2WD, allowing the car to be a pure rear-wheel driver when the driver wants.
According to BMW M CEO Frank van Meel, M xDrive will allow the car to use torque vectoring, helping it be a more precise driver’s car than in previous generations. An active M differential is also fitted to the new M5.
BMW says it will be a turbocharged 4.4-liter V8 under the hood making 600 horsepower and over 516 lb-ft of torque. As for curb weight, BMW wouldn’t give a straight answer, simply saying that the new M5 with xDrive all-wheel drive will be lighter than the current rear-wheel drive M5, which weighs about 4,500 pounds. A big factor in this weight loss if a roof made from carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP).