Prototype Drive: 2018 BMW M5

MIRAMAS, France — Widebody proportions, chiseled bumpers, fat wheels, wraparound aero, and four fist-sized tailpipes make it crystal clear that the camouflage-clad 5 Series before us is not the new 518d. No, this is quite obviously the 2018 BMW M5, which will make its debut in September at the 2017 Frankfurt auto show before going on sale next March. And we’re here on a rainy day in the south of France at BMW’s private Circuit of Miramas track to get an advance preview of what the upcoming F90 M5 is capable of.

Despite carrying extra hardware needed for its M-tuned all-wheel drive system, dubbed M xDrive, the 2018 M5 is 77 pounds lighter than the F10 M5 it replaces, and weight distribution is actually better. Under normal driving conditions it may as well be a rear-drive sedan, as the active torque split system only sends power to the front wheels when required, such as on slippery terrain.

The steering wheel-mounted M1/M2 buttons, which are taped up in this prototype along with some other bits, each activate one of two personalized setups for throttle and gearbox response, shock absorber tuning, steering calibration, DSC mode, and head-up display content. In addition, there are three direct-access buttons for drivetrain, dampers and steering, plus a DSC off submenu listing 4WD, 4WD Sport, and 2WD (there are five modes in all).

Sounds complicated, and it is. There is no doubt BMW wants the F90 to amalgamate the best of all worlds, but what this ergonomic concept does offer in content and cleverness, it lacks in pragmatism and user-friendliness.

Power comes from the F10’s 4.4-liter twin-turbo V-8, which has been upgraded to provide more oomph and drink less. According to the Garching grapevine, this latest iteration reportedly develops 608 horsepower between 6,000 and 6,500 rpm and 553 lb-ft of torque between 3,000 and 5,000 rpm.

One of the biggest powertrain changes for the new 2018 M5 is the deletion of the seven-speed DCT box in favor of a conventional eight-speed automatic. The M wizards have dialed in quick and almost seamless shifts, more evenly spaced ratios, converter lock-up from the word go, and available multiple downshifts. And of course, it will also aid with overall efficiency. In S mode, the black box holds the gear no matter what, changes the shift pattern from country lane to race track, and makes sure that every full-throttle upshift punches. Although the gear selector suffers from severe button rash, it now also incorporates the Drivelogic shift speed selector.

Acceleration from 0 to 60 mph is a breathtaking 3.3 sec affair according to BMW, six tenths quicker than the 600-hp M6 coupe. The 125 mph mark is passed under full steam only 9.2 sec later and while top speed is again limited to 155 mph, extra money buys the M driver’s package, which lifts peak velocity to 197 mph.

When the S63B44T4 engine is first fired up, all systems sheepishly assume the least aggressive calibration — traction and stability control are fully on and 4WD is programmed for optimum grip and stability. That’s perfectly okay for the drive home from the airport when in heavy traffic. Out on the track, however, it’s imperative to switch to at least M Dynamic Mode, which channels more torque to the rear wheels and permits more slip. Especially when there’s an M4 GTS piloted by DTM pro (and F1 veteran) Timo Glock you’re trying to chase down (spoiler alert: we didn’t catch him).

But thanks to the wet track and a roughly 150-hp horsepower advantage, the journalist-driven all-wheel drive M5 is able to narrow the gap behind the racer-driven, rear-drive M4 to no more than a couple of car lengths. We’ll take it.

A few laps later, Glock and the M4 depart, leaving us free to explore the three “DSC off” options, all of which, as the name implies, leave the driver without the safety net of stability control. The first DSC off mode, 4WD, sends even more torque to the rear than MDM and lets the rear step out further still, while 4WD Sport pushes the handling balance another notch towards the direction of the rear wheels.

Slowly, I get the hang of it. It’s the old turn in late, step on the gas early routine. In the F10 M5, you had to wait and wait (and wait) before you could give it stick, and whatever you did to set the 20-inchers on fire, the result was almost always more smoke than traction. Not so in the F90.

Not only does this new M5 curve and carve through radii at whatever degree of ostentatiousness that appeals to you most, it also slides and swings out of corners with raw urge and determination. This adds up to a new quality of balance at the limit that makes for faster cornering speeds and more complete control. The key is in the flow, which paves the way for seamless motions and well-mannered drifts. Less drama and more fun is indeed a compelling new formula, one that pictures M3 and M4, for better or worse, as old-school tools. There is no doubt about it: way the M division has set up its all-wheel drive system makes drifting more manageable, elegant, faster, and more rewarding.

The third and most extreme mode, 2WD, shifts all 553 lb-ft of torque to the rear wheels while sending the electronic wizardries that make the tail behave on temporary leave. In this configuration, the new M5 behaves like the old M5, only with more power and no safety net.

“We assume that buyers who select 2WD want all the fun and no supervision,” says BMW M boss Frank van Meel.

Again, it takes me a handful laps to acquire a taste for the spiciest setup. The dialogue is now strictly between steering and throttle, with the brakes separating one act from the next. Third gear turns out to be a better option than second through the slower bends, and fifth certainly beats fourth through the high-speed left-right-left combination.

The next challenge is the wet handling track, which had no need for artificial irrigation. On deck are puddles, running rivulets, and soaked grassland on both sides. There are no curbs and there is most definitely zero run-off space.

Thanks to the low friction coefficient, cornering speeds are slow, manageable, and eventually, confidence-inspiring. On this rain swept terrain, normal is an electronic sleeping-pill, 4WD is like walking a tightrope, and 2WD is a nearly noiseless yell for help. The best option is MDM, which is playful until you overdo it, at which point the stability control safely reels the tail in.

The F10 M5 is the sportiest sedan BMW has built. While it could have easily ended up as the big brother of the M3, despite similarities like the carbon fiber roof, the Active Differential, and on-demand power oversteer antics, the new M5 has carved out a niche of its own instead. From what we could tell after our day at Miramas, it’s a car that’s fully capable of being a muscular grand tourer, family-size driver’s car, and high-speed long-distance executive express all in one.

2018 BMW M5 Specifications
ON SALE	March 2018
PRICE	$100,000 (base) (est)
ENGINE	4.4L twin-turbo DOHC 32-valve V-8/608 hp @ 6,000-6,500 rpm, 553 lb-ft @ 3,000-5,000 rpm (est)
TRANSMISSION	8-speed automatic
LAYOUT	4-door, 5-passenger, front-engine, AWD sedan
EPA MILEAGE	N/A
L x W x H	194.6 x 73.5 x 58.2 in
WHEELBASE	117.1 in
WEIGHT	4,200 lb (est)
0-60 MPH	3.3 sec (est)
TOP SPEED	155 mph

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