All about luxury, sport and performance, the 2011 BMW M5 was announced in 2010, but was recently shown as a concept model at the April 2011 Auto Shanghai exhibition. With an estimated price tag of about $125,000 US, this vehicle is for the most serious buyers, those interested in a car that becomes one with its driver. As the fifth generation of the trademark M styling, the M5 is billed as “barely street-legal” by BMW, due to its superior performance usually only exhibited by cars at the race track. With an impeccably designed interior, and beautiful Merino leather upholstery, this model is a crowd pleaser.
As if the M5 was not powerful enough, the 2011 model has been upgraded from the 5.0-liter V-10 to the 4.4-liter, twin-turbo V-8. The added horsepower (total 600) and torque (500) will make this model extremely appealing when backed against its competitors like the Audi S6 or the Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG with 518 horsepower and 485 of torque. Even though the new engine offers more power, it was developed in attempt to reduce emissions and fuel consumption. With a maximum speed of 155mph, the 2011 BMW M5 will take off like a rocket with its seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission and Drivelogic system. Although official information has not yet been confirmed, there has been talk that a manual transmission will be available for cars sold in the US and Canada.
The new design of the M5 is refined, but at the same time sporty, with a serious focus on aerodynamics. BMW actually calls the design “subdued” in their promotional material. Further, the M5′s construction uses more lightweight materials than other models. Carbon-fiber and aluminum are integrated heavily into this design. The front of the vehicle is made with an aluminum space-frame, while the back of the car and the passenger section use steel monocoque for safety. The front view of the car is indeed quite sharp looking with its dual grills and chrome bumper vents. Elegant details mark the door handles and double-spoke wheels of the car.
Because the M5 is still in the concept stage, waiting for production to begin, the technical details and final specs have been closely guarded. In fact, not much information has been released about the 2011 BMW M5. Pictures of the concept vehicle show the car painted in various colors, all of which are classy and typical of the richness of the M brand. And, true to form, the M5 has been tested and tweaked on the famous Nürburgring track in Germany. BMW has also disclosed that a new Active M Differential was created for this upcoming model. Again, a typical feature that one would expect to reduce wheel spin when accelerating or abruptly switching lanes.
For those readers who are not familiar with the M history, when the first generation was launched in 1984, it created a new category of vehicle classifications. The original BMW M5 was the very first sedan recognized to offer racing features and maximum performance that could be legally driven on the road instead of the race track.
Production on the 2011 M5 is scheduled to begin in the summer months, and cars are expected to hit dealer showrooms as early as November 2011 in European markets.