Every new M5 has to answer the same question in a different era: what does a super sedan look like now? The G90 answers with brute force, hybrid assistance, and a willingness to accept complexity where earlier M cars chased purity. That makes it more controversial than some of its predecessors, but also more revealing. The new M5 is not a nostalgic exercise. It is BMW admitting that the modern fast four-door has to hit harder, cover more ground, and wear more responsibility than ever.
A 4.4-litre twin-turbocharged V8 produces 585 horsepower on its own. An electric motor adds another 194 horsepower. Total system output: 727 horsepower. In Sport+ mode with traction control partially disabled, the M5 will reach 62mph from rest in under three seconds. It is faster than many supercars from just a decade ago.
The electric motor serves multiple purposes. It provides that additional performance. It gives the M5 an electric-only range of approximately 50 kilometres, making it eligible for reduced company car tax in some markets. And it provides an unexpected layer of refinement — at urban speeds in electric mode, the M5 is almost silent, an executive sedan making zero compromises.
We spent two days with the car in Bavaria, mixing motorway cruising with mountain road assault and some carefully chosen stretches of derestricted autobahn. Our conclusion: this is the most complete vehicle BMW has ever produced. It is not perfect — the additional weight of the hybrid system is perceptible in very quick direction changes, and the infotainment screen dominates the interior in a way that feels slightly at odds with the sporting focus. But it is remarkable.
