BMW launches M5 sport saloon

BMW has launched its new M5 sports saloon at the 11^th Auto Expo in New Delhi. Like all previous M5s, the new car's styling is subtle but aggressive in its details, most notably the lower air intakes – three gaping ducts to flow cool air into the radiator, oil cooler and turbochargers. 19-inch alloy wheels come as standard fitment.

The M5 features a twin-turbo, 4.4-litre V8 that offers 552bhp and 69.4kgm of max torque, and the sports saloon can hit 100kph in 4.4 seconds, and 200kph in 13sec (manufacturer’s claims). The new M5 gets a power boost of 10 percent and torque figures are up by 30 percent compared to the previous-generation, V10-powered E60 M5.

The transmission is a seven-speed, dual-clutch unit with steering-wheel-mounted paddle-shifters, which drives through a new Active M differential with electronically-controlled, multi-plate, limited-slip differential. Depending on the driving situation the diff can lock between 0 and 100 per cent, says BMW.

An M-specific chassis set-up includes M-tuned Servotronic steering, cockpit-adjustable dynamic damping and stability control with an ‘M Dynamic’ setting. Steering wheel buttons that can be programmed with chassis, engine and diff settings can now memorise two individual set-ups as compared to the single setting option on the earlier M Drive button.

The all-new BMW M5 has been priced at Rs 95.9 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi).