BMW is making big design changes again, this time with the next generation of the 5 Series range. And while regular luxury car buyers are eagerly awaiting bigger screens and more fuel-efficient powertrains, hardcore sedan buyers are curious about what the 2024 BMW M5 will be like.
Well, here is a preview of what this all-mighty sports sedan might look like a couple of years from now. It’s quite interesting, right? With a smaller set of side air intakes, the front bumper looks nothing like the M5s of old and is beginning to resemble EVs such as the i4.
That’s no coincidence. BMW loves to make bold, attention-grabbing design changes since the oversized grilles have actually helped boost sales. The 2024 BMW M5 will also serve as a bridge between traditional M models and their electric counterparts which will undoubtedly take over during the next decade.
The XM, a flagship SUV, will have the honor of becoming the first plug-in hybrid true M model. But the 2024 M5 will follow closely in its footsteps. Recent reports talk 650 PS and 800 Nm of torque, which is equivalent to 641 hp and 590 pound-feet of torque. These are actual numbers from the XM, as British media said the XM will be downgraded from its official output of around 750 hp and 737 pound-feet of torque.
650 hp or 750 hp?
But we don’t actually believe it will be downgraded that much for two reasons. First, BMW has just updated the 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 with advanced new turbochargers. And second, the M5 CS already puts out 627 horsepower (635 PS) on its own. The point of all these new powertrains is that they’re plug-in hybrids with potent electric motors that can power vehicles on their own, and those are usually in the 130-200 hp ballpark.
But no matter the output of the next-gen 2024 BMW M5, this is a pretty good interpretation of what it will look like. The website Kolesa examined all the recent spy photos of test prototypes that were spotted in Germany and came up with their usual set of renderings. No, your eyes aren’t being deceived, the headlights look like the Bangle M5.
From a controversial design, the E60 BMW M5 has graduated to a modern classic that serves as the partial inspiration for the new 5 Series family. Ironically, it’s called the G60, and that couldn’t possibly be a coincidence.
The M5 won’t be the only plug-in hybrid model in the range. Just below that, customers will find the M560e. This new nameplate will replace the M550i and will be powered by a combination of 3.0-liter turbo and electric motor delivering a combined 563 hp (571 PS).
BMW introduced V8 engines to the 5 Series family way back in 1992 with the E34. It’s going to be interesting to see how the sporty luxury sedan will be perceived without its larger motor. But the future of this entire segment is undoubtedly electric, and even Detroit is beginning to adapt.
