With the latest iteration of the standard 5 Series now officially in circulation, BMW turned its attention to the lineup’s iconic range-topper. Feast your eyes on the 2025 BMW M5, packing 717 horsepower and 738 pound-feet of torque from an electrified M-Hybrid plug-in hybrid powertrain. That’s right, folks — BMW’s midsize bruiser now packs a big ol’ battery, and it’s a lot plumper for it.
Of that 717 horsepower, 577 comes from the M5’s S68 4.4-liter, twin-turbocharged V8; the rest of course comes from the integrated electric motor built into the eight-speed automatic transmission. All-wheel drive is standard on all M5s these days, and BMW says the sum of those parts is a 0-to-60 sprint in just 3.4 seconds on the way to a top speed of 190 mph with the optional M Driver’s package — otherwise, you get “just” 155. The V8’s peak torque comes on at 1,800 RPM and holds steady until 5,400 RPM, with peak power coming just before 6,500 RPM. BMW says the V8’s exhaust is equipped with continuously variable flaps that allow the computer to fine-tune the exhaust note in real time.
Its 14.8-KWh (usable) battery is good for approximately 25 miles of electric range and can charge at up to 7.4 kilowatts — an ideal candidate for a level 2 home setup. That electrified bump comes at a price, however, and a hefty one. Literally. While the outgoing M5 weighed just over 4,300 pounds, the new one tops that by a cool thousand, checking in at 5,390 pounds. But don’t be too hasty with the pitchforks; BMW’s sins are no worse than its contemporaries’. Look no further than the 2024 Porsche Panamera Turbo E-Hybrid. And have you pulled the specs on the Audi RS 6 and RS 7 lately? They’re not even PHEVs. As we’ve learned from EVs, weight isn’t much of a detriment to going fast; it’s the turning and the stopping you have to worry about.
BMW decided to lean into the PHEV angle a bit with a new “Boost Control” feature that tells the M5’s computers to summon all available power for a near-instantaneous maximum acceleration burst. It works only between 20 and 90 miles per hour and merely requires the driver to hold down the left-hand shift paddle for more than one second. After that, one must simply hit the accelerator. It’s quite similar in both concept and function to the Powershot feature in the new Dodge Hornet, albeit with more than twice the power on tap.
Heavy or not, BMW says the M5 is built to hit the track. It should come as no surprise that the M5 gets its own suspension hardware and calibration. The basic double-wishbone front and five-link configuration carry over from the standard 5 Series, but you get M-specific adaptive dampers and lightweight suspension components. And it should also follow that this husky hotshot sports some serious rubber. You’ll get 285/40ZR20s up front and 295/35ZR21s out back. Meaty. Stopping power comes from six-piston fixed front calipers and single-piston floating rears.
While the interior is new to the M5 itself, we’ve already seen the bulk of it in the i5 and the standard 5 Series. The new 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and 14.9-inch touchscreen both carry over. M-specific parts abound, of course. The wheel, console and its control panel are all unique to the M5 and its available packages M5 allow for more visual flair and customization.
The 2025 will start at $120,675 (including destination) when it goes on sale this fall.
