New BMW M5 goes up against its predecessors: drag race

The first ever hybrid BMW M5 is here, and very few cars have been quite this controversial. The ideal of a super saloon which weighs almost two and a half tonnes was always going to ruffle some feathers, but does weight actually matter when you’ve got a bucket load of power?

To find out, we’ve got hold of the previous BMW M5, as well as the one before that, for a drag race to see what’s what. Let’s take a closer look at the specs.

New G90 BMW M5

The new G90 BMW M5 has a 4.4-litre twin-turbocharged V8 with an electric motor chucked in for good measure. Combined these put out 727hp and 1,000Nm of torque, and this is sent to all four wheels via an eight-speed automatic gearbox.

That hybrid system may add a lot of power, but it also adds a lot of weight. The latest M5 tips the scales at a whopping 2,435kg. That’s almost the same as a Bentley Bentayga, and that car is basically Buckingham Palace with wheels. If you fancy this latest M5 then you’ll have to part with £111,405.

F90 BMW M5

So what about the G80’s dad? Well the F90 also has a 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 engine, but it has no electrical assistance. As a result it has 625hp and 750Nm of torque, and this goes to the rear wheels via an eight-speed automatic gearbox.

It may be down on power, but the old M5 is also over half a tonne lighter than the new one. It weighs in at 1,895kg, and it cost from £109,150 when it was new in 2023.

F10 BMW M5

Finally we have the F10 M5, which is also powered by a 4.4-litre twin-turbocharged V8 engine. It’s the least powerful of the three cars with 575hp and 680Nm of torque, and it’s also the only rear-wheel drive car here. It does have a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox unlike the F90 and G80 though.

It’s the lightest car here as well at 1,870kg, an advantage it’s going to need, and it cost £79,310 when it was new back in 2013.

So this should be a close race then. Will the outright power of the latest M5 be enough to take it to victory, or will that added weight be too much to overcome? You’ll have to watch the video to find out.

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