The new BMW M5 is the heaviest 5 Series ever. But the head of the M department, Frank van Meel, believes that this is necessary.
The new BMW M5 is a proper bass. In fact, quite literally. With a clear weight of 2.4 tonnes, the new top-5 is not just the heaviest 5-Series ever.
The car is also far heavier than several electric cars, SUVs and pickups. Both the Lucid Air electric car, the Maybach version of Mercedes' S-Class and the new Range Rover Sport are lighter on the legs than the new Bimmer.
But it has been a necessity. At least if you ask M department director Frank van Meel.
CarBuzz writes that.
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According to Van Meel, the increased weight is something that follows when BMW gets the car's hybrid-powered V8 engine from the even bigger SUV XM. A car that BMW actually had to ask Citroen for permission to name. Read more about it here .
However, Van Meel does more than just defend the hybrid technology coupled to the V8 engine. He even claims that it was the best solution. That is, when you look at what the Germans had to choose from.
Because the M department actually considered whether now was not the time to build an all-electric M5 when the car was being developed. Still, the choice fell on the V8 engine.
– The engine is still the best because it combines the classic V8 characteristics with a real plug-in hybrid system, says Van Meel.
However, the new M5 is no more a hybrid car than the battery runs out of power after 70 kilometers with the petrol engine switched off. Conversely, the M5 is really good for the environment. On paper, that is.
Officially, the G90 M5 emits less than 50 grams of CO2 per short kilometer. Even if the V8 engine of 4.4 liters paired with the hybrid package already delivers 728 horsepower. An awful lot of power when you consider that BMW still only has the standard version ready.
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