The BMW M5 has long defined the super sedan formula. Each generation has added power, precision, and sophistication — but the 2025 M5 represents its most dramatic evolution yet.
For the first time, it’s electrified.
This new M5 doesn’t shy away from its roots. Instead, it combines a high-revving V8 with plug-in hybrid technology, setting new benchmarks for power, usability, and everyday versatility.
The world demanded change.
BMW answered—without forgetting what made the M5 legendary in the first place.
Powertrain: A New Kind of Monster
The 2025 M5’s hybrid setup isn’t some gentle efficiency play. It’s a weapon.
The 4.4-litre twin-turbocharged V8 — internally codenamed S68 — forms the heart of the system, paired with an electric motor housed inside the transmission.
A 14.8-kWh lithium-ion battery nestles beneath the floor, offering around 25 miles (ca. 40 km) of pure electric driving.
Combined, the system delivers a staggering 717 horsepower and 738 lb (0.33 t)-ft of torque, eclipsing even the M5 CS, the most powerful M5 before it.
Performance Figures:
- 0–60 mph: 3.4 seconds
- Top Speed: 155 mph (190 mph with M Driver’s Package)
However, the raw numbers only provide a partial picture.
The instant torque from the electric motor makes throttle response ferocious. There’s no turbo lag, no hesitation — just seamless, surging acceleration from anywhere in the rev range.
Hybrid System: Power When You Want It, Efficiency When You Need It
The M5 offers several driving modes that change how the hybrid system behaves:
- Electric Mode:
The vehicle can operate in full EV mode at speeds up to approximately 87 mph (ca. 140 km/h). This vehicle is ideal for city commutes or silently manoeuvring through traffic. - Hybrid Mode:
This mode automatically blends gas and electric power, thereby optimizing efficiency and performance. - Sport and Sport Plus Modes:
This mode keeps the V8 awake at all times, dials back electric assistance, and primes the car for maximum attack.
Charging can be done via regenerative braking, plug-in AC charging, or even engine-driven recharging on the move — very handy for prepping the battery before entering a city centre.
Unlike some hybrids, the M5 never feels like it’s caught between worlds.
Transitions between electric and gas are seamless, instantaneous, and purposeful.
Chassis and Handling: Fighting the Weight
Without a doubt, this is the heaviest M5 ever constructed, weighing approximately 5,390 pounds (2.44 t).
But BMW’s engineers fought physics with technology:
- Adaptive M Suspension Pro:
The Adaptive M Suspension Pro features electronically controlled dampers that instantly adjust to road conditions and driving style. - Rear-Wheel Steering:
Steers the rear wheels opposite the fronts at low speeds for agility and with the fronts at high speeds for stability. - Active Anti-Roll Bars:
Counteract body roll, keeping the big sedan flat through corners. - M xDrive All-Wheel Drive:
The system is by default rear-biased AWD, but it also offers an optional pure RWD mode for track use.
The M5 rides with authority, combining comfort and control better than almost any rival.
Turn-in is sharp, balance is neutral, and grip is immense.
At its limit, it’s still playful — still unmistakably an M- car.
Design: Muscular, But Measured
The 2025 M5 looks powerful without resorting to gimmicks.
- Flared fenders house massive wheels wrapped in Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires.
- Enlarged intakes dominate the front fascia.
- A subtle rear diffuser and quad exhausts hint at the power beneath the surface.
BMW has resisted the temptation to over-style the car.
There’s a seriousness to the design — one that matches the car’s capabilities perfectly.
Inside, the M5 is all business:
- Curved Display: Integrates a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster and 14.9-inch infotainment screen under a single glass panel.
- M-Specific Graphics: real-time powertrain info, hybrid energy flow, and lap timers.
- • Materials: extended Merino leather, carbon fibre trim, and optional ventilated M-carbon bucket seats.
It’s a space designed for serious driving—but comfortable enough for cross-continental trips.
Rivals: Where It Stands
The new M5 takes on some formidable competitors.
- • Mercedes-AMG E63 S: It boasts brutal V8 power, but an electrified version is soon to replace it.
- Audi RS7 Performance: Incredible speed and luxury, but lacks the M5’s new hybrid flexibility.
- Lucid Air Sapphire: EV-only, quicker in a straight line, but heavier and less engaging on a twisty road.
None blend traditional power, hybrid tech, and driving precision quite like the new M5.
At around $120,000 to start, the 2025 M5 feels properly positioned.
It undercuts some electric rivals on price while offering a broader range of abilities.
Pros and cons:
Pros:
- Devastating hybrid powertrain
- • Sharp handling, despite weight.
- Real EV driving range
- Stunning balance of luxury and performance
- True M character intact
Cons:
- Noticeably heavier than previous M5s
- EV range trails full electric rivals.
- Premium pricing climbs quickly with options.
Final Verdict: The M5 Grows Up—and Gets Meaner.
The 2025 BMW M5 represents everything an M5 should be: powerful, poised, and adaptable.
It’s also the first to acknowledge that the automotive world is changing—and it’s smart enough to change with it.
This M5 can effortlessly traverse a city in the morning, dominate a racetrack in the afternoon, and conquer a cross-country journey at night.
No other performance sedan offers this much breadth of ability in one package.
If you‘re seeking the ultimate super sedan for the modern era and are prepared to accept a slight increase in weight for increased versatility, the 2025 M5 is poised to demonstrate why it remains the top choice.
