Auto Expo 2018 played launch pad for the all-new BMW M5 (F90) sedan which made its Indian debut with an eye-watering price of ₹1.43 crore (ex-showroom, Delhi).
Staying true to its massive performance credentials, the M5 comes with an updated version of the previous F10 M5’s 4.4-litre, twin-turbo V8 engine; but it’s been cranked up to 600hp and 750Nm of torque. BMW has also ditched its predecessor’s seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox in favour of an eight-speed torque-converter automatic.
The F90 will also be the first M5 to come with all-wheel-drive as standard, traditionally M5s have always been rear-wheel drive. However, BMW says that the M5’s all-wheel-drive system sends power to the front wheels only if there is complete loss traction; for the most part it is rear-wheel drive and you can even manually lock it in RWD mode.
Other bits that set the M5 apart from a standard 5-series are a carbon-fibre roof to help lower the centre of gravity and standard 19-inch wheels, with 20-inchers as an option. On the inside, you get sportier front seats and a meaty M Sport steering wheel in addition to the whole host of high-tech stuff we’d already seen on the standard 5-series – like a heads-up display, gesture control, dynamic dampers and the latest sixth-generation iteration of BMW’s i-Drive.
The M5 is renowned amongst performance enthusiasts for its combination of supercar performance and handling, wrapped in the discreet and comfortable guise of a luxury sedan. Currently, it has few direct rivals in India – save for, the Audi RS6 Avant and RS7 Sportback.