BMW just revealed the new M5, and while it’s significantly more powerful than the car it replaces, the new M5 is also heavier. A lot heavier. With its plug-in hybrid system borrowed from the BMW XM, it weighs in at a hefty 5,390 pounds, nearly 1,000 pounds more than its predecessor. That’s not ideal for what’s supposed to be a sport sedan, but as Frank van Meel, head of BMW’s M division, told CarBuzz recently, adding a heavy plug-in hybrid system was the only way to keep the M5 around.
According to van Meel, BMW isn’t ready to make the M5 fully electric just yet, so to comply with emissions regulations, it had to go hybrid. And while 43 miles of range won’t get you very far on a road trip, it should be plenty for daily driving. “[An electric M5] needs more than just batteries. You need the whole architecture, the electronics, the high-voltage system,” he told CarBuzz. “So this was actually the best that we could do right now.”
Despite the new M5 being incredibly heavy and also a hybrid, van Meel insists it still feels like an M5, saying, “You don’t notice the difference,” when asked about how it feels to drive in electric mode. “It’s the perfect combination of adrenaline-fueled driving dynamics and sophisticated everyday use,” he told CarBuzz.
While those of us living in the U.S. are still caught up on the M5’s weight, residents of other countries will probably appreciate the tax break the hybrid system gives them. Because its CO2 output is rated at 50 g/km by the WLTP, in some countries, the M5 will end up being more affordable than the gas-only M3.