2025 BMW M5: Twin-Turbo V8 With EV Motor Blasts Off

Do the math: 577 gasoline horsepower plus 4.4 liters, plus 347 volts, plus 194 EV horsepower, plus all-wheel-drive. It equals the 7^th generation BMW M5.

It’s a $154,000 plug-in hybrid super sedan with 717-hp of EV and gas combined that can hit 60 mph almost drama-free in just over three seconds, and top out at 190 mph (on a track, if you’re here in the U.S.). This carbon-fiber-roofed sedan brings the heat with an 8-speed M Steptronic transmission and an EPA-rated 25 miles of EV cruising.

BMW M5 Grows In Size For 2025

This BMW M5 is the result of 40 years of development over seven generations.

Folks we showed off the car to really love the M5’s new color – Twilight Purple Pearl Metallic. It gets attention, such as the boy in the SUV next to me at a stoplight who lowered his window and yelled, “Wow, what a cool car!” It’s 4.2 inches longer than the last-gen model, and gains 2.7 inches in width. It’s 1.4 inches taller than the old M5 with just under an inch more wheelbase.

The trademark twin kidney grilles are there with the tops partially covered like sleepy eyelids for aerodynamics. LED headlights framed by thin DRLs look intense. So does the lower center air intake, which is deep, wide and aggressive in gloss black, with side intakes for brake cooling, and edgy corner air dams.

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Staggered rubber gets 10-spoke black and silver alloy wheels that clearly show huge cross-drilled carbon ceramic disc brakes. They have perfect flared fender-to-tread clearance, those wheel arches connected by flared lower center sills under curved doors.

The sculpted hood flows into a nicely raked windscreen that joins a fine-weave carbon fiber roof – an M5 constant with a shallow channel in the middle for airflow and stiffening. The rear window flows into a high bootlid with a carbon fiber spoiler. Thin LED taillights wrap around corners. The lower fascia is another aggressive gloss black aero piece pierced with quad black steel exhaust tips. After dark, the grill is outlined in white LED while puddle lights shine classic M emblems on the ground.

The 2025 model is a bit smoother than the outgoing 2024, and still certainly aggressive. It’s low, lean and well-planted.

The deep intakes in the nose scoop up leaves and bugs, so beware you’ll probably want to give it a look when washing the M5. And FYI – this PHEV is the only version of the M5. There is no gas-only model for 2025.

2025 BMW M5 Interior Ups Tech And Luxury

The interior has sweeping screens, plus M-badged sport bucket seats and a faceted band of accent lighting. If you tap in Sport driving mode, the center goes red and blue to match M Sport’s logo colors. The fairly plush front office starts with a thick-rimmed, flat-bottom steering wheel that power tilts and telescopes, with a red leather stripe at top-center to aid in steering straight. A swath of a deeply woven carbon fiber circles the cabin.

Light gray leather accents the door armrests, while dark piping accents superb sports seats with power adjustment, heat and cooling, and solid side bolstering that holds you in. There’s a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster in front of the driver, flowing smoothly into a 14.9-inch infotainment touchscreen atop the dashboard’s center. A simple “Hi BMW” allows voice commands without hands leaving steering wheel. Or just twist/tap/scroll the iDrive controller atop the center console to vary screens on the center display, including climate control, audio including wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, phone, and more.

There’s a big, clear color head-up display offering speed, safety alerts and full maps. Climate control vents are slim and designed into the fascia with rubberized knobs nearby to direct up/down flow. The A/C cooled us down well on 90-degree days, but not as good when we hit 101.

Back seat room is decent under the suede headliner, with acceptable leg room unless a tall person is up front. There are side and rear window shades, plus climate control, heated/cooled outboard seats, and multiple USB ports. The power trunk opens to a deep, usable space with ski pass-though, but batteries take up under-floor room.

M5 Uses EV Motor, Turbochargers To Boost V8’s Performance, Economy

Videos can be shown on the control display when the car is stationary. In-car gaming is available, fed via smartphone. The My BMW App provides information on vehicle status, such as remaining range and service requirements. The app can also be used to control charging. Up to ten devices can connect via a mobile hotspot.

Everyone wanted to see the engine in what I consider to be a German Hellcat, but it’s under a plastic shield, twin-turbo ducting and cross-braces all-round. The 32-valve V-8 has a cross-bank exhaust manifold and reinforced crankshaft drive, turbochargers mounted close to the exhaust manifold. Peak gas engine torque of 553 lb-ft is available between 1,800 and 5,400 rpm.

What helps launch this BMW off the line instantly, like a member of the M family, is its plug-in-hybrid system. The synchronous motor is integrated into 8-speed transmission, adding its 194 hp to make a maximum combined 717 hp between 5,600-6,500 rpm, and max system torque of 738 lb-ft between 1,800-5,400 rpm.

The base Road drive setting gave us great power for daily running. I could set transmission, steering, suspension and braking to whatever level I wanted to get sportier handling. It gives a basic driver display with info screen framed with 200-mph speedometer and 8,000-rpm (6,500-rpm redline) tachometer, inset power and regenerative braking use in one corner, while we could add a lap timer, trip or economy data, collision or front camera view, G-force, audio, navigation map, even nose camera.

Set in Hybrid/Comfort/Road mode, put the pedal down and the sedan did what an M5 is known for – leaping off the line fast to hit 60 mph in a quick 3.4 seconds.

Tap in Sport mode and you get a bigger bar tach and larger gauge displays, plus exhaust attitude that snarls musically. It boosts gas and EV power along with torque to really wake up the 5,390-lb. all-wheel-drive sedan. It streaked off the line with immediate power, with all four tires squiggling momentarily before they grabbed en route to a very fast 60 mph in 3.1 seconds. Launch Control takes a few button taps, including disabling traction control, then it’s warp speed – left-foot brake as you right-foot gas, and a mighty 1G launch gave us 60 mph in 2.9 seconds, and 100 mph in an amazing 7. The tires squiggled a bit on launch, then it just quickly hammered through sharp upshifts, each with great exhaust whomps. A “base” M5 is limited to 155 mph – our optional ($2,500) M Drivers Package made it 190 mph.

That said, the last-gen 4,096-lb. M5 with a gas-only 627 hp and 553 lb-ft of torque does 60 mph in 2.6 seconds, and 100 mph in less than 6.5 – quicker than this 1,294-lb.-heavier PHEV successor with its 90 more ponies. Still impressive, since the closest all-EV competitor I have tested – a 2025 Mercedes AMG EQE with 677 hp and 738 lb-ft of torque – saw 60 mph in 3 seconds, and 100 mph in 7.2. A 4,610 pound Dodge Charger Hellcat Redeye I tested with 797-hp and 707 ft-lbs. of torque did 60 mph in 4 seconds, and 100 mph in 8.2 with launch control.

The 2025 M5 matches that last-gen in one way – both averaged 17 mpg combined, although highway driving sometimes saw our PHEV M5 indicate as high as 27 mpg. With 15.9-gallon fuel tank filled, hybrid cruising range is an indicated 270 miles.

M5 Handling Traits

This is a stiff sports sedan. The double-wishbone front axle has added longitudinal and lateral rigidity, while the 5-link rear axle also employs special forged links and wheel carriers, plus there’s new track control arms, camber control arms, and guide arms. There’s also electronically controlled dampers that reduce body roll through corners.

We had a firm enough, but nice ride in Comfort mode, although it does bounce a bit after some bigger bumps. But Sport modes firm things up nicely, neatly handling speed bumps in tightly, but buffered bumps. And with all-wheel-drive aided by sticky Hankook Ventus S1 Evo Z tires – P285/40ZR-20 fronts, and P295/35ZR-21 rears, plus low-mounted lithium-ion batteries, this M5 really handles! Yes, we felt the weight, but M5 shrugs it off in Sport or Sport Plus, neither of which felt harsh.

In 4WD Sport mode, there’s a bit more rear-bias in the all-wheel-drive, aided by a rear differential lock to vary distribution of drive between left and right. Simply put, it stays glued in corners, carving flat and neutrally. Push harder, and you can let the rear Hankooks play a bit, but it’s catchable as it arrows straight off. And in our tight skidpad, it was stable with a hint of controllable understeer, easily pulling .9Gs in expressway ramps without bother. It also had active rear steering, which turns them in either the same, or the opposite direction to the front wheels, to help in lane changse and cornering – it seamlessly did.

Steering has a nice feel in Comfort, direct but gently boosted. In Sport modes it firms up, sharp and responsive, but not nervous, with a tight turning circle. Six-piston fixed-calipers clamping cross-drilled 16.5-inch disc brakes in front, and single-piston floating-calipers on 15.7-inchers at the rear, stopped fast and fade-free. The pedal bit high, with lots of control, and no nose dive at the limit as we pulled 1.22Gs – we hung in our belts.

As to the EV part of the M5, it gave us an indicated 33-mile range after just over two hours of Level II charging – and its real range pretty much matched that on my mixed suburban/highway route. It launches quickly and quietly in full EV mode, the 8-speed gearbox quickly moving up and down as needed, passing power smooth and quick to respond to pedal pressure with just a subtle EV motor whine as we went. Push too hard and you’ll invoke the V-8, but in daily running, it’s perfect. Basically, I could use the M5 for two days of EV-only commute, saving gas. And I loved the full regen braking setting. The electric motor becomes a generator the second you lift off the gas pedal. We got used to using it instead of braking to slow down for stops. It engages down to about 7 mph. Then it’s time to gently tap the brakes to stop. It delivered to 5 miles of regenerated EV range on the commute home.

My only issues: there are too many combos of drive settings on screen and controller for my taste. And you have to reset max regen every time you get back in. The good news: two “M” buttons in front of the big paddle shifters can be preset for two favorite setups from the drivetrain, suspension, and driver assistance menus.

2025 BMW M5 Pricing

The 2025 BMW M5 starts at $119,500 – ours was $146,225 with options like $3,100 carbon fiber package, $1,850 Executive Package(heated/cooled seats and glowing grill), and $85,00 carbon ceramic brakes – plus $2,600 gas guzzler tax.

Bottom line: Power, grace and space; with amazingly user-friendly torque, handling and braking; plus enough EV to cruise quietly. Get it in purple!

2025 BMW M5 Specifications

Vehicle type- 4-door, 5-passenger all-wheel-drive sports sedan

Base price – $119,500 (As driven – $146,225)

Gas engine type – dual turbocharged 32-valve V-8

Displacement – 4.4-liter

Horsepower (net) – 577 hp at 5,600-6,500 rpm

Torque (lb-ft) – 553 at 1,800 – 5,400 rpm

EV power – up to 194 hp/up to 207 lb-ft  max torque from 347-volt Lithium-ion battery w/14.8 kWh usable energy capacity

Transmission – 8-speed automatic w/paddle shifting

Wheelbase – 117.4 in.

Overall length – 200.6 in.

Overall width – 77.6 in.

Height – 59.4 in.

Cargo capacity – 16.5 cubic feet

Curb weight – 5,390 pounds

Fuel capacity – 15.9 gallons

Mileage rating – 14 mpg average gas-only/50 MPGe hybrid

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