2025 BMW M5 Spy Shots and Video: New Super Sedan to Feature Hybrid?

BMW was spotted testing a prototype of the redesigned M5.

Sales are expected to begin in 2024, about a year later than the base redesigned 5 Series. This suggests that it will appear as a 2025 model.

While this prototype may appear to be one of the redesigned 5 Series testers, there are obvious clues to the M5 variant being tested here. These include quad exhaust tips, widened wheel arches, pizza-dish-sized brake rotors, and multiple intakes in the front mask.

Interestingly, there appears to be a hood indentation running from the center of the grille to the back, a design first seen on the M3 and M4, and most recently on the 2023 XM. The spiderweb-like wheel pattern is also similar to that of the M3 and M4.

Looking at the interior, one can see a thick-rimmed steering wheel and floating screens for the instrument cluster and infotainment system.

Also not to be missed is the "Electrified Vehicle" sticker, which confirms an electric powertrain. Most likely, it is the electric V8 powertrain that debuted in the XM. A video of the prototype shows the characteristic whine of the V-8.

The XM's powertrain is a plug-in hybrid that combines BMW's latest twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter V-8 engine with an electric motor integrated with a transmission (in this case an 8-speed automatic). This combo produces 735 hp in the planned XM Red Label model, which could be mounted in the M5. The current M5 has a maximum output of 627 hp in the CS version, and the plug-in hybrid configuration should allow for an electric range there, too. the XM has 30 miles.

We are told that the redesigned M5 will also be the first in the history of this nameplate to have a second powertrain, specifically a choice of a battery-electric setup. This powertrain will reportedly come in a three-motor setup with over 1,000 hp, which should help the M5 keep up with electric super sedans like the Tesla Model S Plaid and Lucid Air Sapphire. If an electric M5 is launched, it is not clear whether it will appear at the same time as the hybrid or at a later date. A redesigned electric version of the 5 Series has been confirmed. It is called the i5 and a prototype is already being tested.

Stay tuned for updates as development progresses.