Anyway, the low centre of gravity that comes with having a battery pack in the floor has allowed M to back off the suspension stiffness a touch compared with the previous-generation M5 Competition. It still doesn’t believe in air suspension, but the M5’s steel coils are now progressive, giving the adaptive dampers (which are now made by Bilstein instead of long-time partner Sachs) more room to work. The M5 naturally gets plenty of bespoke hardware and geometry that you wouldn’t find in a normal 5 Series.
M’s disinterest in air springs does not mean it has made some sort of back-to-basics M5; far from it. Instead, Garching has thrown the full gamut of chassis tech at the G90. There’s variable-ratio steering and four-wheel steering (the rear wheels can turn up to 1.5deg), the traction and stability control systems are even more advanced than before and the fully variable four-wheel drive that can switch to rear-wheel drive makes a return. Data shows that vanishingly few owners ever use it, but it’s the usual principle of the diver’s watch: what matters is not whether owners use it, but rather the knowledge that the capability is there.
This new M5 certainly isn’t back to basics in how it looks. The current 5 Series is a slightly awkward-looking thing, with a tall scuttle and belt line to hide the thick battery pack under the floor, a droopy bottom and rather fussy detailing. But underestimate an injection of M-steroids at your peril. M design is all about stance, and to that end, the new M5 has 75mm wider front wings and, for the first time in an M5, wider rear wings (by 48mm). They house double-staggered (20in at the front, 21in at the back) wheels.
For only the third time in the M5’s history (previously with the E34 and the E60/E61), it is now also available as a ‘Touring’ estate. For only £2000 more than the saloon, you can get a car that’s just as quick in the real world (you won’t miss the 0.1sec the Touring gives up in the 0-62mph sprint) but gains a good dose of practicality. The boot is bigger in volume (500 litres versus 466) and access is much improved through the big hatch.
This generation of 5 Series Touring no longer has the unique separately opening rear window, which still seems like a big miss to us. But unlike in some Mercedes plug-in hybrids, the boot floor has no humps in it and the rear seats neatly fold flat.
Also, to these eyes (you’re very welcome to disagree, of course), the Touring looks much more harmonious than the saloon, with its droopy bootlid.
