2012 BMW M5 Touring Artistically Imagined

Now that we’ve seen what the new 2012 BMW M5 sports sedan looks like, it’s time for some talented hands to shape the Touring version that may or may not follow in the future as the Bavarian company has not yet revealed any plans for a high-performance station wagon model.

The renderings you see pictured below are the work of photoshop artist Wild Speed who combined the bodies of the F10 5-Series Touring and the new M5 sedan.

If it were to produced, the estate variant would be powered by the same 4.4-liter twin-turbocharged V8 engine with 560-horses found under the hood of the saloon model.

Photos: Wild Speed & BimmerBoost

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BMW Insider Says All-new 2012 M5 will offer All-Wheel-Drive Option

Revealed in concept car guise at the recent Shanghai auto show, the new BMW M5 will not only be the first turbocharged M5 to hit the streets, but also the first one with an optional all-wheel drive system, or at least that’s what an unnamed company insider told British car magazine, Autocar. The company official said the all-wheel drive model will be built around the upcoming V8-powered M5 sedan, but didn’t go into any further details on the technical specs.

The BMW insider also addressed rumors about BMW working on a long-wheelbase M5 aimed at the Chinese market. "The long-wheelbase platform is reserved for standard versions of the 5-series sold in the Chinese market. There are no existing plans for an M5 on this structure," the source said.

The new BMW M5 will use a modified version of the 4.4-liter V8 twin turbocharged engine from the X5 M and X6 M, albeit in a more powerful state of tune than the 555 horsepower it develops on the two performance SUVs. BMW did not offer details on the engine output of the M5, as the company doesn't want to ruin the surprise ahead of the production car's reveal at the Frankfurt auto show later this year.

However, the carmaker said the new M5 will have significantly more power than its predecessor while also being at least 25 percent more fuel-efficient. The reduction in fuel consumption will be due to fuel-saving measures implemented by BMW's Efficient Dynamics department such as an automatic stop-start system, brake energy regeneration system and on-demand auxiliary functions for the water pump. Fuel economy will also benefit from a new seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.

By Dan Mihalascu

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Video Tour of the Unmade BMW M Cars Including the M3 Tourer and Compact, Ur-Roadster and M5 Cabriolet

It is by far, the most sacred place for a BMW M fan. We’re talking about the BMW M Division’s underground facility where the company stores copies of all the production cars and prototypes it has ever built, including a variety of never before seen in public vehicles. In a surprising but much welcomed move, the German automaker recently opened the doors of the special M garage to the members of the press and select enthusiasts revealing an array of models that most had only heard about. We already brought you a video of the wild M8 Coupe with the 580-horsepower V12 engine that was eventually used on the McLaren F1, but now we have several videos showcasing the entire lineup of M cars.
These include the E46 M3 Touring (BMW for station wagon), the E36 M3 Compact powered by the same 321HP straight-six from the M3 Coupe of the time, the E34 M5 Cabriolet with open-top seating for four, an M3 powered E30 ute and possibly the strangest creation yet, the so called Ur-Roadster. The latter is said to have been developed after the Z1 with power being delivered by the E30 M3’s 2.3-liter four-cylinder engine.
Check out all of the cars in the videos below.

Sources: M5Board, Bimmerpost and Car

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BMW Officially Unveils New M5 Sports Saloon Concept Ahead of Shanghai Show

We received our first taste of the new M5 Concept during the weekend thanks to a series of photos that leaked from a press event in Germany, but today, BMW came out with an official release detailing its sports saloon ahead of its world premiere at the Auto Shanghai 2011 in China later this month.

The Concept M5 is essentially 99 percent production ready, so don’t expect any surprises in terms of styling at the presentation of the production model at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September this year.

The highlight of the fifth generation of the M5 will be the new twin-turbocharged V8 engine lurking under the bonnet. BMW officials have already confirmed that the engine is a development of the 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 with 555HP and 680Nm or 501 lb-ft of peak torque, tweaked to deliver more power. However, the German company is still keeping mum on output numbers.

What BMW did disclose is that compared to the fourth generation of the M5’s 507HP V10 power unit, the newly developed V8 turbo has a significantly increased output level, whilst at the same time lowering previous fuel consumption and emission levels by at least 25 percent.

In the new M5, power is delivered to the rear wheels by a seven-speed M double-clutch transmission with Drivelogic, which was specifically tuned to the new V8 engine’s performance characteristics. The M5 also gets an Auto Start Stop function.

BMW added that the F10 M5 will feature exclusive M suspension components such as the inter alia, the wheel suspension systems, specific axle kinematics as well as powerful and weight-optimised brakes. A new Active M Differential that optimises vehicle stability using targeted variation of locking torque between the right and left drive wheels, plus 20-inch forged alloy wheels shod tires size 265/35 ZR20 at the front and 265/35 ZR20 at the back, are also part of the package.

As for the car’s exterior, BMW’s designers opted for a discrete appearance with a typical M-style front bumper, side gills on the front fenders, a new rear bumper with an integrated diffuser that houses twin tailpipes on either side, and a barely visible boot lid spoiler.

BMW won’t reveal anything on the interior with the Shanghai Show concept’s windows being completely blacked out, but expect to see the typical M model styling traits such as the sport seats and steering wheel, bespoke interior trim and an M-specific instrument panel.

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2012 BMW M5 Concept: First Photos Out in the Open

In a move that certainly won’t leave BMW officials happy, pictures of the 2012 M5 Concept from a preview event held in Germany prior to the car’s world premiere at the Shanghai Auto Show in China later this month, leaked onto the internet. As with most BMW concepts of the sort, the new M5 study is 99 per cent production ready, so don’t expect to see anything different when the sports saloon make its premiere in production guise later this year, possibly at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September.
The new M5 is based on the latest F10 5-Series saloon and is powered by a modified version of the same twin-turbocharged V8 engine found on the X5 M and X6 M. The V8 is believed to be lighter, more powerful and greener than the 507HP 5.0-liter V10 lump it replaces. No specific numbers have been released, but rumor has it that output will be close to 600-horsepower.
The leaked pictures reveal the rather conservative styling changes over the standard F10 5-Series, which include bespoke front and rear bumpers, side air vents, four tail pipes and the five-spoke M alloy wheels.
Expect more information and perhaps even new photos to come out shortly.

Source: M5board , Transmissia via Worldcarfans

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