2025 BMW M5 Embraces PHEV Layout for More Power

by Carl Malek | June 26, 2024

BMW raises the bar on performance with the 2025 BMW M5. Plug-in hybrid powertrain helps improve fuel economy while also boosting performance as the company brings electrification to its executive sedan.

BMW is preparing to write a new chapter in the M5’s history with the 2025 model.

BMW is laser-focused on entering the EV segment, but it can be easy to forget that before BMW can achieve its goal of making its entire lineup all electric it must make calculated steps to ensure that the transition is smooth for both the firm and customers. That includes the expansion of its presence into hybrid models to provide consumers a bridge between traditional ICE models and all-electric EV models.

The company has already made considerable efforts in that regard with the mild-hybrid system that it has been using in several of its other models the past few years. However, the 2025 BMW M5 is preparing to raise the stakes as it attempts to walk a delicate balance between offering world-class performance and enhanced fuel efficiency for sedan buyers.

M5 gets revamped hybrid system for the first time

This latest M5 will be the first in its long 40-year history to embrace a plug-in hybrid powertrain.

Performance for the 2025 BMW M5 still comes from a twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter V8 but BMW engineers have given the car a model-specific M Hybrid system for the first time which allows the setup to produce a combined system output of 717 hp and 738 lb-ft of torque with all of this power being funneled through an eight-speed automatic. BMW says that this setup is enough to rocket the M5 to 60 mph in 3.4 seconds. The top speed is limited to 155 mph but buyers that add the optional M Driver’s Package can raise it to a blistering 190 mph. The PHEV components also allowed the company to add a new “Boost Mode” that allows the car to make fast bursts of acceleration with the driver only needing to hold down the left shift paddle for one second before hitting the accelerator. It’s similar to Dodge’s Powershot feature and like Powershot, the feature will quickly drain the battery pack with repeated use.

A prominent tradeoff is that while the PHEV system makes the M5 the most powerful one the company has ever produced, it’s also the heaviest with the car weighing just over 2.5 tons which is a noticeable bump up in weight from the previous generation model.

While the V8 is already a powerful engine in its own right, the M Hybrid system is the key feature that helps the entire setup perform to its full potential. The electric motor is powered by a 14.8 kWh battery pack which is strategically located in the underbody to reduce the center of gravity. The battery’s location also helped engineers avoid compromising luggage and passenger space which preserves the M5’s large trunk and its spacious cabin. The company says that the battery pack has been through extensive testing and it’s capable of not only withstanding heavy loads but also a wide spectrum of temperatures that would make other battery packs crack under the pressure. When the battery pack is not tasked with enhancing performance, it can also allow the M5 to go short distances on pure electric power with the company saying that the car can go 25 miles on the electric motor alone before the gas engine kicks back in.

Exterior styling gets beefed up

The M5’s exterior styling shares core elements with the standard model but new paint colors and performance-focused upgrades make it stand out.

The exterior styling of the 2025 BMW M5 is a radical departure from the outgoing model with the front fascia getting larger twin-kidney grilles and tweaked headlights. The grilles themselves get a centrally-mounted bar with the center of the grille work featuring sensors for the M5’s driver assistance features. The front bumper gets a larger centrally mounted air intake that’s set in a gloss black trim piece. BMW says that the black color and the triangular-shaped trim pieces help enhance the stance of the car. This is enhanced further by the extended wheel arches that give the illusion of added width.

The side profile has a cleaner look than before but a prominent character line flows from the driver’s door handle and fades into the rear wheel arches to enhance the visual profile. This line also leads to the rear of the M5 which gets new LED taillights, a reworked rear bumper, and a bigger rear diffuser with large quad exhaust tips. BMW’s recent habit of making the rear look more monolithic is on display once again and like on the recently unveiled X3, the generously sized surfaces and details are supposed to create a look that focuses on simple details to get the full point across. Buyers can choose from nine different paint colors with eight of these hues being available as metallic paint with M exclusive colors like Isle of Man Green and Marina Bay Blue being included.

M5 interior doubles down on technology

Technology and enhanced luxury features are a few of the surprises that the M5 is bringing to the table for the new model year.

Slip inside the 2025 BMW M5 and you’ll find an interior that has been heavily revamped with the steering wheel now becoming a three-spoke flat-bottomed unit with improved satellite controls. The dashboard and center console have a cleaner design and the latest version of BMW’s Curved Display system also makes its way into the M5. Lighting is a focal point of the M5’s interior and the cabin features a red white and blue accent interaction bar that flows from the center of the console into the door panels. This feature also made its appearance in the X3 and while the bar is not as large as it is in the CUV, it still offers a distinct splash of color when driving at night.

The M5 gets Multifunction M Seats standard with BMW offering four different hues of Extended Merino Leather; Black, Silverstone/Black bi-color, Red/Black bi-color, and Kyalami Orange/Black bi-color. In addition to the default seats, the 2025 M5 is also debuting new BMW Individual Full Merino Metallic Leather seats. As the name implies, the Metallic seats sprinkle the leather upholstery with small 3D decorative elements that are made using a process called High Decorative Design. BMW revealed that it’s one of the first automakers to use this process in a production car with these seats being available in Black/Dark Violet bi-color and Taupe Grey/Deep Lagoon Pearl Effect bi-color. Buyers looking to add these particular seats to their M5 will have to wait a while, with the company saying these bespoke seats won’t be available until early next year.

How much?

This latest M5 will still boast a high price tag to match its performance credentials with a base model starting at just over $120,000.

All of this performance and luxury comes at a steep price with BMW confirming that a base M5 will now start at $120,275 with the $1,175 destination fee included. That’s a noticeable bump up from the $117,495 that the company wanted for a base 2023 model. This figure is expected to grow when the M5 is adorned with a generous amount of optional equipment with the price having the potential to go past the $150,000 barrier.

This pricing also puts it in the hunt with rivals like the Audi RS6 and the Porsche Panamera Turbo E-Hybrid with the BMW looking to carve a slice of the market for itself. The M5 will also be coming back from a brief absence with the model providing M-powered support to the all-electric i5 M60 which starts at $84,100 and is currently the only M-badged 5-Series in the lineup. That will change when the M5 bursts onto the scene with the first production units expected to go on sale this fall.