When the F90-generation BMW M5 was officially debuted, the idea that it had xDrive all-wheel drive was shocking to most enthusiasts. Well, we actually knew it was happening for some time but, still, seeing an all-wheel drive M5 was a bit odd. The BMW M5 has a long history of being rear-drive, so this new F90’s xDrive all-wheel drive system is quite a big step for the M5. However, it wasn’t always going to be that way. According to Autocar, the very first prototype of the F90 M5 was actually rear-wheel drive.
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Sticking with tradition and the car’s roots, BMW’s M Division likely didn’t even think twice about making the F90 BMW M5 rear-wheel drive. Until they drove it, that is, and realized that it had far too much power and performance for just two driven wheels. “It was the natural, historic way to go – until we realized we were beyond the limits of longitudinal acceleration. Four-wheel drive was the only option.” BMW M Vice President Dirk Hacker told Autocar.
And Hacker’s obviously right. The new F90 BMW M5 packs 600 hp and 553 lb-ft of torque from its twin-turbocharged 4.4 liter V8. That’s simply too much power for just the rear wheels. Now, if you’re thinking that it’s not too much power for just to tires to handle, as the F10 BMW M5 30 Jahre made 600 hp as well as was rear-wheel drive, that car wasn’t anywhere near as fast as it could have been had it driven all four wheels. Also, it really enjoyed turning rubber into smoke.
This new BMW M5 is all-wheel drive so it can put all 600 horses and all 553 lb-ft of twist to the road with minimal slip. That means it’s good for 0-60 mph in 3.2 seconds, which makes it the fastest accelerating production BMW of all time. So, clearly, giving it all-wheel drive was the right move. But BMW M didn’t just stop there. This new M-specific xDrive all-wheel drive system can effectively shut off its front driveshaft and axles, turning it into a pure rear-drive M5 for as long as the driver wants it to be. That makes the BMW M5 the best of both worlds: an all-wheel drive super sedan/rocket ship and a rear-wheel drive hooligan. Only the press of a button separates the two.
[Source: Autocar]
No it’s not both of the best worlds. Stop telling lies. You get significant weight reduction, less complexity and most of all far superior handling if you remove the awd system. Why bmw keeps going into direction of self destruction every time they make new models is quite saddening.
Because there’s a horsepower race & BMW would like to get their M5 record h.p. to the ground. xDrive is available on most BMWs, the weight difference is insignificant. Just like record volume & profits are not self destruction or saddening.
M model should be purely for driving performance and handling. Looking at BMW’s recent dilution even on m models, it’s no wonder seeing this awd m cars. M has died.
From the very first, M5 has had luxury features as well as being a super car.
You are so silly
Since my statement is correct, u r throwing a boulder from inside your glass bubble.
I totally agree with you, this pursuit of hp and 1/4 mile times above all else is a disaster for people who like to drive. Badge whores and people who buy cars to impress other people will be happy and apparently there are more of these two groups than there are enthusiasts.
So buy a Lotus Super 7. Pretty much any one in a BMW is considered a badge whore or someone who bought a car to impress other people, but if name calling helps, go for it. As for enthusiasts, what performance car is under 3,000 lbs. nowadays? Not to intrude with reality or anything…
French manufacturers do know how to make light performance cars. Peugeot 308 GTi, 1,205 kg, previous Renault Megane III RS, about 1,300 kg. These are real cars, fully equipped. That’s why they are very well known for their handling. Yet most people keep talking about German, Japanese and American porkers.
German, Japanese and American porkers actually meet global safety standards. I assume the French cars do not and are thus not available in many markets. Since the porkers are also rwd. you may also find disagreement about handling prowess. BMW are introducing a hot hatch competitor, they are already being criticized for going fwd. Before it’s in production!
French cars are basically sold worldwide, USA, Canada and North Korea excepted. This is quite a lot more countries than American cars. BTW, stop telling yourself that USA and Canada only safety standards are global. These countries are marginal. The real global standard is Euro/Japan/Australia NCAP.
Also, do you remember how the current American Mustang failed at the ANCAP, having the score of a Chinese car?
Was thinking more of Takata & our foolish insurance lobby bumper standards, things that are actually the reverse of safety. I know American vehicles are not universally accepted, like their football, pick-ups, gun culture & president. French cars are conspicuous by their absence in my Canadian market, growing up Citroen, Peugeot, Renault all had presence here.
What garbage. The E30 was heavy for a sports car, so were the E36, E46 and E9x. This sort of rubbish is what I’m talking about. You don’t know that even the E30 M3 weighed almost exactly 3000lbs with a sunroof, fluids and driver. An M2 is only around 4-500lbs more, with almost double the hp and torque. Your ignorant nonsense is part of the problem. Reality my ass, just GTFO.
“,,,this pursuit of horsepower and 1/4 mile times above all else is a disaster,,,”.”The E30 was heavy for a sports car, so were the E36, E46 and E9x.” “…the E30 M3 weighed almost exactly 3000 lbs…” “An M2 is only around 4-500lbs more, with almost double the hp…”. “…garbage…” “…rubbish…” “…disaster…”
bsmw driver
Terry! It’s you again, isn’t it? Don’t be shy man, come on, it’s a party.
“…just GTFO.”
Not true. The handling should be better than the F10 gen M5. It actually weighs less, despite of the increase in weight from the AWD system. You can fully disengage the system so the car will become a RWD beast, just like any of the previous M5’s. So what’s the problem? People weren’t buying M5’s in countries where the weather is always bad. They bought the E63 AMG S instead. Since the M5 now has M xDrive, they can buy the M5. It’s now one of the most perfect daily drivers allround: it’s comfortable, faster even than a lot of modern sports cars and even supercars in a straight line, it can be very easy to drive in AWD Mode, or more playful in AWD S Mode or a drifting monster in RWD Mode. So tell me how the F90 isn’t the best of both worlds, considering it’s a modern car and you can’t expect it to be the same as an E39 M5! Also sales numbers and profit keeps going up. New records every day. They still have some great cars even for enthusiasts, like the M3 CS and M4 CS, the M2 (and upcoming M2 Competition),… We shouldn’t complain. BMW still has great cars. Not like they used to be, but that’s impossible. If you like the old ones more, then just buy those. You will have a ton of fun, that’s for sure. If I would want the perfect daily driver, I would definitely consider an F90. It does so much so well, it’s incredible! I can’t wait for the reviews…
A company that went from bankrupt to #1 global premium on engineering (among other things) is now told by hater troll fanbois they shouldn’t engineer – no awd. (which they’ve been doing for decades), no fwd. (how they revived MINI to being a $5 billion dollar brand) & why every other co. copies them. Crazy typists.
Hello again Terry. Why are you always hiding?
Because u type b.s. & r boring.
WTF is Terry?
Oh!
I don’t care.
1. No one ever says bmw shouldn’t engineer.
2. Awd and fwd were not introduced to improve handling, dynamics and feel, on which bmw put all their ethos and philosophy and that got them out of bankruptcy and to one of top brands. Mini you took example of is irrelevant. Bmw didnt convert mini to fwd to succeed, it was always fwd. The reason bmw introduced fwd is after the statistics revealed that the majority of bmw customers are badge snobberies, don’t even know if the car they’re buying is rwd and won’t give a damn. So why stick to rwd which cost more to make, still sells well.
statistics = badge snobberies
Source?
I highly doubt this awd addition is for ‘performance improvement because too much power for two wheels only’ as bmw claims, given the fact that bmw has been significantly diluting m cars for the last couple of years. I highly suspect that this awd movement was rather to increase sales in countries with bad weather, just like you mentioned in your comment. This is all coming down to another BMW’s profit addiction and sales volume game chasing VAG. You said it’s lighter than before despite with awd, then it would be even more lighter if without awd wouldn’t it? Simple logic, use your head.
Simple logic tells me they’re not chasing a company that sells 4X their volume with 4X as many brands.
Of course it would be even lighter without AWD. But it would also be slower in a straight line AND probably even on the track. Except maybe in the hands of extremely skilled drivers. The F10 M5 was a mighty machine, but it didn’t handle as good as is should/could and it had huge traction problems. Because of that it was much slower in a straight line, not on higher speeds. But in day-to-day traffic it’s the 0-100 mph that matters most. I think the F90 might be the best allround M5 ever because it should be so good in so many things. We’ll see about that of course. And I would prefer an E39 or even an E34 M5 because of how pure those are. For a daily driver however: F90 all the way.
Also BMW is not “chasing VAG”, they never did and never will. BMW has always been far superior. Yes, they have an M5 now with AWD. However it can become the drifting beast some of us want it to be with a mere push of a button!
Typists again ignore all the safety advantages of xDrive, let alone performance benefits. Twice I couldn’t get a BMW out of parking due to sports rubber on rwd. in inclement weather. We already know M X pretty much can do things on the track that seem to defy physics. How many Nurburgring shunts & spin-offs do we see that xDrive could have prevented?
Very true, although the much needed ingredient for M xDrive to be so perfect is the possibility to switch to RWD with the push of a button. That’s the reason why I love that specific xDrive system so much! Without it I too would be complaining about it. ;) I think it’s very important that the M5 is a drifting beast when the driver wants it to, but it’s really great that it can now be a safe, fun, luxurious daily driver as well. Even in very bad conditions.
An AWD drivetrain is less efficient than a 2WD one because of weight and friction. Yes it should be faster from a stop, if launch hard. But don’t think about racing a 600hp f10 M5 from a roll.
Wrong. You could race an F10 M5 from a roll in 2WD mode to avoid the extra powertrain losses. The F90 is lighter and has a bunch of other improvements over even the most powerful and fastest F10 M5. So there’s no way the F10 M5 would be faster.
you just can’t satisfy some numpties. BMW makes the compromise of producing the new m5 with the ability to go RWD or AWD and using industry leading weight reduction materials and technique to make the car as light as possible but yet complainers keep moaning. The car is not supposed to be featherweight. Moan all you want, the M5 is a fantastic car that covers bases for different drivers. BMW M division did a great job
They must, every manufacturer has followed with a performance division. Mercedes had to buy theirs.
BMW launched f90- m5 with 4wd?