The Neue Klasse BMW M5 is already on the way

The ink has barely dried on reviews of and finance agreements for the new G90 BMW M5, but the facelift (LCI in BMW parlance) has already been spotted testing, ahead of its suspected debut in the latter part of 2027. While it’s difficult to make out the exact details from the heavily camouflaged test car spotted winter testing, it appears the company’s hotly-anticipated ‘Neue Klasse’ language is on its way to the M5 and 5-series models on which it’s based.

Facelift models don’t usually feature wholesale changes to the bodywork, but BMW is planning to buck this trend with its 5-series and M5 overhaul. At the front the headlights and front grilles look very similar to the Neue Klasse saloon concept. Extensive air intakes remain in the lower section of the bumper. There are camouflage panels hiding what we would assume to be revisions to the tops of the front wings and the central bonnet area, too. 

At the rear the disguise is more extensive hiding a new rear bumper assembly and a boot lid that may feature wider tail lights as per the Neue Klasse design langauge. The cladding in the central area of the rear bumper suggests there may well be a change to the slightly awkward looking V shaped body coloured notch on the current car. Interestingly the test mule doesn’t feature the M5’s carbonfibre roof making do with the regular 5-series roof panel, presumably there’s no point destroying an expensive carbon panel on a car that will eventually be destined for the crusher, especially as the roof is unlikely to change.

The current powertrain which features a twin-turbocharged V8 and an electric motor will remain with the combined output expected to rise a smidgen from its current 717bhp and 738lb ft. It’s possible that the M5’s weight could drop slightly thanks to advances being made with battery technology which would allow smaller batteries to deliver the same electric range as the current car. Alternatively, the weight may remain the same but possibly feature denser batteries that extend the car’s electric range.

Will we see another the return of the CS badge for the M5? We can only hope, given the excellent eCoty 2021-winning form of the last one. If another M5 CS is in the pipeline, we certainly hope some of the c/700kg the M5 has gained since the last one is shed in the process of adding focus.

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There are few clues as to how the reworked interior will look but we would expect the facelifted M5 to feature BMW Panoramic Vision and BMW operating system X that was recently revealed at the CES in Las Vegas. Not only will this bring the slim head-up style display that stretches across the width of the car but it will also feature the new central screen and a new style of steering wheel based on what was previewed at the CES.