BMW's powerful formula

By ALASTAIR SLOANE

The high-revving V10 engine in the new BMW M5 performance sedan borrows much of its technology from the powerplant used by the BMW-Williams Formula One team, says the company.

The luxury German carmaker has released details of its 5-litre V10 before the first official pictures of the car. They are expected next week. The M5 pictured here is the concept, unveiled at the Geneva motor show in March.

BMW says the new, naturally aspirated V10 produces 378kW (507bhp) at 8250rpm and peak torque of 520Nm at 6100rpm, making the M5 the most powerful production model in the BMW line-up. More than 80 per cent (450Nm) of torque is available from 3500rpm.

"Technology forged in the heat of motorsport has enhanced the processes and components used in this new engine," BMW says. "With more than 1000 individual components, the engine management system is unparalleled. Its processors are the most powerful currently approved for use."

The engine is mated to a seven-speed sequential manual gearbox (SMG), a development of the unit in the smaller M3. It has two programmes, S (Sports) and D (Drive). S is the manual mode, with six available gears. D is the seven-speed automatic function. The seventh gear is a tall cruising ratio which reduces engine speed.

Gears can be changed using the traditional shift lever or paddles mounted on the steering wheel. BMW says shift times are 20 per cent faster than those of the M3 transmission.

The 378kW engine produces 25 per cent more power than the 300kW (400bhp) 5-litre V8 in the previous M5. It also surpasses the 75kW-a-litre (100bhp) specific output, a high-performance benchmark.

The two five-cylinder banks of the all-aluminium V10 are arranged at an angle of 90-degrees. The engine has four valves a cylinder and uses BMW's much-praised bi-VANOS variable valve timing system for improved engine efficiency.

The new M5 will be available in New Zealand towards the middle of next year. Cost? As a guide, the present M5 is still on BMW's books at $203,900.