BMWBLOG had the opportunity to ride shotgun in the new M5 this weekend at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. We were in great company as behind the wheel was G90 product manager Daniela Schmid, a Nürburgring 24 Hour class winner. As for the car, it’s a Carbon Black example with the standard sunroof and optional Kyalami Orange seats.
At 1970 millimeters (77.6 inches) wide, the seventh-gen M5 isn’t the best car to tackle the famous hill climb in West Sussex. The track gets quite narrow on some sections of the 1.16-mile (1.86-kilometer) course, but with an experienced driver, that’s not an issue. That said, the mighty sports sedan needs a wider road to demonstrate its full potential from the plug-in hybrid V8.
Daniela Schmid is not the only BMW representative to drive the M5 at the event. None other than M CEO Frank van Meel also took the G90 for a spin. From the passenger seat, you don’t feel the weight of the G90, but it’s understandable why the added bulk worries enthusiasts. In the end, customers will decide with their wallets whether the extra heft has ruined the performance formula.
Although the M5 is BMW’s star in Goodwood, it’s not the only novelty from the “world’s most powerful letter.” Attendees can also check out the 2025 M2, M3 Touring, and the M4 CS. M Performance cars are represented by the 2025 M135 and X3 M50. On the motorsport side, the M Hybrid V8 is there as well.
At the next major automotive event, BMW is expected to publicly display the M5 Touring for the first time. The M division has pledged to launch a new car on August 15 at Pebble Beach. We can’t think of another car than the hotly anticipated G99. There’s more to come near the end of the year since we’ll likely see the next-generation M235 Gran Coupe.
