The seventh-generation BMW M5 continues its world tour following its premiere in June. While deliveries of the G90 have already started in some markets, the super sedan is only now landing in India. It costs the equivalent of $235,000 in the world’s most populous country, nearly twice as expensive as the car sold in the United States, where it’s priced from $123,275.
BMW brought the new M5 to the Buddh International Circuit, located in the Uttar Pradesh state in northern India. It’s where the M Town racetrack driving experience was held from December 1-3. Painted in Individual Isle of Man Green, the sports sedan shared the track with other M models. We’re noticing a couple of M2s and M4s, along with the mighty XM. There are also a bunch of M Performance cars, namely a Z4 M40i and the locally made M340i sedan. There were other M5s in different colors, too. BMW represented the electric side of M with the i5 M60 xDrive.
BMW doesn’t expect the M5 to be a common sight during track days. Earlier this year, G90 product manager Daniela Schmid said barely any owners take the M5 to the circuit. Her exact words were: “For M5 customers, we know that there’s a very small percentage of people who only go once on the track. Consistently… I’d say hardly anyone does it.”
Given its massive size and weight, we’d argue the new model is less of a track-focused car than all its six predecessors. BMW India hasn’t said whether it intends to sell the more practical M5 Touring as well. Logic tells us the wagon will be even rarer than the sedan on a circuit. The G99 is more of a do-it-all car. Together with an M2 or a Z4 M40i, it would make a perfect solution for a two-car garage.
Who is buying an M5? Daniela Schmid said the typical customer is a middle-aged man, typically an entrepreneur or a high-ranked executive. In many cases, these buyers step up from smaller M models, upgrading from an M2 or an M3/M4 to an M5 as they get older and have more money to spend on exciting cars.
Source: BMW India
