The 2021 BMW M5 and M5 Competition has officially been unveiled

BMW officially unveils the M5 and the M5 Competition. These two updated models are the performance version of the 2021 BMW 5 Series that launched earlier in May of 2020. On the outside, these fast four-door vehicles look similar to their more tame counterparts but don't let that fool you as these sporty sedans are packing additional new interior tech and subtle visual cues that hide their true performance nature underneath. 

On the outside the new BMW M5 and M5 competition receive a larger dual-kidney grille, a subtly aggressive sculpted front bumper, and a new set of L-shaped LED headlights that appear to have been slimmed down to match the sportier look.

Moving to the rear of the sports sedan. It too gets a refresh thanks to updates done to the bumper and diffuser of the vehicle. Like the front, the taillights of the M5 and its competition version also get a rework. The icing on this sports sedan’s cake is the addition of an M-specific twin dual exhaust pipes and a new set of 20-inch M division 810M alloy wheels. The M5 competition also now comes accented in black chrome instead of regular chrome. These accents can be found on the front grille, taillight surrounds, trunk spoiler, and badges.

On the inside, the cabin of the sports sedan remains familiar apart from a few new additions that BMW has added. The vehicle also now gets a full Merino leather upholstery for its competition variant. Both the M5 and M5 Competition now come with German automaker’s Live Cockpit which has been made available for the updated models. 

With this new addition, both variants now gain access to two 12.3-inch screens. One of which serves as the infotainment system while the other functions as a digital instrument cluster. This in turn allows the driver to seem more information at a glance without having to look away from the road. Along with the large displays, the sports sedan also comes standard with iDrive7 which gives the vehicle Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support.

Powering the sports sedan is the familiar 4.4-liter TwinPower Turbo V8 motor. For the normal M5, it produces 591hp and 750 Nm of torque. Opt for the Competition variant and the power goes up to 608hp. Torque figures, however, remain the same for both models pegged at 750 Nm. In its standard form, the sports can hit 0-100 km/h in 3.4 seconds the more performance-oriented variant can do it faster clocking an astonishing speed of 0-100 km/h in 3.3 seconds. Similar to its predecessor power is sent to all four wheels via an all-wheel-drive system and an 8-speed automatic transmission. Giving the driver a bit more control the M5 and its Competition variant can be configured into three different driving modes: 4WD, 4WD Sport, and 2WD.

While the power output may be the same, BMW has adjusted the sedan’s suspension for its refresh. It now comes with dampers that were derived from the M8 Gran Coupe that the automaker says will offer better driveability and handling while on the limit. Handling adjustments don't stop there as BMW has also fiddled with the chassis as well as the vehicle’s suspension springs in order to increase its handling capabilities.