2017 BMW 5-Series/M5, Do you like it?

What It Is

The redesigned and lightened size-medium sports sedan from BMW 5.

Why It Matters

Once the king of fun four-doors, the increasingly heavy M5 has plowed strange ground over the past two generations, both as the ugly and weird V-10 scream-droid and as the current turbo luxury cruiser. We hope that the seventh-generation 5-series/M5 will mark a return to the athletic poise of the much-missed E39 (1997-2003).

Platform

A new platform shared with a redesigned 7-series will use a mix of steel, aluminum, and even carbon fiber. The 5er will be no larger than before and is expected to carry over the same basic suspension setup.

Powertrain

The M5 keeps the current 4.4-liter V-8, but with output boosted past 600 horsepower. Because the current 575-hp M5 is inhibited from posting quicker acceleration numbers by limited (rear-drive) traction, BMW will follow the tire treads of Audi and Mercedes-Benz and add four-wheel drive. Lesser 5-series models will retain their current turbocharged four- and six-cylinder engines. A new turbocharged 4.0-liter V-8 is likely and would be in line with BMW’s current 500-cc-per-cylinder strategy.

Competition

Audi A6/S6, Cadillac CTS/CTS-V, Infiniti Q60, Jaguar XF series, Lexus GS, Maserati Ghibli, Mercedes-Benz E-class.

What Might Go Wrong

The new 5er might be as numb and unsporting as the current car, and with four-wheel drive, the M5 might be too heavy to play.

Estimated Arrival and Price

Look for a debut in late 2016. Pricing should follow today’s model, spanning from just over $50,000 for workaday versions to more than $100,000 for the M5.

Source: caranddriver.com