Background

BMW M5 V10 – everything you need to know

November 13, 2022

Specifications

BMW presented the new M5 E60 to the press in late 2004. The appearance of the BMW M5 V10 stood out for its large air intakes, gills with logos on them on the sides and large 19-inch alloy wheels. The diffuser also shows that this is no slouch, and the four end pieces of the exhaust system complete the picture.

All versions of this generation M5 came with the now familiar 5-liter V10, which was good for 507 horsepower. This power is directed to the rear wheels via a seven-speed sequential transmission, the infamous SMG. Step on the M5’s gas and the delicious sound produced by the V10 echoes through to a limited top speed of 250 mph. According to BMW, without that limiter, the M5 should even be able to rocket through to a top speed of no less than 330 km/h.

This M5 was full of technological innovations in addition to its famous engine. Even today, the features in the M5 E60 are still quite relevant. For example, the M5 E60 was the first M5 with head-up display, a modern piece of technology for its time. On this, the driver can read the speed, RPM, gear engaged and the ideal shift moment.



















Malfunctions of the BMW M5 V10

One drawback to such a V10 engine is that it involves a lot of maintenance. This is also because BMW applied technology from racing with associated expensive parts. Engine failures are also no exception with the E60 M5. The most common failures are:

E60, E61

There are two different types of the BMW M5 V10. In fact, in addition to the sedan version, there was also an M5 Touring. It is called the E61 M5 by connoisseurs and otherwise has the same technology as the sedan version. About 1,000 units of the Touring were made and over 19,000 units of the sedan. That makes the M5 Touring a true rarity.

The special thing about these two cars is that they were a one-off exercise. The V10 is simply never coming back, even with brands like Lamborghini and Audi. If you find the engine block at all, it’s certainly not in a sedan (or station wagon) like this BMW M5.