2020 BMW M5 Competition powers in with extra tech

• Twin-turbocharged 4.4-litre V8 petrol engine produces 616bhp
• Features updated styling and safety technology
• On sale now priced from £98,095

The facelifted 2020 BMW M5 Competition saloon has been revealed with updated styling and an array of technology updates. It’s the latest iteration of the brand’s flagship performance saloon and follows the recent arrival of the standard facelifted 5 Series. The new car is on sale now, with prices starting from £98,095.

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To keep the M5 competitive against rivals such as the Audi RS6 and Porsche Panamera, the new car carries over the updated styling of the standard 5 Series model, together with all of its updated technology.

2020 BMW M5 Competition: engine and performance

Power comes from the same twin-turbocharged 4.4-litre V8 petrol engine as before, which produces 616bhp. BMW’s xDrive four-wheel-drive system sends power to all four wheels via an eight-speed automatic gearbox. The car’s drift mode setting has also been retained, and is capable of disengaging the front wheels entirely, sending power to the rear-wheels only.

Performance is identical to the old car, with a supercar-matching 0-62mph time of 3.3 seconds and an electronically limited top speed of 155mph. From a standing start, the M5 Competition can reach 124mph in just 10.8 seconds, while the optional M Driver’s package increases the top speed to 189mph. Final fuel economy and emissions figures for the new car have yet to be revealed, but we’d expect it to achieve around 20-23mpg at best.

The M5 Competition gets various chassis upgrades over the standard 5 Series saloon, including upgraded suspension and larger, more powerful brakes. Buyers can spec upgraded ceramic brake discs from the options list, which are 23kgs lighter than the standard steel brakes and come with brake calipers finished in gold.

Design

The revised BMW M5 Competition features a number of minor styling tweaks over the old car, with a new front bumper featuring larger air intakes, new adaptive LED headlights and daytime running lights, along with a pair of restyled kidney grilles.

A new 20-inch twin-spoke alloy wheel design also features, with a grey paint finish alongside redesigned side gills on the front wings. The carbon fibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP) roof panel gives a contrasting look to the car, while saving weight. At the rear, the car features a fresh LED tail light design with a smoked black and red two-tone colour scheme, a revised boot lid, a new diffuser with a gloss black surround and a twin-pipe dual exhaust system with black chrome exhaust tips.

A trio of new paint colours have also been added to the specifications list, consisting of Tanzanite Blue, Aventurine Red and Alvit Grey.

Interior and technology

Interior upgrades include electrically adjustable sports seats and sun protection glass, and a new 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster with a larger central infotainment touchscreen that runs BMW’s latest iDrive software. ‘M5’ logos feature around the interior on the front seats and steering wheel, with a red finish highlighting the engine mode and start/stop switchgear.

Among the interior tech options is a premium Harmon/Kardon stereo system and a head-up display with unique M Division graphics. The optional Technology Plus pack adds heating to the steering wheel, and the seats get heating along with a massage function.

Buyers can also spec the Ultimate Pack, which adds a total of 14 options including a carbon fibre engine cover, a Bowers & Wilkins surround sound stereo system and soft-closing doors.

The new M5 Competition carries over all of the updated safety technology from the standard 5 Series, including BMW’s Parking Assistant Plus system that’s capable of automatically reversing the car into a parking space for distance of up to 50 metres. The firm’s new drive recorder system is also standard, using a series of cameras around the bodywork to record footage, automatically saving the 20 seconds before and after a collision.

The car’s standard driver assistance systems have also been upgraded, with revised lane keeping, lane changing assist and a 360-degree camera. The optional Driving Assistant Professional system takes this functionality further still, using the Active Navigation to automatically perform a required lane change in advance.

Want to know more about the M5 Competition saloon? Read our in-depth review here.