BMW is giving its home turf a big, heaping pile of BMW-osity. The carmaker plans to debut no less than four production models at the Frankfurt Auto Show in September: the M5, the M3 GTS’s sedan version, a redesigned 1-Series, and the i3 electric city car.

The M5 and the M3 GTS, of course, will cause enthusiasts to salivate at an unhealthy, fluid-draining rate. But while the 1-Series will be redesigned for the first time since its debut in 2004—no insignificant debut at any other show—it’s the i3 electric car that will make the biggest impact at the show.
The i3, as leaked before, is BMW’s mass-produced electric car with a 160-mile range and a passenger cell made from carbon fiber. If anything, it’s BMW’s firing shot into the electric propulsion game, with much of the company’s reputation behind it.

[Source: AMS]

With a new version of the 5 Series now headed to dealerships, BMW is preparing to launch the all-new M5, with the super saloon likely to debut at the Geneva Auto Show in March. According to a report in CAR Magazine, they have all the deets on the 2011 F10 model.

As expected, power will come from the same 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 that’s found under the hood of the X5 M and X6 M. Making 555-hp in those versions, BMW’s M division has reportedly tweaked the V8′s output further to produce an incredible 578-hp and 530 ft-lbs of torque. That’s a solid 150 more ft-lbs of torque than the outgoing model and knowing the twin-turbo application, it’s likely to come on almost twice as early as the high-strung V10.

As a result, the M5 should be able to clear 62 mph in roughly 4.4 seconds.

The new engine is also expected to be roughly 30 percent more fuel-efficient than the old V10, which really shouldn’t be all that hard, knowing how gas-hungry the V10 was.

Additional efficient dynamics items like brake regeneration technology and advanced aerodynamics, not to mention the use of light weight materials, are expected to be a pat of the 2011 BMW M5.

[Source: CAR]

With the launch of the new 2011 5-Series, the debut of the M version of that car is fast approaching. There have been numerous rumors about the new model and the folks at Bimmerfile have attempted to separate fact from fiction to give us an idea at just what to expect.

First, we can all but guarantee that the V10 has been eliminated in favor of a twin-turbo V8 setup similar to that found in the both the X5 M and X6 M. With well over 500-hp and more than 500 ft-lbs of torque, this new engine will deliver usable power at almost any rpm, as compared to the old V10 that needed to be strung out to 8000 rpm.

Along with cutting out weight from the engine, the F10 M5 is likely to get an all aluminum chassis, as well as carbon fiber body panels to help keep it light on its toes. A carbon fiber roof will be optional.

Finally, the M5 is expected to get a state-of-the-art Formula One-derived KERS regenerative braking system. The KERS setup will reportedly store electric energy created under braking and then allow the driver to access that power via an F1-style button. This momentary thrust is expected to be quite noticeable and should help the twin-turbo V8 deliver close to 600-hp for short bursts of time.

[Source: Bimmerfile]

The folks over at Carscoop have just snagged these photos of what appears to be the 2011 BMW M5 out testing. Code-named the F10, there are a few hints that lead to the speculation that this is in fact the M5 and not a standard 5 series. The real give-away, however, are the four exhaust pipes.

Other M-features include the massive wheels, brakes and low stance.

Unfortunately even spy photographers can’t see through sheet metal and so we’re left guessing what sort of powerplant the next M5 will have. The current M5 boasts a 507hp 5.0-liter V10 and while there is some speculation that the next generation of the iconic car will use a twin-turbocharged V10, it’s more likely that we’ll see the twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter V8 that produces as much as 555hp and 500 ft-lbs of torque in the X5 M and X6 M.

Power will no-doubt be slightly more than in either of the M-powered SUVs and possibly even reach the 600 mark.

Other highlights to look for include a version of BMW’s double-clutch gearbox which first appeared on the latest M3. And in keeping with the automakers Efficient Dynamics approach, look for innovative new ways to save weight.

The F10 M5 is slated to be a 2011 model, so look for it sometime in 2010.

[Source: Carscoop]