Most people’s perception of BMW owners is likely rooted in negative stereotypes; the inattentive soccer mom driving her X5 while on the phone or a douchey, sunglasses wearing M3 driver, blasting techno while holding the wheel with one hand.

BMW is hoping to conquer this by releasing a video called “BMW Unscripted”. The video shows BMW’s being used as cross-country motorcycles, ferrying wildlife observers into the African desert and as the infamous “Ring-Taxi” on Germany’s Nurburgring race track. We also see some brief glimpses of meerkats and a gorgeous BMW 3.0CS.

Hit the jump to see the official video

[Source: BMW]

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G-Power has taken their BMW M5 and has officially made it the world’s fastest sedan clocking in at 372 km/h or 231 mph. Dubbed the Hurricane RR, G-Power has beaten its own previous record of 367.4 km/h or 228 mph. The M5 is able to achieve this top speed through its twin-supercharged V10 engine that puts down 800-hp and 590 ft-lbs of torque.

G-Power informs that the ASA T1-316 superchargers used in the setup could theoretically output over 900-hp. The V10 has obviously been rebuilt, using Mahle pistons and custom rods. The ECU was remapped and tuned to ensure its highest horsepower output is in the M5′s 7500-8000 rpm range.

The record run was achieved on 19-inch G-Power forged wheels wrapped with Michelin Pilot Spot tires. The Hurricane RR as you see it in all its record-setting glory can be ordered from G-Power for a measly $320,000 . But if you’ve already got an M5 or M6 sitting around, G-Power’s twin supercharger setup starts at around $71,415.

GALLERY: G-Power BMW M5 Hurricane World’s Fastest Sedan

Official press release after the break.

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A 19-year-old man near Toronto, Canada has been charged with careless driving after bragging about going 87 mph in a 25 mph residential zone.

Vladimir Rigenco was given a 2006 BMW M5 by his parents as a reward for doing well in high school. Predictably, Rigenco also had a proclivity for speeding and bragging about it online – so much so that fellow forum members expressed alarm and notified the police after one incident.

Rigenco posted a thread about speeding in a subdivision, where he wrote comments like “I hit 140 [kilometers per hour] in like 6 or less seconds lol,” and “I cant stop racing with this car.”

A forum member in the United States tipped off police, who then canvassed the neighborhood. Police eventually found an eyewitness who saw Rigenco’s unsafe driving, and decided to lay charges.

Rigenco’s lawyer Aaron Spektor claimed that Rigenco’s parents aren’t knowledgeable about cars and were unaware of the M5′s capabilities.

“What business does he have behind the wheel of an M5? A 500-horsepower car?” “Suffice it to say, it’s gone. He doesn’t have it anymore. They took it.”

[Source: The Toronto Star]

New spy photos taken by the folks at 5Post.com reveal for the first time the rumored twin-turbo V8 that will power the next-generation (F10) BMW M5. The photos were taken at the Nürburgring after a testing session.

Believed to be the same twin-scroll twin-turbo 4.4-liter unit found in the X5 M and X6 M, it is expected to make close to 600-hp in the sedan. Combined with light-weight components, an upgraded suspension and 7-speed DCT transmission we expect the M5 to handily top rivals like the Porsche Panamera Turbo and Cadillac CTS-V when it comes to tackling the Nurburgring.

Other highlights include a subtle aero kit, clearly visible, as well as some unique wheels and lots of M-badging and M interior items.

For more spy photos, including some of the best shots yet of the M5 in action, hit the link below.

[Source: 5Post]

The head of BMW‘s high-performance M division, Dr. Kay Segler, has confirmed what we had already assumed to be fact: that the next M5 will be powered by a turbocharged V8 engine. And much as the world speculated correctly about a turbocharged V8, we don’t exactly have to go out on a limb to guess that it will be a version of the twin-turbocharged, twin-scroll unit currently offered in the X5 M and X6 M. This is particularly exciting as we’ve heard reports of an X6 M lapping the track at the Monticello Motor Club with the same times as the current V10-powered M5. So just imagine how much faster a new M5 would be with that engine, minus the added weight and with a lower center of gravity.

Output on this new version of the S63 engine is also expected to rise, increasing close to the 600-hp range.

In an interview with German magazine AutoBild, Segler focused on the fact that the M5 will continue the philosophy of “Two Cars in One,” delivering a vehicle that is perfect for every day driving, while at the same time offering exceptional performance at the push of a button.

The next-generation BMW M5 is expected to debut at the Geneva Auto Show next winter.

[Source: AutoBild via BMWBlog]

Years ago Cadillac was strictly geared towards an “older” generation and market. Nowadays though, the American luxury car manufacturer has set their sights on capturing a market mostly dominated by European sport sedans. The Cadillac CTS-V has been GM’s entry into the luxury sport-sedan market competing against BMW’s M5 and Mercedes-Benz’s E63 AMG. From the factory it pumps out 556-hp and 551 ft-lbs of torque from its 6.2L LSA CTS-V supercharged engine. But given that it’s a supercharged power plant, it’s no surprise that the aftermarket has embraced it with open arms. Lingenfelter Performance Engineering is a name that has become world-renowned and legendary in the world of domestic tuning. It would be a disappointment if Lingenfelter didn’t get their hands dirty with the new Cadillac CTS-V.

And dirty they have gotten, with hours and hours of research and design into a new Supercharger Pulley Upgrade Package for the new Cadillac CTS-V. More power means more fun, and this pulley upgrade offers an impressive increase. Lingenfelter’s CTS-V has tested to 630 brake horsepower and 630 ft-lbs of torque. An increase any performance enthusiast would be crazy over. Boost level is increased to 12-13 psi, still relatively safe numbers for the 6.2L. Best of all, the price tag on Lingenfelter’s pulley upgrade is attractive too, especially considering the Cadillac CTS-V tips in at over $60,000. One can be hand for as low as $589.95 retail, labor excluded. For those that just want to drop it off along with a check book, Lingenfelter will do a complete in-house installation, taking possession of the vehicle, testing and a full dyno report before and after the install.

The full press release is available after the jump.

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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]