BMW reskins and updates M5 Competition

BMW Australia has shown off its new facelifted M5 super-sedan ahead of its October arrival Down Under, due here only in full blown Competition guise.

While local pricing is yet to be announced – the current M5 Competition retails from $234,900 – BMW has taken the time to detail of the specifications and changes it has made to its supercar-slaying sedan, the most notable of which revolve around the suspension setup.

For the 2021 model year, the M5 Competition scores upgraded shock-absorbers pinched straight from the M8 Competition Gran Coupe, a 7mm lower ride height and various other “well-conceived tweaks to the suspension and springs”.

Other changes under the skin include stiffer engine mounts for better turn in while the engine itself goes on unchanged, still displacing 4.4-litres across eight cylinders and producing 460kW of power and 750Nm of torque.

The sprint from 0-100km/h is still dispatched in just 3.3 seconds while the dash to the double tonne takes just 10.8 seconds.

Top speed is still pegged at 305km/h while the mountain of power is sent to all four wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission.

To let the world know this is the updated version of the M5, some subtle styling tweaks have been made including a slightly taller twin kidney grille setup, bolder contouring, larger front air intakes as well as redesigned head and tail-lights.

In an added dosage of visual flare, the Competition – much like the M8 Competition – is adorned in black body features including the grille surround, mesh on the intakes and side gills, wing mirrors, boot spoiler, rear apron inserts, badging, exhaust tips and the 20-inch alloy wheels.

Things inside the cabin have been given a makeover too with a new 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen and a new operating system help to make the cabin more “driver-centric”.

Two new buttons on the centre console mimic the setup of the M8 Competition and allow drivers to flick between the Road and Sport driving modes and offer a shortcut to the configuration menu within the infotainment system to tailor the car’s setup to their liking.

For those who fancy using their M5 to its full potential, BMW has fitted the 2021 car with a new Track driving mode which deactivates all of the comfort and safety functions, mutes the sound system and switches off the infotainment screen to ensure maximum concentration from the driver.

BMW says the rest of the updated M5 Competition’s spec, including its price, will be revealed closer to its launch in October.

The Bavarian brand sold 252 examples of the 5 Series through the first five months of this year, a stark 52 per cent drop on the 525 it managed over the same period last year.

Despite the sales downturn, the 5 Series was still the best-selling $70,000+ large sedan with a 37.1 per cent share of the segment compared to the Mercedes-Benz E-Class’ 34.6 per cent share (235).