MANHART TURNS ITS ATTENTION TO THE BMW G9X M5 AND M5 TOURING - AND IT WORKS.
Not much time has passed since the premiere of the brand-new BMW M5, now in its seventh generation. The G90 saloon only made its debut at the end of June, followed by the M5 Touring (G99), available for the first time in around 14 years, in mid-August. As is almost obligatory with new BMW models, the new top model also offers plenty to discuss. After all, it now comes with a high-power plug-in hybrid consisting of the familiar 4.4-litre V8 as well as an electric motor to make a hybrid like everything else these days. The G9X BMWs are monsters that create a whopping 535 kW with a massive 1,000 Nm of torque. This is the first M5 to feature M Hybrid technology, and that means there’s some electric power in the mix. The base for the powerplant is a twin-turbocharged 4.4-litre V8 rated at a healthy 430 kW of power with torque up at 750 Nm, and the electric motor adds in an extra 145 kW and 280 Nm of torque. Power is sent to all four corners of the car via an 8-speed M Steptronic transmission and M xDrive all-wheel drive system. BMW says this is enough to give the M5 the ability to hit 100 km/h in 3.5 seconds. That’s impressive, especially seeing as the car is bigger and heavier than its predecessor - It tips the scale at 2,445 kg, which is 474 kg more. The new M5’s top speed is 305 km/h when the optional M Driver’s Package is chosen. Although this makes the newcomer more powerful than its predecessor, it also increases the weight - to around 2.5 tons, which if you follow any motoring pages or forums has seen the car get a fair amount of ridicule. It’s been body-shamed and called fat and heavy by so many people that even BMW started to get upset and ignore the posts and comments. The G90 and G99 5-Series range-toppers are rather easy on the eyes, they’re desirable and extremely fast cars, and to the folks at MANHART that just means an awesome canvas for a new styling and power package. Mere weeks after the launch, the often controversial high-end German aftermarket tuner already had an upgrade package available under the name of the MANHART MH5 800E.
As usual, the number in the new designation indicates the approximate power output of the car, which logic dictates means these cars will see an increase in power from the factory rating of an already powerful 727 hp to around 800 hp after the mods. As expected from MANSORY, there’s more to it than a power bump. Further technical upgrades including a new suspension solution to refine the agility and ride height of the M5s will be coming soon to make the car sit better after the surprisingly tasteful visual updates, which include a set of MANHART’s signature Concave One rims. As for the bodywork, the packages see the cars wearing a classic silk-matt black finish with a gold trim strip on the rim edge. The bodywork with its MANHART decal set is also presented in this MANHART-typical colour scheme. To make the already beefy styling of the M5 even more menacing and standout-ish, the German pros have been busy creating a complete body kit for the cars, both sedan and touring versions. The kit will include a front spoiler lip, a pair of side skirts, a rear lower diffuser and a rear spoiler, and as usual, a carbon hood will also be added later to round off the package. MANHART is that tuning company whose packages are either a hit or a miss, and in this case, we think it looks spot on. It gives the range-topping 5-Series an even more aggressive look that adds to the factory styling just enough to make it special and also not too much that it will dissuade owners of these supercar-like German luxobarges from buying the package. What are your thoughts on the MANHART MH5 800E?
Take a look at the YouTube video from the biggest BMW fanatics on the net, BMW BLOG, as they do summin' sorta related to this MANHART styling and power upgrade. Here they talk about the car's initial design with the top brass from BMW, it's an interesting insight into the design that seems perfect as is, only for an aftermarket tuner to decide things could be better: 2025 BMW M5 Sedan & M5 Touring: Exclusive Design Insights with Lead BMW Designer | BMWBLOG
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