BMW is gearing (pun intended) up to introduce the next-generation M5 later this year. We’ll first see it as the G90 sedan and then as the G99 wagon. There will be major changes compared to the previous generation since the new car will be bigger, heavier, and electrified. The revamped interior with iDrive 8.5 will also host another important change – a different gear shifter.
We’ve heard from people who have seen the finished cars the new M5 duo will lose the traditional gear shifter in favor of a different setup. That’s why BMW decided to blur out the center console when it teased the two performance vehicles earlier this week. The video below jumps to the relevant part. The tall gear level is going away, presumably in favor of a small selector that occupies less space.
It’s an interesting change ushered by the M5 considering the recently launched 2025 M4 models have the old setup. The same can be said about the M2 and the M division’s flagship model, the XM. We’ll have to wait and see which other vehicles will get the petite gear selector. The M3 Sedan and Touring are getting an LCI soon but since the M4 kept its gear lever, it seems unlikely things will be different for the M3s.
Speaking of the smaller hot estate, the M3 Touring isn’t available with a carbon fiber roof, not even as an option. It’s unclear whether BMW intends to give the M5 Touring the lightweight panel. Even if it’s planned, it won’t make a world of difference given the rumored weight of 2,435 kilograms (5,368 pounds) for the sedan.
If our sources are accurate, the sedan’s debut is not that far away. Series production is believed to start in July, so the premiere could happen in a couple of months. The wagon has been confirmed to hit the assembly line in Q4 2024, so we’ll see it near the end of the year.
