BMW M5 Competition gets 2020 facelift

BMW has given its flagship performance M5 Competition a facelift, and follows on from the updates to the standard 5 Series. The M5 Competition goes head-to-head with the likes of Audi’s RS6, and is on-sale now across the UK. Prices start at £98,095. The 5 Series might well be the sensible option, but secretly, deep down in the mind of most BMW buyers, the one they all crave is the M5 Competition. Why? Well consider this. It’s powered by a twin-turbocharged 4.4-litre V8 engine, producing 616bhp and 553lb/ft of torque. Power is dispersed to all four wheels via an eight-speed automatic gearbox. But — and it’s a big but — there’s a setting which allows the driver to send 100 per cent of the engine’s power to the rear wheels. Certainly not for the faint-hearted. And what about the performance? Figures are the same as the pre-facelift model, but they’re till mighty impressive. From standstill it’ll catapult to 62mph in 3.3 seconds, cover 0–124mph in 10.8, and is electronically limited to a top speed of 155mph. However, opt for the M Driver’s package and that max increases to 189mph. This facelifted M5 Competition incorporates the same minor cosmetic updates found on the recently revised 5 Series. These include a re-profiled bonnet, subtly updated front splitter, plus a new front bumper. There’s also revised daytime running lights and new adaptive LED headlamps. Hopefully it doesn't have the 4 Series grille Well, the designers have also tweaked the front grille, but thankfully it’s nowhere near as dramatic and controversial as that found on the recent 4 Series. The new grille on the M5 Competition is fitted with more sharply angled vanes and drops down into the M5’s revised front apron. The car’s registration plate also sits snugly beneath the grille, rather than straddling across the middle of that found on the 4 Series. Changes at the rear include a new twin-exit exhaust system, a tweaked diffuser, a subtly revised bootlid and a fresh pair of LED tail lights. Buyers can also choose from three new metallic paint colours: Aventurine Red, Alvit Grey and Tanzanite Blue. There’s also a new 20in, twin-spoke alloy wheel design. Any updates to the chassis? Yup. A number of chassis upgrades are also fitted, including stiffer engine mounts and larger disc brakes, with fixed six-piston calipers up front and single piston calipers at the rear, plus uprated dampers. An additional range of M Performance extras is also available, including carbon fibre aero components and coilover suspension. Inside the cabin, again the minor changes mirror those first seen on the updated 5 Series. Buyers now get a new 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and a larger infotainment screen, while electrically adjustable sports seats and sun protective glass now come as standard. The options sheet includes a head-up display, Alcantara headlining and a Harmon/Kardon stereo. I imagine there are a host of options Not surprisingly, there are indeed other options. Tick the box adjacent to the Technology Plus and you get a seat massage function, a heated steering wheel, soft close doors, plus heated front and rear seats. If that’s not enough, the M5’s Ultimate Pack adds a carbonfibre engine cover and Bowers & Wilkins surround sound system. As you might expect, there’s also more driver assistance technology fitted as standard. A 360-degree parking camera, lane-change assist, lane-keeping assist, are all included, as is BMW’s Parking Assistant Plus, which can take control of the car’s steering when reversing into spaces. Also on offer — again on the options list — is BMW’s Drive Recorder function, which cleverly uses the car’s built-in cameras to record footage from around the vehicle.