Skip to main content

BMW’s Pure Metal Silver M5 is bound to become a classic

A new BMW 5 Series is right around the corner, which means the current-generation M5 is living out the last few months of its life. BMW is making sure the model goes out with a bang with an exclusive limited-edition model dubbed Pure Metal Silver that’s bound to become a future classic.

For speed junkies, the most noteworthy upgrades are found by popping the 5’s long hood. The Pure Metal Silver edition is powered by an evolution of the standard M5’s twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter V8 engine that has been massaged to generate 600 horsepower at 6,250 rpm and 516 pound-feet of torque from 1,500 all the way up to 6,000 rpm. All that power is channeled to the rear wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission controlled by shift paddles.

Recommended Videos

The Pure Metal Silver edition’s eight-cylinder makes 40 horses and 16 pound-feet of twist more than the M5’s standard engine. As a result, the limited-edition model hits 60 mph from a stop in 3.9 seconds — half a second faster than before — and goes on to a top speed that has been raised to 190 mph.

The extra power is complemented by a specific Pure Metal Silver paint job painstakingly applied by BMW’s Individual division. Other extras include 20-inch light alloy wheels, a M performance exhaust, and black accents on the front fascia. Inside, the commemorative sedan gets leather upholstery with contrast stitching, aluminum trim, and a plaque that tells the occupants they’re not riding in a run-of-the-mill M5. The extensive list of standard features includes a heads-up display, navigation, and adaptive LED headlights.

Read more: You’ll have to move to China if you want to buy BMW’s latest

BMW designed the M5 Pure Metal Silver edition specifically for the United States, and just 50 examples will be built so it’s certain to sell out fast. It will go on sale nationwide next month with a base price of $130,900, a sum that represents a princely $36,700 premium over the standard M5.

Ronan Glon
Ronan Glon is an American automotive and tech journalist based in southern France. As a long-time contributor to Digital…
Plug-in hybrids are becoming more popular. Why? And will it continue?
Kia Niro EV Charging Port

There's a lot of talk about the idea that the growth in electric car sales has kind of slowed a little. It's not all that surprising -- EVs are still expensive, early adopters all have one by now, and they're still new enough to where there aren't too many ultra-affordable used EVs available. But plenty of people still want a greener vehicle, and that has given rise to an explosion in hybrid vehicle sales.

That's especially true of plug-in hybrid vehicles, which can be charged like an EV and driven in all-electric mode for short distances, and have a gas engine as a backup for longer distances or to be used in combination with electric mode for more efficient driving.

Read more
EV drivers are not going back to gas cars, global survey says
ev drivers are not going back to gas cars global survey says screenshot

Nearly all current owners of electric vehicles (EVs) are either satisfied or very satisfied with the experience, and 92% of them plan to buy another EV, according to a survey by the Global EV Drivers Alliance.

The survey of 23,000 EV drivers worldwide found that only 1% would return to a petrol or diesel car, while 4% would opt for a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) if they had to replace their car.

Read more
Trump team in sync with Tesla on ending crash-reporting requirements, report says
Beta of Tesla's FSD in a car.

The transition team of President-elect Donald Trump is planning to end existing car-crash reporting requirements to safety regulators, according to a Reuters report.

The report cites a document obtained by Reuters that lays out the transition team’s 100-day strategy for automotive policy. In the document, the team says the crash-reporting requirement leads to “excessive” data collection, Reuters says.

Read more