2025 BMW M5 and M5 Touring undergoing cold weather testing

Development of the 2025 BMW M5 sedan and M5 touring wagon continues with cold weather testing in Aljeplog, Sweden.

Engineers took the seventh-generation M5 prototype on a 1,491-mile road trip from Munich to Aljeplog and documented it in a series of YouTube videos.

The icy roads to Aljeplog gave engineers the opportunity to test the M5's handling in less than ideal conditions, and the low temperatures tested its reliability. Upon arrival at BMW's test center in Aljeplog, the engineers attempted a cold start at minus 22 degrees Celsius before taking the prototype out onto the test track.

The next-generation M5 will feature a hybrid powertrain derived from the BMW M Hybrid V8 GTP racing car in the latest BMW 5 Series body shell. It would be a twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8 engine assisted by an electric motor. The output of the race car is limited to 670 hp by regulations that do not apply to the powertrain of a regular car. Therefore, the M5's maximum output would easily exceed 700 hp, which would be sent to all four wheels.

BMW has also decided that the M5 Touring will be introduced in the United States for the first time. Scheduled to debut later this year, the M5 Touring will coincide with the disappearance of the Audi RS 6 Avant and will likely be the only 5 Series wagon model available in the U.S. The M5 sedan may arrive a bit sooner, and the M5 Touring will be available in the U.S. as well.

The M5 sedan and M5 Touring are expected to appear as 2025 models, with six-figure prices expected.

To view episode two of the video series, click on the video above. Episode 1 is available on YouTube, and to check out the next four episodes, follow BMW's YouTube page.