The BMW M5 premiered last June, but the sports sedan didn’t go on sale until late 2024. The long interval between the official announcement and the start of deliveries was detrimental to the G90’s early reception. In a candid interview with Carsales, M chief Frank van Meel conceded the curb weight shouldn’t have been disclosed prematurely. Why? Because that’s what people commenting online have focused on ever since the number was released.
It’s a mistake BMW pledges not to repeat with the release of its future electrified sports models. Consequently, the vehicle’s curb weight won’t be disclosed until closer to its launch. This way, social media won’t have a reason to criticize the company for how heavy the new car is. By not obsessing over how much it weighs, enthusiasts can see the bigger picture.
“What I personally have learned [launching M5] is the way social media works. Because we launched the car with no driving experience – well, we had a pre-drive of the car on a racetrack back in Austria – but actually we didn’t want to have any drive comments at that time; we just showed what we were doing. And actually, we told some numbers, including the weight, and then that was the only number people started talking about.”
The mayor of M Town conceded that his team “underestimated a little bit the social media experience.” Frank van Meel adds that commenters exclusively talked about how much it weighs, ignoring the design and driving experience. Going forward, a future model’s curb weight will not be announced until the official test drive events.
Some of you will recall that the M5’s curb weight emerged long before the car’s premiere in June. In mid-February, a reliable source reported that the Euro-spec G90 would tip the scales at 2,435 kilograms. The number proved entirely accurate when the car broke cover three months later. In reality, discussions regarding the M5’s weight started in February, several months before the official debut.
Of course, the ideal solution would be for M cars to stop adding weight with each new generation. However, in the age of electrification, this is difficult to accomplish. This is especially true in the case of the M5, as BMW was determined to keep the lumpy V8 engine despite more burdensome emissions regulations.
On a positive note, the M boss is happy to reveal demand for the M5 is “skyrocketing” now that people have had the chance to take it out for a spin. BMW has already increased production a few times and has enough orders to keep busy until the second half of the year in some of the car’s most important markets.
The prospects are looking good with the M5 Touring coming back and getting a US visa. Oh, and let’s not forget a Life Cycle Impulse with Neue Klasse design cues is already being tested.
Source: Carsales