M Performance Parts launched for new BMW M5

Latest 625hp 5 Series not really enough of an M car for you? To the extras catalogue!

By Matt Bird / Tuesday, 28 July 2020 / Loading comments

Making your BMW try to look like its M flagship is nothing new - the fabled tricolour badge has been found in lots of places it shouldn't be over the years. But the notion of further improving upon the actual M car is a fairly new one; still, BMW's M Performance Parts have been received well on models like the M2, so here they are once more for the latest M5.

While the majority of the "additional sporty accents" are just that - cosmetic upgrades like the carbon engine cover, "foiling motorsport stripes", floor mats and spoilers - there are one or two worthwhile upgrades in there as well. The first is the M Performance sport suspension, as mentioned in the M5 launch story. The new coilovers - yes, coilovers for an M5, from BMW - can lower the ride height from between 5 and 20mm, as well as promising "less roll tendency and higher cornering speeds". The standard Competition was hardly lacking in those areas, so it'll be fascinating to see just what effect that suspension has.

Complementing the coilovers will be the sport brake pad option, which can sit on rotors behind a smart new 20-inch forged wheel, similar in design to that seen on the CS BMWs. There's even an M Performance tyre bag on offer, if you want a set of winter tyres for those 20s as well.

Other points of note include the M Performance steering wheel Pro, which looks to make the rim even chunkier, with carbon shift paddles and a 12 o'clock marker. There's more carbon available on the gear lever, almost everywhere you could possibly think of outside and even the fuel filler cap. If there's a market for something, BMW is going to make it...

And while it's easy to be dismissive about the point of carbon exhaust tips, M Performance side sill films and decorative front grilles, the appeal of an M5 Competition with more focused suspension, forged wheels and uprated brakes should be plain for all to see. Quite what all that is going to do for the ride of an already pretty fierce sports saloon isn't clear at the moment - but you still kind of want a go, right? BMW's M Performance Parts release says most of the catalogue will be available "directly after the market launch of the new models." Shouldn't be long to wait, essentially, given the M5 Competition is imminent. What would you add from the list of parts available?