Recently leaked CAD drawings have showed the next M5 (codenamed “F90”) will adopt a somewhat restrained appearance with a front and rear bumper design not as aggressive as some might have expected. It will still have a stronger visual impact than the current top dog of the new 5 Series family, the M550i xDrive, but not as hardcore as previous M5s.

The understated appearance remains hidden underneath the swirly camo of this production-bodied prototype, but once the disguise will come off, it’s unlikely the M5’s final design will be a surprise for fans of BMW and “the most powerful letter in the world.”

Beyond the design, the next iteration of Bavaria’s powerful midsize sedan will bring an absolute premiere for the M5: all-wheel drive. To please both worlds, BMW will likely sell the car with a standard rear-wheel drive layout and an optional xDrive. What some people won’t like is the fact that the next M5 will be available exclusively with a dual-clutch automatic transmission since only a few customers are actually going for the manual these days.

Its heart and soul will continue to be the trusty biturbo 4.4-liter V8 engine set to receive some upgrades to bump output. It already has a meaty 600 hp in versions such as the M5 30 Jahre M5 and M5 Competition Edition, but BMW M will tweak the unit and squeeze an extra 20 hp or so. Corroborated with a weight loss brought by the CLAR platform underpinning all 5 Series models, the range-topping sedan is shaping up to be an absolute rocket and should easily eclipse the 3.9 seconds needed by those two special M5s.

As to when we’ll get to see it, BMW will likely host a world premiere in the second half of 2017, so maybe it will be introduced in September at the Frankfurt Motor Show and go on sale before the year’s end or early 2018.

Video & Photos: Dyllon Schraibman / luxuryiveson