Just like the new Mercedes-AMG E63, the next-generation M5 will be offered with an all-wheel drive system for the first time. However, that doesn’t mean it will sacrifice on fun.



It’s already been widely reported that the new M5 will have the ability to switch between all-wheel drive and rear-wheel drive to give drivers the smoky hooliganism they may want. Now it has emerged just how easily the super sedan will be able to switch between the two.

German publication Bimmertoday reports that all owners will have to do is press a button and be in a certain driving mode to send power to the rear. By comparison, the latest E63 can change to rear-wheel drive if both shift paddles are pulled simultaneously.

While some enthusiasts may cry fowl about super sedan’s like the M5 and E63 opting to send power to the tarmac via all four wheels, there are really no downsides, particularly if there is a rear-wheel drive mode available. Drivers will be able to better access the model’s full performance potential with AWD and enjoy improved versatility, particularly in alpine areas often lashed with heavy rain and snow fall.

Power for the new M5 will continue to come from the firm’s range-topping 4.4-liter V8 engine but it will be upgraded to deliver about 600 hp in standard guise, matching the E63 S. The model’s naught to 62 mph (100 km/h) should therefore sit below the 3.5 second mark.

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