BMW M5 Facelift Spotted With a Jaw-Dropping New Front End

Something interesting is brewing in Munich. The BMW M5 has not even celebrated its second birthday, yet BMW appears to have already thrown a pair of camouflaged facelift prototypes straight into the deep end at the Nürburgring. Spy footage grabbed this week captures the facelifted BMW M5 tearing through the Nordschleife with its twin-turbo V8 howling through every bend. Full-body camouflage wraps every panel from nose to tail, but this does not appear to be an all-new car. It looks like a mid-cycle refresh, though it could well turn out to be one of the most aggressive facelifts any M5 has ever worn.

Up front, everything seems to change. Those oversized kidney grilles that split opinion around the world appear to be gone. In their place sits what looks like a cleaner, wider design that flows directly into the headlights, creating a face that comes across as sharper, leaner and far more purposeful. BMW seems to have borrowed heavily from the new electric i3 saloon, which also hints at the direction of the upcoming 3 Series. Where the i3 plays it smooth, however, the M5 apparently cranks up the attitude with a muscular front bumper packed with generous air intakes, likely shaped to keep that hard-working V8 properly fed. Sharp-eyed BMW fans may also notice another telling detail. The iconic M-specific mirror caps appear to have disappeared entirely, seemingly replaced by sleeker units that resemble the i3’s design. It suggests Munich is pushing its Neue Klasse design language into every corner of the lineup, and not even the M5 looks set to escape.

Around the rear, the story gets more curious. The taillights look noticeably slimmer than those on the current production car, though these could easily be placeholder units fitted to mislead photographers. The final production lights are expected to feature tighter, more refined graphics inspired by the i3’s rear end. Body panel dimensions appear unchanged, which would rule out any major structural rework but still leaves room for visual sharpening. The charging port cap sits right where it always has on the front wing, suggesting the plug-in hybrid powertrain carries over. Every electrified prototype lapping the Nordschleife wears a mandatory yellow sticker to alert track marshals to the high-voltage system beneath the skin, and these two are no exception.

The cabin could be where BMW drops its biggest surprise. Spy photographers were unable to get a clear look inside, but the i3’s interior likely offers a reliable preview of what is coming. The beloved iDrive rotary dial appears to be on its way out across the entire BMW lineup, and the M5 probably will not be spared. A sweeping central touchscreen looks set to take over, accompanied by a full-width head-up projection that reportedly stretches from one A-pillar to the other. Rumours from within BMW also point to an optional passenger display, a feature that neither the iX3 nor the i3 currently offers. Physical buttons seem destined to keep shrinking in number as more controls migrate behind glass, a shift that is likely to divide opinion among M5 loyalists who prefer tactile switches during spirited drives.

If the spy shots are anything to go by, this could be uncharted territory for a mid-cycle M5. No facelift in the model’s history appears to have gone this far, this fast. A reimagined front end, modernised rear lighting and a cockpit that barely resembles the outgoing car may make this feel less like a simple refresh and more like a generational leap. For buyers eyeing M power without a plug, BMW reportedly has the next M3 in development with its inline-six, though even that is expected to carry some degree of electrification. If a manual gearbox and rear-wheel drive sit at the top of your wish list, the current M3 might represent your last realistic shot at that recipe before it potentially gives way to all-wheel drive and automatic-only drivetrains.