BMW M5 Headlines As BMW’s V8 Era Hits Record Highs Worldwide

The BMW M5 takes centre stage as the figurehead for a banner year of eight-cylinder sales, proof that Munich’s muscle still has pull even as the Neue Klasse electric wave builds. BMW’s R&D chief has made it clear the brand is meeting customers where they are: the company grew premium EV volumes while also setting a new high-water mark for V8 demand, and the M5’s plug-in hybrid V8 has been a key part of that surge.

In the United States especially, the V8 continues to anchor the upper end of BMW’s range, from X5, X6 and X7 to 7 and 8 Series, with the M5, M8, X5 M and X6 M carrying the full-fat performance brief. Underpinning much of this momentum is the S68, a twin-turbo 4.4-litre V8 that blends strong torque delivery with modern emissions hardware and hybrid integration. In the M5, that electrified layout adds a useful electric shove without muting the engine’s character, delivering the kind of sustained pace that suits autobahn and interstate miles alike.

BMW’s V8 story stretches back decades, but the current chapter is about breadth rather than nostalgia. Buyers can choose a battery-electric model or a combustion flagship without feeling they’re stepping backwards, and that parity is paying off. The M5 showcases this dual track perfectly: plug-in capability for urban running, a deep reservoir of combustion power for long stints, and a chassis that still reads as rear-drive first.

While some rivals rushed headlong into all-EV strategies, BMW kept developing engines alongside its electric platforms. The result is a line-up that can pivot with market demand. For now, the numbers say it all: the V8 remains a cornerstone—led by the BMW M5—while the brand’s EVs gather pace, giving performance fans and early adopters equally convincing reasons to stay in the fold.