WOODCLIFF LAKE, N.J. (July 30, 2024) – The all-new, electrified 2025 BMW M5 will be at the center of a storm of activity for BMW during Pebble Beach Automotive Week. Throughout the week, BMW will celebrate the past and the future of the legendary M5 with displays at Legends of the Autobahn® and at the BMW M5 Garage in the paddock at WeatherTech Raceway at Laguna Seca.
 
The 2025 BMW M5 will make its North American debut at the reviewing stand at the Lodge at Pebble Beach on Thursday, August 15th at 10:30 AM PT at an event hosted by racing driver and broadcaster Justin Bell. The premiere will be preceded by a parade of all six previous generations of BMW M5, leading up to the reveal which will be presented by BMW M CEO Frank van Meel.
 
Making its World Premiere alongside the sedan, the 2025 BMW M5 Touring delivers race-bred performance with a new dimension of utility. The M5 has been offered as a Touring model in the past – as the E34 in the mid-1990s and as the E61 in the mid-2000s – but the 2025 M5 Touring is the first to be made available to enthusiasts in North America.
 
Both models promise exceptional levels of comfort and utility blended with supercar-level power and performance bred from BMW Motorsports experience. The BMW M5 is now electrified, using an M Hybrid drivetrain similar to the one in the BMW M Hybrid V8 GTP racing car. The M TwinPower Turbo V8 is supplemented by an electric motor fitted within the 8-speed M Steptronic gearbox. The result is the most powerful M5 ever, with 717 horsepower and 738 lb-ft of torque. With the traction of M xDrive all-wheel drive, the M5 sedan bolts from 0-60 mph in 3.4 seconds, on to 190 mph with the optional M Driver’s Package. Furthermore, the new M5 is projected to deliver 25 miles of purely electric driving with a full charge. Production of the all-new 2025 BMW M5 sedan is underway at BMW Plant Dingolfing, with US deliveries planned to start in the fourth quarter of 2024. Production of the M5 Touring starts in November, with deliveries scheduled to begin in the spring of 2025.

Legends of the Autobahn®
German car fans can make their way to the Black Horse Golf Club, located at 1 McClure Way in Seaside, CA, for Legends of the Autobahn® on Thursday August 15th. Legends of the Autobahn® is an all-German marque Concours d’Elegance hosted by the BMW Car Club of America, the Mercedes-Benz Club of America, and the Audi Club of North America. The annual concours events offer both corral and judged areas, awards for all three featured marques, and an open class for all other German-made cars. 
 
Following the premiere of the new M5 at Pebble Beach earlier in the morning, the new 2025 BMW M5 and M5 Touring along with excellent, original examples of all six previous generations will parade into Legends. Fans will have the opportunity to track the evolution of the iconic high-performance sedan spanning nearly four decades, from the original E28 of the 80s to the thundering F90 M5 CS from 2022.
 
When the very first E28 BMW M5 landed on US shores in 1987, it was the fastest sedan in the world. It also defined what all future M5s would be – a business-class sedan that offered performance born from Motorsports without sacrificing practicality and all-day comfort. It featured a race-bred 3.5-liter inline 6-cylinder engine based on the one found in the M1 sports car, a 5-speed manual gearbox, and a lightweight suspension. But unlike other dedicated high-performance cars of the day, it offered four doors, a luxurious interior, a large trunk, and excellent visibility. In 1987 it cost $48,000 – the equivalent of $135,000 in 2024 – and is now a highly prized and sought after classic.
 
A word that describes the second generation M5, the E34, is “understated”. M5s over the decades have never announced their high-performance capabilities by shouting about them, but through subtle differences that enthusiasts could pick up, but might go utterly unnoticed by the public at large. While the E34 M5 looked very much like any 535i, it’s inline-6 now produced over 300 horsepower and revved to 7,200 RPM. And like its predecessor, it was largely hand built at the M works in Garching. The E34 introduced two noteworthy firsts for an M car: a 6-speed manual transmission, and an electronically adjustable suspension. It was also the first to be offered as a Touring model, though the Touring was never sold in the US.
 
Few cars cause enthusiasts’ spines to tingle like the E39 M5. For many fans of the marque, the third generation brought together the very best of what makes an M5, or any M car, so very special. A powerful, high-revving engine, here a 400 horsepower 4-liter V8, a slick-shifting manual gearbox, a suspension equally at home on the turnpike and the racetrack, and clean, understated styling. The E39 introduced several luxury features to M that we now take for granted in 2024, such as dual-zone automatic climate control, head protection airbags, and available satellite navigation. Priced at about $69,000 in 2000, it was the most successful M5 to that point, selling about 21,000 units globally – more than the previous two generations combined.

By 2005, the M5’s competition was much stronger, and BMW needed to distinguish itself with a very special, highly emotional offering. The fourth generation M5, the E60, was a technological moonshot. The Motorsport DNA was, of course, still present, this time in the form of a 5-liter V10 engine developed with lessons learned from BMW’s time in Formula 1, connected to a sequential manual gearbox. With 500 horsepower and a stratospheric 8,250 rpm redline, the E60 M5 positively shrieked to 60 mph in only 4.5 seconds. And once again, there was a Touring version, but not for US customers.
 
The fifth generation M5 marked a return to V8 power, but for the very first time, added M TwinPower Turbo technology to the formula. The V8 in the F10 M5 was smaller than the outgoing V10, but power increased by 10% and torque by 30%, while fuel consumption improved by 30%. A 7-speed dual clutch transmission replaced the sequential gearbox from the E60, and the ultra-quick shifts helped drop the 0-60 time to 4.3 seconds. The F10 also introduced the now-familiar programmable M buttons on the steering wheel, and opened the door to never-before-seen levels of connectivity via the BMW Connected app.
 
Naturally, for the sixth generation M5, the engineers at BMW M wanted to add to the list of superlatives – more power, more torque, faster acceleration, better handling. The M5 arrived with a full 600 horsepower, which increased to 617 when the Competition Package was ordered. To get all of that power to the ground, the F90 M5 was fitted with M xDrive intelligent all-wheel drive – a first for an M5. The all-wheel-drive could be easily switched off, sending 100% of the power to the rear wheels only and putting to rest any fears that the M5 would no longer be a tire-smoking hooligan on the track. The effectiveness of the new M5’s drive system was put on full display when in December of 2017, BMW Performance Center instructor Johan Schwartz set a Guinness World Record for the longest drift – 232.5 miles over the course of 8 hours.
 
Legends of the Autobahn® runs from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM and admission is free.

Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion at Laguna Seca

From August 14th to 17th, vintage racing fans will descend on WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca where BMW Classic will field three historic competition cars for four days of racing during the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion.
 
1975 BMW 3.0 CSL IMSA Group 4
The 3.0 CSL race cars were the first cars to be developed under the new BMW Motorsport GmbH subsidiary, established in 1972 and led by Jochen Neerpasch. They were also the first to sport the new official colors of BMW Motorsport – red, purple, and blue.
 
Based on the production 3.0 CS coupe, the aluminum skinned CSL (L = lightweight) homologation special, nicknamed the ‘Batmobile’ by its fans, formed the basis for an assault on Group 2 through Group 5 European touring car racing that would make it one of the most successful production racers of all time. Throughout its span of development, the M49 BMW Inline 6-cylinder, a 3.0-liter engine, grew from 3.2 to 3.5 liters, increasing in horsepower from 340 to 430 horsepower, thanks to the development of a four-valve cylinder head.
 
The 3.0 CSL participating in the Rolex Reunion (Chassis No.  227 5 985) was one of a group of five chassis campaigned by BMW of North America in the 1975-76 IMSA Camel GT Series in Group 4 specifications. It first competed in the 1975 Riverside 6-Hour race as #24, driven by Brian Redman and Sam Posey, where it finished in second place. Chassis 985 has been restored to the configuration in which it raced in 1975.

1981 BMW M1 IMSA Group 4 
As racing regulations evolved in the mid-1970s, BMW Motorsport saw an opportunity to beat its arch-rivals by designing and manufacturing a purpose-built race car and offering a street version for sale to the public, as stipulated by the rules.
 
The BMW M1, designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro and powered by a Paul Rosche-designed 3.5-liter, twin-cam inline-6 M88 engine mounted amidship, debuted at the 1978 Paris Auto Show to the admiration of the world’s motoring press. However, development and production delays with outside contractors caused its appearance to coincide with the demise of the racing series for which it was created. The quick-thinking solution was the fast and furious ProCar Series which supported European Formula 1 races.
 
BMW Motorsport and BMW of North America saw potential for the M1 to replace the aging 320i Turbo in endurance racing in the USA for the 1980-81 season. As a result, a few M1 ProCars were modified and saw racing action in the US IMSA GTO Series campaigned by BMW NA and privateers. The 1981 BMW M1 IMSA Group 4 running in this year’s Rolex Reunion is one of two cars campaigned as #2 by BMW of North America at the 24 Hours of Daytona and Mosport during the 1981 season. Drivers included David Hobbs, Mark Surer, and Dieter Quester.

2011 BMW (E92) M3 GT ALMS
Based on the fourth-generation street BMW M3 (E92), the 2011-2012 M3 GT race car was developed by BMW Motorsport for the American Le Mans Series (ALMS) / Intercontinental Le Mans Cup (ILMC) rules and was campaigned as a partnership between BMW of North America, LLC, and Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing. Although the 2011 M3 GT looks similar to the 2009-2010 M3 GT2 that won the ALMS Team and Manufacturer Championships in 2010, the new car is a substantial development step forward to keep up with the very competitive GT field.
 
In developing the BMW M3 GT, engineers produced a car that could continue to win against pure sports cars from Ferrari, Porsche, and Corvette in ultra-competitive GT racing. Results soon spoke for themselves both in ALMS and in the ILMC series in Europe (with almost identical sister cars running under the same race numbers). At the end of the 2011 season, the BMW M3 GT had completely swept the ALMS championships: Driver (Mueller/Hand), Team, Manufacturer, and the Michelin GreenX efficiency challenge.
 
Chassis #1101 entered in the Rolex Reunion raced as the No. 56, driven by Joey Hand and Dirk Mueller for the 2011 and part of the 2012 seasons. It has several podiums to its credit in 2011 and 2012 including two dramatic Sebring 12-hour wins in both 2011 and 2012. The 2012 season marked the end of the BMW M3 GT program and #1101 was then restored to its 2012 Sebring winning specification, complete with night-lighting package and special aero wheels. It remains in this configuration until this day.
 
2024 marks the 50th anniversary of historic racing at Laguna Seca, and in celebration of this milestone, Motul will present the 50th Anniversary Exhibit in the paddock area, a very special exhibition of past featured marques and individuals who have been honored since 1974. BMW was the featured marque in 1996 and 2016 and will be represented by the Sebring 12 hours-winning BMW V12 LMR from 1999

1999 BMW V12 LMR
Jointly developed with Formula 1 partner WilliamsF1, the BMW V12 LMR was built to challenge the 1999 24 Hours of Le Mans and ALMS Series. The V12 LMR chassis 002/99 presented is one of only five produced. Powered by a 6-liter naturally aspirated V12 engine developing roughly 600 hp, this V12 LMR debuted at the American Le Mans Series 12 Hours of Sebring race in March of 1999.  Driven by Tom Kristensen, JJ Lehto, and Jorg Muller, it won the race outright in the closest finish up to that time, with a mere 9.2 seconds separating first and second place. Carrying inspiration from that victory to Le Mans, the V12 LMR of Yannick Dalmas, Pierluigi Martini, and Joachim Winkelhock drove to the front of the field and gave BMW its first-ever overall victory at Le Mans in 1999.  This was the first racing car since 1987 to win both the Sebring and Le Mans in the same year.

BMW M5 Garage
While at Laguna Seca, visitors can stop by the BMW M5 Garage, located at the north end of the paddock near pit lane. At the entrance to the M5 Garage, the BMW M Hybrid V8 GTP racing car will be on display. Inside, guests can have a close look at the all-new 2025 BMW M5 sedan and Touring and have their questions answered by product experts.

The BMW M5 Garage will be open Friday and Saturday from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

#1/1 BMW M5 Auctioned for Charity by Auction House Gooding & Company
To celebrate the arrival of the all-new 2025 BMW M5 in North America, BMW M and BMW Individual in collaboration with the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance® have created a one-of-a-kind special automobile that will be auctioned during Pebble Beach Automotive Week. The 2025 BMW M5 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance #1/1 will be the first 2025 M5 delivered in North America, and is distinguished by exclusive paint and upholstery colors, wheels, and bespoke interior details that make this M5 entirely unique.

Taking inspiration from the spectacular orange hues of a Pebble Beach sunset, the BMW M5 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance #1/1 makes a strong first impression with its striking coat of BMW Individual Frozen Orange metallic paint. The stunning color was scheduled to be discontinued from BMW Plant Dingolfing prior to the start of M5 production, meaning the body of the Pebble Beach M5 had to be painted weeks in advance. This also ensured that no other 2025 M5 would be painted the same color. The paint is complimented by hand-painted orange accents on the staggered M Dual-Spoke Bicolor wheels, Style 951M, mounted on performance tires. The 20-inch front and 21-inch rear wheels surround massive M Carbon Ceramic brakes with calipers finished in Matte Gold.

Inside, this special M5 is appointed in unique Kyalami Orange and Silverstone Extended leather interior with the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance® logos printed on the front seat headrests using an innovative new process. Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance® logos and “#1/1” also grace the front door sills, the carbon fiber dash trim, and the B-pillars.

The 2025 BMW M5 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance #1/1 will be on display at Gooding & Company’s space at Pebble Beach Parc du Concours, located on the corner of Stevenson Drive and Portola Road in Pebble Beach. The vehicle will be auctioned at no reserve on Friday, August 16, with net proceeds going to the Pebble Beach Company Foundation, a charity that supports literacy and education programs for disadvantaged young people in Monterey County.

1972 BMW Turbo Concept and McLaren F1 GTR on the Show Field at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance®
Since 1950, the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance® has been the signature event of Pebble Beach Automotive Week and is considered the world’s premiere celebration of the automobile. This year, BMW will have two significant vehicles on the show field: the 1972 BMW Turbo Concept, and a 1996 BMW-powered McLaren F1 GTR.
 
1972 BMW Turbo Concept
The Turbo Concept was BMW’s first ever concept car and will be entered in the special “Wedge Shaped Concept Cars & Prototypes” class. Designed by Paul Bracq with the enthusiastic support of BMW’s head of sales Robert Lutz, the Turbo (platform code E25) was created as both a celebration of the 1972 Summer Olympic games that would be held in BMW’s hometown of Munich that year, and to demonstrate a variety of novel safety features.
 
This extremely low-profile sports car featured self-regenerating front and rear crumple zones, , side-impact protection beams in the gullwing doors, safety steering, all-around impact strips, a radar-based braking distance monitor, and striking luminescent paintwork. The Turbo Concept was powered by a transversally mid-mounted, 276-horsepower turbocharged version of the M10 4-cylinder engine from the 2002tii. Just two running examples with similar specifications were built and both remain in existence today.
 
1996 McLaren F1 GTR 
The BMW of North America-owned 1986 McLaren F1 GTR Chassis #17R is entered in the special “1990s BPR & FIA GT Race Cars” class. At launch in 1992, the McLaren F1, powered by BMW, was the fastest and most expensive production road vehicle the world had ever seen. When designer Gordon Murray turned to BMW to develop an engine worthy of his creation, BMW Motorsport responded with a masterpiece 6.0-liter V12 developing 627 hp.
 
The 1995 and 1996 racing version, the F1 GTR (short tail) was not radically different from the road car. Changes to the body amounted to additional air intakes, a front splitter, and a large, adjustable rear wing. The interior was stripped, and a competition roll cage was added. The S70/2 6.0-liter V12 had to be restricted to 592 hp in racing trim, and the road car’s 6-speed gearbox was retained intact. The results were astonishing. The F1 GTR claimed outright victory at the 1995 running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans as well as taking third, fourth, and fifth.
 
In 1996 BMW Motorsport mounted a campaign to win Le Mans again with a two-car F1 GTR team. One of those cars was chassis #17R, sponsored by BMW of North America and sporting a livery incorporating the stars and stripes. The car had a three-race career in 1996. The first was the Le Mans Qualifier race in May 1996 where it finished in 13th place driven by Steve Soper and Jacques Laffite. It then ran in the BPR Silverstone 4 Hours and finished fourth in the hands of Steve Soper and Nelson Piquet. The third and final competition the car saw was the 1996 running of the 24 hours of Le Mans. After running as high as third overall, #17R driven by Nelson Piquet, Danny Sullivan, and Johnny Cecotto, finished in eighth place overall. After the 1996 Le Mans race, #17R was retired, shipped to the USA where it has remained in the BMWUSA Classic Collection ever since.
 
In addition to the two classics on the show field, the new M5 and M5 Touring will be on display on the Concept Lawn near the entrance to the Concours.