So it begins; BMW engineers have dropped the next M5s components under the body of the upcoming G30 5-Series with our spies nabbing an early prototype on the streets of Munich.

We stress “early prototype” because aside from the traditional M-style twin exhaust pipes on either corner of the rear bumper and the larger than on your standard 5-Series brake discs (albeit not drilled), there’s nothing else special about this M5 tester or shall we say, test mule.

The crown jewel of the G30 5-Series will continue with an upgraded version of the current M5’s 4.4-liter twin-turbocharged V8, possibly gaining BMW’s advanced water injection system introduced in prototype form on the M4 MotoGP Safety Car, which should help the engine make around 600-horses, up from today’s 552hp (560PS), taking further advantage of the car’s lighter body.

The big news, however, will be the availability of both rear-wheel and all-wheel (xDrive) drive versions for the very first time. It’s not only that we’ve heard BMW officials talking about offering AWD on their non “X” M models, but we’ve also caught the firm’s engineers testing the system on a current M5.

The new M5 should follow between 12 and 18 months after the presentation of the regular G30 5-Series in late 2016 or early 2017.

Photo Credits: CarPix for CarScoops

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