The BMW M5 Edition 35 Years Is A 616bhp Birthday Present

Prepare your birthday cake emojis, the BMW M5 is now 35! And to mark the occasion of the super saloon originator hitting its mid-thirties, BMW has whipped up this limited-edition beast, of which it’ll make just 350 worldwide.

It’s called the BMW M5 Edition 35 Years, and yes, we appreciate that naming structure is awkwardly similar to another one used for a certain hot hatchback.

This particular birthday celebration uses the M5 Competition as a starting point, which means it’s the 616bhp version of M Division’s 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8, and benefits from a litany of suspension changes including lower, stiffer springs, retuned dampers and altered geometry at the rear.

Since all that makes for a rather good car, BMW has merely tweaked the trim on the 35 Years. For instance, it’s finished in BMW Individual Frozen Dark Grey metallic, which “has a special pigmentation to create a silk matt surface impression,” the manufacturer says. Fancy.

The 20-inch Y-spoke wheels are a new design, and exclusive to this car. Behind them, you’ll find high-gloss black brake calipers. Unless of course, you option the carbon ceramic brakes, in which case you’ll get the usual gold-painted parts.

The cabin has been treated to lashings of black BMW Individual Merino leather upholstery, contrasted nicely with beige seams. Various gold anodized ‘trim finishers’ - including a whopping one stretching over the dash - have been added, and there’s a laser-engraved ‘M5 Edition 35 Jahre 1/350’ inscription on the centre console cupholder. The finishing touch is a set of ‘M5 Edition 35 Jahre’ kick plates for the door sills.

The BMW M5 Edition 35 Years will go on sale around the world in July. There’s no word on UK prices yet, but since the standard Competition weighs in at £96,205, we wouldn’t be surprised if this version of the M5 ends up being sold for a six-figure sum.