First Drive: BMW’s M5 is a performance car with a conscience

This latest version is the most powerful yet with a plug-in hybrid set-up that can drive silently around town for around 60 miles while still being capable of cracking 189mph and accelerating to 60mph in just under 3.5 seconds.

There’s a new curved double screen display in the cabin, four wheel drive, adaptive suspension and dramatic new styling in look-at-me garish paint colours.

The battery can be charged with a 7.5kW home charger in around three hours too. All that translates into a kidney-punishing punch on the open road, but it does feel slightly strange when you put your foot down as there’s a momentary, but noticeable, pause when it switches from electric to petrol power.

These days it tips the scales at nearly 2.5 tonnes – some 470kg more than the previous model. Engineers have tried to make it feel lighter to drive, mostly thanks to lighter steering and adaptive suspension, but it’s not completely flawless.

Quad exhausts at the rear, a subtle boot spoiler, deep front splitter and flared arches mean you won’t mistake this for anything other than a performance M car.

Flashy lighting panels around the dashboard and doors, which pulse in the colours of the M badge, also add some drama to the cabin at night. The seats are wonderfully comfortable and there’s plenty of room for the kids and their assorted accompaniments.

Inside there’s also a head-up display that projects speed, revs and other information onto the windscreen. Prices for the new M5 start from £114,705 and remember that a more practical Touring version will be shortly available too.

The big question here is does a hybrid set-up work in a performance BMW M car? And the answer is: sort of. The benefits of silent driving on electric power are a bonus, especially as it also brings down emissions and increases fuel economy. What’s more, the added punch it gives the V8 when you’re pressing on – and let’s face it, that’s what an M5 is all about – is also incredibly addictive, but you’ll just have to forgive for the jarring transitions.

If you’re looking for a performance car with a conscience, though, this could be it – just don’t expect to go anywhere unnoticed as it stands out like a police officer with a speed gun.