The E60 M5 was introduced in 2005, with an uneven firing V10 engine and 7 speed sequential manual gear box linking the car with the BMW Sauber Formula One program. The E60 M5 was the world's first production sedan to feature a V10 petrol engine.
A 7 speed sequential manual gear box (SMG III) was available, and a six-speed manual transmission gear box was available for the USA only.
As with some of its predecessors, the E60 variant of the M5 was both the quickest and fastest 4-door sedan in the world at the time of its release.
The larger, flared front guards on either side also featured cooling vents, reminiscent of the 1970s BMW CSL. The wheels were of a standard 19" diameter with quad exhaust pipes to the rear.