BMW Starts Production of the New M5 in Dingolfing and the New 1 Series in Leipzig

4 months, 1 week ago - 3 July 2024, autoevolution

The BMW Group has announced that both the new M5 and 1 Series are in production at the Dingolfing and Leipzig assembly plants. The performance sedan and compact hatchback couldn't be more different under the skin, and the same can be said about production output.

As per the Bavarian automaker, Dingolfing will gradually increase production over the coming weeks to "several dozen" examples per day. Over in Leipzig, the front-biased hatchback is assembled at a rate of "up to 500" units daily.

The alleged lovechild of the previous-gen 1 Series and the Kia Ceed is codenamed F70, with BMW revealing the compact-sized hatchback at the beginning of June 2024. Similar to its predecessor, this fellow is underpinned by the Untere Klass platform. The UKL architecture is used by all front-biased models from the BMW and MINI brands, although there is a notable exception to this rule of thumb in the form of the zero-emission MINI Cooper, whose platform comes from China's Spotlight Automotive.

Spotlight Automotive is a joint venture between the Bavarian automaker and Great Wall Motor. As for the internal combustion-engined MINI Cooper, that one continues to be produced on the Untere Klasse despite being extremely close in styling to the all-electric model. That said, the 1er doesn't feature any electric options. Prospective customers are presented with 1.5- and 2.0-liter turbo engines – both diesels and gassers – connected to a Steptronic dual-clutch tranny.

There's no manual to speak of, which may put off a few customers. On the other hand, those in the market for a great-handling daily wouldn't even consider the 1er over the 3er. The punchiest 1 Series there is for this generation comes in the guise of the M135 xDrive, whose 2.0-liter turbo I4 breathes out through a quad-pipe exhaust to the tune of 300 metric ponies (296 mechanical horsepower) and 400 Nm (295 pound-feet).

Leveling up to the M5 is more like it, for BMW quotes 577 horsepower and 553 pound-feet (750 Nm) from the 4.4-liter V8. Said twin-turbo lump is connected to ZF's well-known 8HP automatic transmission, which integrates an electric motor. All told, the G90 makes 717 horsepower and a manic 738 pound-feet (1,000 Nm) of twist.

It's a tremendous departure from the non-assisted F90, although these numbers couldn't have been possible without a massive battery pack. The 22.1-kWh unit offers 18.6 usable kilowatt hours and renders the G90 a bit porky at 2,435 kilograms (5,368 pounds) in European specification or 5,390 pounds (2,445 kilograms) for sedans intended for North America.

Considering the weight difference between the 2025 model and the outgoing M5, the sprint from zero to 60 miles per hour (97 kilometers per hour) favors all versions of the latter. Instead of 3.4 seconds for the G90, the F90 needs 3.2 seconds. The Competition is quicker still at 3.1 seconds, and the CS requires merely 2.9 clicks.

The 2025 BMW M5 Sedan will be joined by the first M5 Touring since the V10-powered E61, with BMW confirming the wagon's availability in the United States of America. The market launch for the new M5 will kick off in November 2024, with the sedan to be accompanied by the roomier – and undeniably heavier – longroof.