The fastest I’ve ever driven is about 130mph in an E39S M5 with its 5.0-liter V8 and 6-speed manual. Good times, indeed. Flash ahead nearly 20 years and BMW has readied this all-new 6th gen model, the performance pinnacle of the 5 Series lineup. Available next spring, this 2018 M5 debuts a new M-specific all-wheel drive system called M xDrive. When the engine is first started, the M5 is a 4-wheel drive vehicle. The driver is then able to vary the handling characteristics via selectable drive modes including a rear-wheel-drive mode with no Dynamic Stability Control for a traditional rear-wheel drive experience.