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BMW M5 gets a facial for next generation

There's no mistaking a car designed by BMW's M Division. Every vehicle has a distinct set of characteristics that sets it apart from plebeian Bimmers. That's why even through all of the camouflage, we know these are photos of the company's next-generation M5 testing in southern Spain. The current car has been around since 2011, so it's no surprise that BMW is working on a replacement. Although these photos are new, prototype M5s have been running around for a while now. We even have video of a car testing at the Nurburgring. The car is probably close to production ready at this point. All of the M Division trademarks are there. Four exhaust tips, flared fenders, beefy brakes with fixed calipers, lots of tire, etc. A few things differ from the previous spy shots we've seen. The front bumper looks to be slightly reworked, with larger air intakes than before. The design of the headlights appears to be slightly different and more in line with the new 7 Series. Other than that, there's not much here that we haven't already seen. We expect the new M5 to be powered by a twin-turbocharged V8. The Nurburgring tester sounds like it has a V8, and the M Division previously said it's not giving up on eight cylinders yet. There are also rumors floating around that the next generation of M cars will send power to all four wheels. Audi has put Quattro in its cars for years, while Mercedes-AMG is moving most of its models to all-wheel drive. Although BMW has said that it's sticking with rear-wheel power, don't discount optional AWD for next-gen M cars. Related Video:

Autoblog's June 2019 Editors' Picks

Each year we review, test and rate hundreds of brand-new cars, trucks and SUVs. We rate these vehicles using the Autoblog score, giving a select few our Editors’ Pick. Here are the best cars we drove in June 2019. 2019 BMW 8 Series Everyone on the Autoblog staff loves a good grand tourer, so we were excited to get behind the wheel of the revived BMW 8 Series, specifically an M850i Coupe. A good GT needs to be as fast as it is stylish and comfortable, and the new 8 Series delivers. We particularly like the 523-horsepower twin-turbo 4.4-liter V8Â’s copious power and smooth ride quality, even on MichiganÂ’s pockmarked post-winter roads. We dig the interior design, too, though not everyone was in love with the exterior. ItÂ’s not the best-handling car in its class, and doesnÂ’t hide its sizable proportions very well, but itÂ’s still worth a look if youÂ’re looking for a big, fast cruiser.  2019 Ford Expedition Crossovers may be the hottest vehicles on the market, but thereÂ’s still a sizable demand for traditional body-on-frame SUVs like the Ford Expedition. These behemoths offer plenty of space in addition to truck-like capability. We like the Expedition's smooth ride, powerful twin-turbo V6 and sharp exterior design, though the interior can feel a bit cheap, especially on some of the more expensive trims. Adding options quickly puts it into Lincoln Navigator territory, and itÂ’s hard to recommend the Ford over the Lincoln when the latter packs the same capability into a far nicer package. Still, the Expedition is as good or better than the competition in most respects, and thatÂ’s why itÂ’s one of our picks. 2019 Toyota 86 Few cars at any price point are as much fun as the Toyota 86 (and its twin, the Subaru BRZ). We like the 86Â’s balanced chassis and sharp steering, and while itÂ’s not as nimble as its close rival the Mazda MX-5 Miata, the ToyotaÂ’s back seat and trunk make it a more usable vehicle. But while we like the 86Â’s driving position, the rest of the interior feels cheap and dated, especially the infotainment system. We complained about the anemic powertrain back in 2012, and itÂ’s only gotten worse as the years have gone by.

BMW i3 EV continues to shed camouflage

As BMW gets closer to introducing the production version of its plug-in i3, we keep seeing the hatchback being tested with lessening degrees of design-obscuring camouflage. Last we heard, BMW is expecting to have the i3 ready by the end of this year, and the swirly, blue camo does little to hide its basic design in these latest spy shots.
We get our first clear look at almost everything above the wavy beltline including the silver roof edges and matching mirror caps, and it can't hide the dip in the beltline behind the B-pillar - matching what we've already seen on the i3 Coupe Concept unveiled at the LA Auto Show last year. Another change we notice is the lower portion of camo removed from the front fascia allowing us to see the air opening and the black, vertical inserts leading up to the fog light bezels. Judging by the "Hybrid Test Vehicle" stickers on the side of this prototype, we can only assume that this is the optional range-extended model.