The BMW M5 Touring will be making a return in 2024, after being absent from the lineup since the discontinuation of the E60-generation model in 2010.

BMW has confirmed that the new M5 will be available as both a saloon and estate model, and will feature a hybrid powertrain, as previously reported by Autocar.

The hybrid powertrain is expected to combine BMW’s 4.4-litre twin-turbocharged S63 V8 engine with a rear-mounted electric motor. Sources close to BMW claim that the combined power and torque outputs of the two units will be around 790bhp and 737lb ft.

Early prototypes of the new M5 were said to use a lithium-ion battery similar to the 12.0kWh unit found in the outgoing BMW 545e. It is still uncertain whether this battery will be used in the production versions of the next M5, as BMW M is rumored to be developing its own performance battery with ultra-rapid discharge properties.

The larger batteries found in the upcoming 530e and 550e PHEVs suggest that the new M5 may also receive a more capacious battery pack.

“We are now also installing a hybrid drive system with typical M performance in other high-performance cars,” said BMW M development head Dirk Häcker.

The power from the hybrid powertrain will be delivered through an eight-speed torque-converter automatic gearbox, and the M5 will feature a rear-biased xDrive four-wheel drive system.

The next generation of the M5 will also have a heavily reworked chassis, with notable features such as a wider front and rear track.

The introduction of the new BMW i5 won’t bring an all-electric M5, but the M division has made modifications to the electric saloon. The i5 M60, while not as focused on performance as the M5, can still accelerate from 0-62mph in 3.8 seconds, thanks to its dual-motor powertrain that produces a combined output of 593bhp and 605lb ft.