BMW M5 Nighthawk Cranks M5 Up To Crazy

BMW's M5 already has a reputation as the company's most extreme sedan, but the Germans have turned up the "ultimate driving experience" settings another notch for the M5 Nighthawk, a super-limited special edition especially for the Japanese market. Squeezing 575 HP out of the M5's 4.4-liter V8 M TwinPower Turbo engine – 15 HP more than the "regular" car – the Nighthawk edition is good for a ridiculous 4.2s 0-62 mph dash (shaving an all-important 0.1s off the standard M5) while looking fit for the Yakuza.

The ominous appearance is aided by special Frozen Black matt paint with reduced gloss, 20-inch M-series light alloy wheels in matching matt black, and a dark-chrome BMW "kidney" grill. The door handles, four exhaust pipes, side vents, and other aspects also get the dark-chrome treatment.

M carbon-ceramic brakes are fitted as standard, as is the Competition Package which includes special suspension and steering settings, the sports exhaust system, and an M dynamic mode setting. There are also adaptive LED headlights and a 7-speed M DCT sequential gearbox.

Inside, there's full "Sakiru orange" leather on the sports seats, door panels, center console, instruments, and the seat backs, while the dashboard gets carbon trim. Driving Assist is standard – warning if you're swerving out of your lane, or into another vehicle, and helping slam on the brakes – together with the usual iDrive infotainment system with navigation and more.

Only ten of the BMW M5 Nighthawk cars will be made, and unsurprisingly they won't be cheap. BMW Japan is asking 18.2m yen ($183k) for each, and warning that, if it gets more interest than it has cars, the company will run a lottery to see who gets to drive one away.