One car — and two completely different characters. KW Automotive has unveiled a reworked BMW M5 Touring of the G99 generation, and the focus this time is not power, not aero, but the wheels. The 727-hp wagon has been fitted with KW height-adjustable springs and a set of BBS CH-R II Unlimited wheels: 20-inch up front, 21-inch at the rear.
The real visual provocation is the colour choice. One side of the car wears wheels in Racing Gold Seidenmatt, the other side runs the same design in gloss black. A simple trick, but one that shows better than any press deck how dramatically wheel colour alone can change the personality of a car. Same body, completely different attitude.
On the technical side, KW is not offering a full coilover here, but a height-adjustable spring kit. It is compatible with the factory BMW M5 dampers and allows ride height to be tuned at both axles within a 5 to 20 mm range. Aluminium threaded sleeves are fitted to the OEM struts — that is how the height is dialled in.
For M5 owners, the key detail is this. The factory adaptive suspension stays fully alive. After the springs go in, the Comfort, Sport and Sport Plus modes remain available through the M Setup menu in iDrive. The car sits lower, looks meaner — and the owner keeps every bit of the factory electronics.
Pricing for the KW spring kit for the BMW M5 starts at 1,195 euros. The BBS CH-R II Unlimited wheels are priced from 1,023 euros per pair, with the final figure driven by size, colour and the level of personalisation. With around 129,000 possible combinations of finishes and shades, the odds of meeting an identical M5 in a parking lot are essentially zero.
