Vogue Australia, April

Spring 11 Trench with Extended Wind Flaps in Terracotta

MUNICH, Germany — After teasing loyalists for weeks, BMW has relented and released the first official images — and just a few details — on the fourth-generation M5 sedan, two weeks ahead of the car’s public debut at the 2011 Shanghai Auto Show.

BMW confirms the new M5, which is expected to arrive this fall in the U.S. as a 2012 model, will get a twin-turbocharged V8 in place of the normally aspirated V10 that powered the 2010 M5. The 2010 model, which was priced from $86,575, was rated at 500 horsepower and 383 pound-feet of torque.

The 2012 M5 is expected to get a slightly enhanced version of the twin-turbo 4.4-liter V8 in the 2011 X5 M and 2012 X6 M, which is rated at 555 hp and 500 lb-ft. In the new 2012 M5 sedan, the same engine is expected to deliver around 580 hp and 530 lb-ft.

BMW said the V8 in the new M5 will be mated to a seven-speed M dual-clutch transmission with Drivelogic. It did not provide performance specifications, but European press reports have speculated the car will sprint from zero to 60 in less than 4.4 seconds, with top speed electronically limited (in some markets) to 155 mph.

BMW also said the new V8 will be fitted with an automatic stop-start function that will help trim fuel consumption and emissions by 25 percent or more.

The 2012 M5 gets a tuned and lowered M suspension and M-specific steering, as well as unique 20-inch forged alloy wheels shod with 265/35ZR20 tires. The car also features a new Active M rear differential with variable torque split.

Painted Chrome Shadow, the Concept M5 is a four-seater — the production model will have accommodations for five — that BMW describes as a “near-series concept car,” meaning it is virtually production-ready.

Design cues include a unique front apron with three large air intakes and a distinctive rear apron with integral diffuser that shrouds twin tailpipes on either side. Other subtle touches include a modest deck-lid spoiler, flared wheel arches and a pair of chrome gills in the front fenders with the M logo.

Brabus iBusiness 2.0: The Ultimate Mobile Office

Just the Facts:

BOTTROP, Germany — The new Mercedes-Benz S-Class-based Brabus 800 iBusiness 2.0 is all business, with full iPad 2 integration among its many features.

The longtime Mercedes-Benz tuner claims its latest creation is “the fastest office on wheels,” thanks to a twin-turbocharged V12 that delivers 788 horsepower and 1,047 pound-feet of torque — enough to propel the Brabus 800 from zero to 60 mph in less than 3.9 seconds. The company claims, with a straight face, that “top speed is electronically limited to 218 mph.”

While the performance is noteworthy enough, the mobile-office functions are even more remarkable, thanks to the integration of up to two iPads in the rear compartment, as well as an app developed by Brabus specifically for the iBusiness 2.0. That app integrates the iPad into the car’s electronics system and enables the iPad to control all functions of the S-Class COMAND system from the rear seats, including entertainment, navigation and mobile communications.

With wireless Internet access, the iBusiness 2.0 also is perfect for mobile videoconferencing, according to Brabus.

Peripherals, from a printer to a digital camera, can be connected to the multimedia system via high-speed USB ports in the rear compartment. In addition, a 15-inch TFT display drops down from the ceiling to function as an auxiliary monitor.

A custom-designed Brabus table, framed in aluminum and covered in leather, holds the iPad and wireless keyboard, both of which can be securely stowed in the rear console. An integrated docking station recharges the batteries.

Digital music is loaded into another Apple device, a 64GB iPod Touch, while a Mini Mac in the trunk serves as a central computer for the network.

Your mobile office wouldn’t be complete without some of the usual Brabus amenities, including a two-tone, all-leather cockpit with a pair of individually powered rear seats, a power-operated privacy curtain and an ambient interior lighting system that changes colors.