In addition to twenty-inch fitment options by Pirelli, the new M5 will also be available with Yokohama Advan Sport V105 tires for factory nineteen-inch wheels. Developed jointly between BMW and Yokohama, these tires will display the auto manufacturer’s star marking of approval on their sidewall. The V105 was initially released in 2012, and it sounds like significant time has been spent formulating the latest version of the tread compound with benefits that come in the form of excellent safety in all conditions, uncompromising ride comfort, long tread life, and of course great performance.
Those with a knowledge of BMW’s rich history in competition motorsport will recognize the tire manufacturer as the firm been behind the rubber for more than a few successful campaigns over the years. As is highlighted in the official press release by Yokohama, a relationship between the two organization is not new by any means, and actually stretches back to the glory days BMW Motorsport history. “Yokohama also supplies its high-performance racing tires to BMW racing teams that to date have achieved great success on them. Schnitzer Motorsport’s BMW M3 captured the first World Touring Car Championship in 1987, and also won the European Touring Car Championship in 1988. BMWs running on Yokohama tires have also won a combined total of five 24-hour Nürburgring and Spa-Francorchamps races, two of the world’s elite road endurance races. In Japan, a BMW 635CSi running on Yokohama tires captured the first All-Japan Touring Car Championship Class 3 title in 1985. GSR&Studie with Team Ukyo captured the GT300 class series championship in the 2011 SUPER GT series. Studie AG has been a BMW support team since 2014, and has been a BMW works team from 2016 to 2017. YOKOHAMA provided support until 2017.”
If the Advan Sport V105 also sounds familiar, that’s because the model is currently being installed on the new generation of X3 which debuted last November. While the G01 X3 can come shod wearing the V105 in 225/60-18 and 245/50-19 sizes, things are appropriately upsized for the M5, with the tires measuring 275/40-19 in the front and 285/40-19 in the rear.—Alex Tock
[Photos courtesy of BMW AG and Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd.]
