On the eve of the 2017SEMA Show, images of the 2018BMW M5 with M Performance Parts have appeared online. If the standard car's looks don't do it for you, then this could be just the solution. The best news however, is that there's a Competition Pack on its way.

In standard guise, the latest BMW M5, introduced to South Africans at the M Festival in October, is already pretty close to being the perfect blend of track toy and highway hero. Thanks in no small part to its new xDrive all-wheel-drive system, the brutal 441kW Beemer can shoot to 100km/h in a ludicrous 3.4s, making it the fastest standard M car you can buy.

But standard guise is for standard guys, so BMW released an M5 Performance Parts catalogue to tempt those with an unrelenting thirst for that little bit more, that little bit better, that little bit of extra fodder for around-the-braai banter.

It's not just a cosmetic kit either and there are improvements to the handling, aerodynamic setup and exhaust tone. There are copious amounts of carbon fibre thrown in, as pictures will attest. There's a new front splitter, side skirts, boot spoiler, rear diffuser and wing mirrors – all in carbon fibre.

Under the skin, a new set of coilovers with adjustable spring plates and more potent carbon ceramic brakes are fitted. For the US and Canadian markets, there's the option of an M Performance sports exhaust setup, which features a titanium rear muffler and carbon fibre tailpipes. BMW claims this exhaust improves the engine note as well as a fractional increase in performance.Finally, the cabin gains some improvements such as carbon fibre shift paddles, M Performance mats and a new key wallet. There's also an M Performance app which sends vehicle data direct to your smartphone.

Now they’ve taken it yet another step further with the imminent production of a Competition Package version of the M5.BMW confirmed some time ago that the M5 would be available in Competition Package guise at some point during 2018, and it now seems like the hotter model will start going into production at the beginning of April.

A post on the Bimmer Post forums revealed that the announcement was made by BMW’s head of the BMW Driving Experience during the BMW M Ice Experience event held in Sweden.

While the Performance Parts catalogue mostly consists of cosmetic odds and ends to give the M5 a more arresting look (plus a few suspension and exhaust enhancement options), the Competition Package sees the 4.4-litre V8’s power boosted by around 19kW to 460kW, making it a smidgeon more powerful than the 4.0-litre, 450kW Mercedes-AMG E63S. That’ll ruffle a few feathers.

The extra power will be a welcome extravagance over the vanilla M5, but there’s lots more to be had. The Competition Package is expected to boast even better carbon ceramic brakes, a sharper chassis, a stiffer suspension setup, exclusive alloy wheels andsome subtle interior tweaks.

With production of the Competition Package edition now expected to begin in April, there’s a high chance we’ll see BMW unveiling it at the Geneva Motor Show in the first half of March 2018.

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