What's this brightly-lit Beemer all about, then?
It's the latest addition to the BMW MotoGP Safety Car canon. And, as your eyes have probably quite easily registered, it's the new M5. The one with the 600hp/750Nm, twin-turbo, 4.4-litre V8 engine, M xDrive all-wheel traction and an eight-speed M Steptronic gearbox with Drivelogic. All of which means it can do 0-62mph in a thunderous 3.4 seconds.
Hold on, have there been other BMW safety cars?
Well, in the MotoGP championship alone - and during BMW's long association with the organisation behind it, which stretches back to 1999 - there has been the M4 Moto GP Safety Car, which eventually became the M4 GTS, and the M2 Moto GP Safety Car, which we're still waiting to morph into an M2 GTS for the roads. There have been more, of course, than that, but these are just the recent highlights.
All right, so what has been done to the M5 to make it a safety car?
M Manufaktur in Garching has rummaged through the M Performance Parts bin... actually, that's a bit unfair, as these extras will be available to M5 customers who want to spruce up their super saloon with some factory-approved goodies. So take note of the side sills, rear diffuser, rear spoiler, front kidney grilles, door mirror caps and air breather slats. There's also an M Performance sport exhaust system made of titanium and with carbon fibre tips. So that should be loud, then.
Anything bespoke?
A few items, such as the prototype front splitter, the competition-inspired bonnet latches, the front bucket seats from the glorious M4 GTS, a flat light-bar of LEDs on the roof (which is controlled from a modified instrument panel inside), flashing blue LED lamps in the kidney grilles and flashing corona rings for the headlamps, and a livery inspired by the M8 GTE, BMW's entry into next year's Le Mans 24 Hours.
Fabulous! And when can we see it in action?
The M5 MotoGP Safety Car will make its debut at the season finale in Valencia, Spain, on November 10-12, before taking the lead of the safety car fleet during the 2018 season.
What does M say about this?
M? You mean James Bond's boss?
No, you fool! I mean the bosses of BMW's performance division!
Oh, right. Frank van Meel, president of BMW M GmbH, said: "A MotoGP safety car faces enormous challenges. It is vital to lead a field of unique, high-performance race prototypes safely through all sorts of conditions. Innovative motorsport technology is an essential part of this. The new BMW M5 forms the perfect basis for a safety car, as its technical features ensure perfect handling, even at the limits of driving dynamics - on the road and on the race track. Development never stands still in MotoGP, which is always pushing its limits further and further. The same is true for the BMW M GmbH - and the new M5 MotoGP Safety Car is an outstanding example of our pursuit of innovation and maximum levels of performance."
Matt Robinson - 31 Oct 2017