Upon its launch, the BMW G90 M5 captured the world's attention with its new hybrid, powertrain, sizeable weight and controversial looks. The previous generation BMW F90 M5 was well-regarded as one of the best-looking modern BMWs we've seen in recent years, exposing the new G90 design language to heavy criticism.
Of course, this isn't anything new to BMW - every car they release sees a lot of controversy in the looks department, however, time has shown us that the community can be gradually won over upon seeing the cars in the flesh. Fortunately, aftermarket manufacturers can make quick progress to address some of the awkward body lines and produce components that transform the way these vehicles look.
Industry-leading automotive carbon fibre manufacturer MHC LDN has released a brand new SP90 front lip design for the 2024+ BMW G90 M5 Saloon and 2025+ G99 M5 Touring. The primary aim of this carbon splitter is to make the front end appear wider, lower and more aggressive, while also perfecting the rather awkward lower gloss black front grille section of the bumper.
Features Of The SP90 Front Lip
- 100% pre-preg carbon fibre construction
- High gloss UV & chemical-resistant finish
- 3-piece design
- Utilises the OEM mounting positions (no drilling required)
- Fitment guarantee
- 3-year warranty
- Supplied with pre-applied adhesive tape
- Includes all necessary hardware for installation
Key Design Details
Central Recesses
Across the front of the centre section, you'll notice the MHC+ SP90 front lip follows the lines of the OEM lower gloss black grille, completing its outline to ensure a cohesive design. This detail allows the SP90 to act as an aggressive extension of the OEM front bumper rather than just a bolt-on piece of material as you'll see from other manufacturers.
Angular Corners
This theme is continued into the side corner sections of the SP90 splitter. You can see how MHC's design team followed the design of the OEM bumper with intricate angles that are very difficult to manufacture.
Design Language From MHC's SP2 Front Lip
If you're familiar with MHC LDN's BMW G8X SP2 front splitter, you may recognise this feature. MHC likes to keep its design language cohesive across the range, allowing each piece to be instantly recognisable as an MHC product. The front extension transitions seamlessly into the side of the front corners, making the splitter look more sleek and premium.
15mm Front Profile
Across the front of the lip, you'll notice quite a thick profile of 15mm. This is a common theme across MHC splitters as it increases rigidity and resilience to scrapes and other damage. This is a detail that cheaper alternatives won't have due to the complex manufacturing process.
Large Underside Return
A key aspect of the SP90 front lip you'd be forgiven more missing is the large return on the underside of the splitter. This is where the carbon folds back on itself creating a wide surface - perfect for installing a front splitter protector. Like the thick front profile, it also means that if you scrape your splitter, it's much less likely to bend and crack.
Flat Upper Surfaces
To ensure ease of installation, MHC's design team has left long flat sections of the top of the splitter, allowing for smooth tape lines to guarantee perfect adhesion to the underside of the G9X M5's front bumper. By integrating solid tape lines across the full length of the splitter, MHC can guarantee every lip will sit perfectly flush, leaving absolutely no gaps.
Utilises OEM Mounting Positions
MHC has integrated a total of 10 6mm wide holes that line up perfectly with the factory bumper screw holes. This means there is no need to drill holes in your brand new £130,000 M5 and can remove your splitter later down the line with no damage. Should you wish to install additional self-tapping screws to ensure maximum security at consistently high 3-digit speeds, there are also smaller holes across the splitter to facilitate this.
The Production Process
3D Scanning Data
To get the most accurate dimensions of the G90 M5's front bumper, MHC uses 3D scanning technology, allowing the design team to create a three-dimensional digital image of the car.
Design Renders
To develop the design, MHC generated a series of renders which helped visualise how the product would look on the car quickly and efficiently. As the technical partner of MHC, R44 Performance worked closely on revisions thanks to our extensive knowledge of customer tastes and preferences,
Computer-Aided Design (CAD)
Once both ourselves and MHC's design team were happy with the design, the splitter was created in complex CAD software, allowing MHC to work on real-world dimensions and create a more accurate model for production.
Aluminium Mould
This data is used to create a unique aluminium mould where the dry carbon fibre sheets will be laid. Aluminium moulds are significantly more expensive than the alternatives, often costing tens of thousands of pounds to develop, however, they deliver far superior quality and much tighter tolerances. Despite this, not every piece that comes out of the mould is without fault. Whilst under extreme heat to cure, imperfections can arise. These sets are highlighted and discarded during the first stage of MHC's quality control process. Faults can include any flaws within the pre-preg carbon weave or distortion.
High Gloss UV-Resistant Laquer
MHC uses a specially-developed lacquer engineered specifically for coating carbon fibre to provide the best results. It provides incredible gloss and is heavily resistant to UV rays, as well as corrosion. At R44 Performance, we randomly sample splitters and conduct regular scratch testing to ensure the standard of lacquer is 10/10.
Availability
The MHC+ SP90 front splitter is currently in production and the first customer deliveries will take place in early March 2025. Order now to reserve yours.
