Second Hand BMW M5 Transfer Box

Only the F90-generation M5 (2018–onwards) with the optional xDrive four-wheel-drive system has a transfer box, as it needs one to split drive between the front and rear axles. Earlier M5 generations — the E39, E60/E61, E63/E64 and F10 — were all rear-wheel drive only and have no transfer box whatsoever. If you own a pre-F90 M5 and are chasing a drivetrain noise or vibration, the part you are likely looking for is a propshaft, differential, or driveshaft rather than a transfer box.

Both sit within the F90 generation (2018–onwards) and share the S63 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 with the xDrive AWD system, so on paper the transfer box is the same unit across those years. However, confirm with the breaker against your exact registration, as ancillary bracket or mounting changes can occur quietly mid-production without a formal facelift. Supplying your engine code — found on your V5 or via a VIN check — gives the breaker the most reliable basis for matching the part.

The Competition is a trim and chassis-tune package rather than a different drivetrain architecture, so the underlying xDrive transfer box is the same unit as on the standard F90 M5 xDrive. Trim level does not affect transfer box fitment here — what matters is that both cars have the xDrive option fitted, since a rear-wheel-drive-configured F90 M5 has no transfer box at all. Confirm the part number with the breaker against your registration to be certain.

The F90 M5 launched in 2018 and the generation runs through to the present without a full model change, but early-production vehicles can sometimes carry slightly different ancillary specifications to later builds. Name the boundary honestly: if you are comparing a very early 2018 car to a post-2021 build, route that specific interchange question to the breaker and ask them to check against your VIN rather than assuming it is a straight swap. Your engine code and full VIN are the most useful details to have ready when you call.

No — the F10 M5 (2011–2016) was rear-wheel drive only and was never fitted with a transfer box, so there is no application for this part on that car at all. The F90 xDrive transfer box is specific to the later generation's AWD architecture and will not transplant into an F10 drivetrain. If you are working on an F10 M5 and chasing a drivetrain problem, speak to a breaker about propshaft, differential, or driveshaft components instead.

The most important detail is your engine code — for all F90 M5 and M5 Competition models this should be the S63 unit, and it is printed on your V5 logbook or retrievable via a VIN check. You should also confirm that your car is fitted with xDrive, since a rear-wheel-drive-mode F90 M5 has no transfer box. Your full registration and build date will help the breaker cross-reference the exact part number and flag any mid-production ancillary differences.