Wiesmann MF5 Tributo Returns With BMW M5 Power

Wiesmann is back in the V10 business, at least in spirit. The boutique German brand has rolled out the MF5 Tributo as a surprise at Pebble Beach during Monterey Car Week, resurrecting one of its wildest retro sports cars just as it was supposed to be all-in on electric power.

That twist matters because the original MF5, built in tiny numbers from 2008 until Wiesmann’s 2013 collapse, was basically a coachbuilt BMW M5 in a shrunken, curvy suit. Now the badge returns as the company’s EV program stalls, but without a confirmed engine, leaving big questions about what kind of BMW heart sits under that long hood.

Wiesmann MF5 Tributo Comeback

Wiesmann Sports Cars is showing the MF5 Tributo at Pebble Beach as a nod to its past and a signal that gasoline is back on the menu alongside its delayed Project Thunderball electric roadster. Fewer than 200 original MF5 coupes and roadsters were built before the firm went under, which is why reviving this exact nameplate punches above its weight.

The car sticks to Wiesmann’s usual formula: compact, front-mid-engine proportions, a cartoonishly long hood, and a low cabin that channels 1960s roadsters more than modern supercars. For anyone tracking niche performance brands, it also marks a pivot away from the promise of being first with an all-electric two-seat convertible and back toward selling noisy, familiar hardware.

If you want a refresher on the original Wiesmann MF5 specs and history, the basic idea was a lightweight shell wrapped around serious BMW M power, sold in numbers small enough to make Ferrari production look mass-market.

BMW M5 V10 Roots And What’s Still Unknown

The reason “MF5” gets enthusiasts talking is the engine story. The first MF5 used BMW M’s 5.0-liter S85 V10 from the contemporary M5, rated at 500 horsepower and good for an official 0-to-62 miles per hour sprint in under four seconds with a top speed over 190 miles per hour. That combo of a tiny body and a big naturally aspirated V10 is what gave the original MF5 its cult following, not just the styling.

BMW stopped building the S85 V10 in 2010, so Wiesmann has already confirmed the Tributo needs a different engine. The company previously offered an MF5 GT with a BMW S63 twin-turbo V8 making 547 horsepower, while BMW’s newer S68 V8 can reach 626 horsepower in other applications. None of those options have been officially tied to the Tributo yet, and there’s no word on transmission or pricing.

As reported by CarBuzz, Wiesmann is openly leaning back into combustion after Project Thunderball delays and softer demand for its EV, and interested buyers can now place a €3,000 ($3,500) reservation for the Tributo through the company’s online portal. If you are curious how BMW M is evolving its own powertrains, our look at the upcoming 2027 BMW M5 design and tech and a deeper dive into the E60 BMW M5 V10 redemption arc show why that era’s engines still loom so large and why a small brand tapping that nostalgia at Monterey is a savvy move.

Motor1’s Take: The MF5 Tributo is less a tech statement than a mood, with Wiesmann buying back the visceral, analog experience that built its name while it waits for its electric program to land, re-engaging enthusiasts and keeping the brand visible at high-profile events.