Wiesmann is making another comeback with the MF5 Tributo, a highly limited coachbuilt sports car that revives the formula behind the German boutique manufacturer’s earlier flagship. The new model combines retro styling, extremely limited production and BMW M power, with just five examples reportedly being hand-assembled at Wiesmann’s Gecko factory in Dülmen, Germany.
Wiesmann MF5 Tributo Limited to Five Cars
The MF5 Tributo made its debut during Monterey Car Week, appearing first at The Preserve before heading to the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance and other events around the peninsula.
All five examples are reportedly already spoken for. However, Wiesmann’s website still offers a €3,000 “reserve Tributo” option.
The extremely limited production run is consistent with the company’s history. Wiesmann produced fewer than 200 MF5 coupes and roadsters in total, making the decision to build only five Tributos particularly exclusive.
Wiesmann’s BMW M5 Engine Claim Raises Questions
The most intriguing details are under the hood. In an Instagram post Wiesmann collaborated on, the Tributo is described as combining the MF5 body with a “natural aspirated BMW M5 V8 and seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox.”
Wiesmann has not disclosed the engine’s displacement, output or engine code. The description is unusual because no production BMW M5 paired a naturally aspirated V8 with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission.
The E39 M5 used a naturally aspirated 4.9-liter S62 V8 with a six-speed manual, while the later E60 M5 used a 5.0-liter S85 V10 with a seven-speed SMG automated manual. BMW’s naturally aspirated 4.0-liter S65 V8 was paired with a seven-speed DCT, but it was used in the E9X M3 rather than the M5.
That leaves open the possibility that Wiesmann has combined an M5-derived S62 with a separately sourced dual-clutch transmission. Alternatively, “M5” could simply be an error in the Instagram description.
Until Wiesmann releases full specifications, the precise BMW powertrain should be considered unconfirmed.
MF5 Returns to BMW Power
The original MF5 launched with the E60 M5’s S85 V10 before later versions switched to the twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter V8 from the first-generation BMW X5 M.
The MF5 Tributo therefore represents a return to the BMW-powered formula that helped define the earlier car, while retaining the retro styling and limited-production approach associated with Wiesmann.
Wiesmann’s Project Thunderball Revival Stalled
The Tributo comes after Wiesmann’s previous comeback attempt, Project Thunderball, failed to arrive on its original schedule.
Wiesmann revealed Project Thunderball in 2022 as an electric roadster featuring two rear motors, 680 horsepower and a targeted 311 miles of range. Customer deliveries were initially expected in 2024, but supply-chain and tariff complications repeatedly delayed the car.
As recently as May 2025, Wiesmann said it remained committed to production, although the promised revival never materialized on schedule.
Project Meisterwerk Is Planned for 2027
The MF5 Tributo represents a more pragmatic direction for Wiesmann’s latest return. Rather than relying on a distant electric concept, the company is bringing a familiar combustion-powered sports car back into production using existing hardware and a connection to BMW power.
Wiesmann is also reportedly working on another, more ambitious model known as Project “Meisterwerk.” According to an Instagram post, the successor is scheduled to debut in spring 2027.
Engine specifications, design, pricing and planned production volume for Project Meisterwerk remain undisclosed. For now, the five MF5 Tributos give Wiesmann a tangible new model as it attempts to establish its latest comeback.
