BMW’s all-new 5 Series will roll into Australian dealerships around the middle of March, and the German marque expects they’ll quickly roll back out again with fans of the ‘5’ behind the wheel.
The seventh-generation of BMW’s desirable executive sedan takes many of its cues – in design, engineering and tech – from the flagship 7 Series sibling.
BMW has also boosted the baseline equipment list, and while this has pushed the sticker north, the 5 Series’ target buyers are less likely to blink at the higher price tag than smile at the smarter specs.
Each of the four models in the local 5 Series family boasts a heads-up display with speed sign recognition, active cruise control with lane-keeping and cross-traffic warnings, parking assist features with surround-view cameras, Dakota leather upholstery, LED headlights, wireless induction smartphone charging pad, 12-speaker sound system, keyless entry and 18 inch alloy wheels.
An impressive piece of safetywork is the rear collision sensor: if your 5 Series detects a car too close behind and approaching at speed it will flash the brake lights to alert the tailgating driver to hit the brakes.
But if the car continues to close the gap and a collision is imminent the BMW’s robot brain kicks into ‘brace for impact mode’ by moving the seats upright, increasing seatbelt tension and closing the windows and sunroof.
A 10.25 inch touchscreen marks the debut of BMW’s iDrive 6.0 system which pairs to the new ConnectedDrive app and BMW’s own app store where you can download free and cost-extra software for your car.
The design flourishes are subtle, especially given BMW’s already-minimalist tendency – look to a gentle recast at the front and rear, including new LED headlights and taillights, plus crisper lines along the flanks and roof – but result in a more taut, leaner muscularity despite the new 5’s slightly larger dimensions.
With those elegant looks married to a performance platform, the 5 Series is set to go from the weekday commute to a weekend “you beaut” when the open roads beckon.
The chassis is cast from aluminium, magnesium and high-strength steel to trim the kerb weight by 950kg (the aluminium doors weigh just 6kg each) while putting more power under the bonnet, along with retuned suspension and Sport, Comfort and Eco Pro drive modes.
BMW will list four variants of the sedan, all with turbocharged engines paired to an eight-speed automatic box:
- 2.0 litre four-cylinder diesel 520d (from $93,00 plus on-road costs)
- 2.0 litre four-cylinder petrol 530i ($108,900)
- 3.0 litre six-cylinder diesel 530d ($119,900)
- 3.0 six-cylinder petrol 540i ($136,900)
In the second half of this year BMW will add the 530e iPerformance plug-in hybrid to the range, along with the Touring wagon, although local specs and price are yet to be determined.
David Flynn is the Editor-in-Chief of Executive Traveller and a bit of a travel tragic with a weakness for good coffee, shopping and lychee martinis.