BMW 5 SERIES RANGE
BMWs 5 Series Is Growing On Executive Buyers. Andy Enright Explains Why
When it comes to adventurous design,
BMW are one of the prime exponents. Cars like the 7 Series and the Z4 roadster caused a few raised eyebrows in the UK when they were first displayed and the 5 Series has followed that trend. Its predecessor was tidily if a little conservatively styled but the latest car has marked a new design philosophy for BMW.
Much of the focus with this car has gone into developing innovative technology but at the same time keeping weight from creeping up. More space is coupled with a weight saving of up to 65kg, due in no small part to lightweight aluminium including much of the chassis and bodywork of the car and the suspension components. This focus on weight saving has resulted in some class leading performance and economy figures from a range of much improved engines. Recent specification enhancements have seen Park Distance Control, an auto-dimming mirror and 17-inch alloy wheels added to the standard equipment tally for all models, with prices now starting from £26,665.
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However, the most important recent news is the addition of Valvetronic technology to petrol as well as diesel models. This has resulted in the deletion of the 170bhp 520i and the introduction of a much more responsive 174bhp 523i variant. The same six cylinder petrol engine sits in 215bhp form in the 525i, while theres a 258bhp version of it in the rewarding 530i. Theres also a V8 545i model and the mighty V10 M5.
In the diesel range, the 525d has a following but the real star of the show remains the 530d. Despite coming within a whisker of the 530is sprint to 60 the diesel car stops the watch at an amazing 6.9 seconds it will still go on to 152mph and return 41mpg. It boats a torque figure of 500Nm (a
Ferrari 360 Modena makes 372Nm) which means that it feels awesomely muscular when accelerating.
As a contender for the worlds best car, the 530d takes some beating but the latest 535d might hold the trump card for some. Its 560Nm of torque and 6.6-second 0-60mph time are impressive but you do pay a premium for that extra oomph. That only leaves the mind-boggling M5 with its 507bhp V10 engine.
Read the figures and weep in abject terror 520Nm of torque, 0-62mph in 4.7s, 0-124mph in 15s and a derestricted 205mph top speed. That is some car.
"As a contender for the worlds best car the 530d takes some beating."
Although this latest generation 5 Series does carry over some 7 Series styling cues, its clear that
BMW have listened to customer feedback. The bootlid is less extreme and although this car features the controversial iDrive control system, its notably easier to use than the 7 Series system and is backed up by more conventional knobs and switches on the fascia. The fiddly electronic handbrake system used by its big brother has also been replaced, in this instance by a conventional manual one. The Touring estate is a more conventional-looking car but the unique 5-Series styling cues are always evident.
The M5 will be out of most buyers reach but the Sport trim level offers some of the styling flair without the pricetag. You know the drill, wider air intakes, bigger wheels, sports suspension, flared side sills, it will prove a popular choice. Much thought has gone into the way electronic systems blend with good old manual ones. BMW have taken the notion that electronics should aid rather than replace manual systems and the active steering system is a good example.
Rather than developing the sort of pure drive-by-wire systems that often isolate the driver from road feedback, BMW has instead developed a system that maintains a link between the front wheels and the steering wheel but which adjusts the power assistance dependent upon speed and yaw rate, promising quick turn-in when you punch the 5 Series into a corner but without the accompanying nervousness at high speed that many such cars demonstrate. This system is networked to an improved + version of the Dynamic Stability Control system, reducing the interventions DSC+ has to make. Dynamic Drive, BMWs active suspension system is available as an option, and Active Cruise Control, a system that automatically controls distances to the car in front, is also available to order. BMW hasnt left too many safety features out of the 5 Series.
Brake Force Display is an interesting concept, enlarging the brake light area when the driver really anchors on. Another first for BMW is Adaptive Headlights a feature many will associate more with
Citroen. This system, sadly still an option, swivels the headlights by up to 15 degrees left and right to illuminate more of the road through a bend. Unlike Citroens rudimentary old mechanical system, this calculates speed, yaw rate and steering angle before steering the beams.
Another technology borrowed from another manufacturer in this case
Chevrolet is a Head-Up Display that projects information onto the windscreen. Measuring 4.48m in length, the Touring estate version is a good deal longer than the previous generation version, as well as being marginally wider and higher. Theres 3cm more shoulder room and 4.
5cms of additional rear passenger knee room as a result with increased headroom for all occupants. Whats more, load capacity has been raised to 535 litres with the 60/40 split folding rear seats in place and a hefty 1,650 litres with the seats folded down an increase of 125 litres over the old car. Like that model, the latest version features a split bootlid with the rear window opening separately for the easy loading of small items. Customers can also opt for a fully automatic tailgate operation with a press on the key fob opening the hatch and simultaneously retracting the boot load cover.
Neat. Theres a lockable floor panel that conceals a 35-litre area for the spare wheel and tyre, but if run-flat tyres are chosen, this is converted to additional storage space for valuables. Faster, safer, roomier, more economical and packed with technology, the latest 5 Series may now have the measure of the Mercedes E Class, a car which pipped the BMW to the best in class crown in the final days of the old 5 Series lifetime. Second place is not a position in which BMW have ever been comfortable and the latest Five looks set to ensure its not a position to which theyll return for quite some time.
FACTS AT A GLANCE
CAR: BMW 5-Series range
PRICES: £26,665-£61,760 - on the road
INSURANCE GROUPS: 16-18
CO2 EMISSIONS: 184-274g/km
PERFORMANCE: [530i] 0-60mph 6.5s / Max Speed 155mph
FUEL CONSUMPTION: [530d] (combined) 40.9mpg
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front, side and window airbags / ABS / DSC
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Height tba
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