By Staff Reporter

Covers have been taken off the updated 5 Series. It features new looks and sees the introduction of mild hybrid technology for all its engines except the plug-in hybrids which have also increased in number to five models. Most enthusiasts will be undoubtedly happy with the new design of the grille which grows but looks restrained compared to the most models embracing the latest BMW designs.

Exterior

The looks of the updated 5 Series are predictably evolutionary rather than revolutionary. That’s not to say you won’t be able to instantly recognize the updated car. You will. The newly designed BMW kidney grille now wider and taller with the new LED headlights sporting slimmer contours. Adaptive LED Headlights with matrix technology are available as the options whilst BMW Laserlight are now available as an option for all model variants. At the back, 3-Series like new three-dimensional sculpted rear lights feature prominently with all model variants now offered with trapezoidal exhaust tailpipe finishers.

There are new exterior colours and additional BMW Individual paint finishes. The flagship BMW M550i xDrive Sedan gets its own additional model-specific colour options.

Optional M Sport brakes now offered with brake callipers painted in either blue or red. Additionally, new light-alloy wheelsare available in 18- to 20-inch formats with 20-inch BMW Individual Air Performance Wheels available as an option for the first time. The innovative design is said to minimises the wheels’ weight and air resistance.

Interior

The interior benefits from a number of quality and technological enhancements. Controls on the centre console are now available in high-gloss black. A new Sensatec perforated trim variant is offered for the seat surfaces. Buyers can also expect utomatic climate controls with extended features as well as a sports leather steering wheel with newly arranged multifunction buttons.

A 10.25-inch Control Display is now standard for the infotainment whilst a 12.3-inch Control Display is available optionally. The infotainment system offers the latest BMW iDrive 7. Available with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, the system also debuts a new cloud-based BMW Maps navigation system which offers extremely fast and precise calculation of routes and arrival times. Real-time traffic data updates at short intervals will allow the driver to enter any word when selecting a destination.

Technology

The updated 5 Series offers a host of active and passive safety features. Standing out is the new optional Driving Assistant Professional which now includes Active Navigation with the help of the Lane Change Assistant. This feature allows automatic formation of emergency lane and junction warning (now with city braking) functions. 3D visualisation of the surrounding area shows traffic situations and possible interventions by the driver assistance systems in the instrument cluster.

The new BMW Drive Recorder in the BMW 5 Series (part of the optional Parking Assistant Plus) records up to 40 seconds of video footage from points around the vehicle.

Engines

The German sedan sees the introduction of new 48V mild hybrid technology for all four- and six-cylinder engines (country-specific availability). This technology is said to offer more rapid responses and enhanced efficiency thanks to 48V starter-generator with an 8 kW/11 hp power spike to both lighten the combustion engine’s workload and boost its power.

There is further developed BMW TwinPower Turbo technology with four- and six-cylinder petrol engines seeing optimised petrol injection and all diesel engines now offered with two-stage turbocharging. All four- and six-cylinder model variants now meet the Euro 6d emissions standard.

There are four petrol engines on offer. The 520i is powered by a four-cylinder in-line petrol engine with 135 kW/290 Nm. The 0-100 km/h sprint is 8.3 seconds with a claimed combined fuel consumption of 5.7 – 5.5 l/100 km. Up next in the petrol four-cylinder range is the 530i with 185 kW and 350 Nm. This will see the car move from 0-100 km/h in a respectable 6.4 seconds thanks also to the BMW xDrive system. Fuel consumption is a claimed combined 7.1 – 7.0 l/100 km. Both the 520i and 530i are offered with an eight-speed Steptronic transmission.

The 540i adopts a six-cylinder in-line petrol engine that kicks out 245 kW and 450 Nm. Paired with an eight-speed Steptronic transmission, power is sent to all four-wheels via the BMW xDrive system allowing a 0 – 100 km/h sprint of 5.2 seconds.  

Topping the petrol range at the moment is a 4.4 litre V8 powered BMW M550i xDrive Sedan that breathes out 390 kW and 750 Nm and manages a 0 – 100 km/h sprint of just 3.8 seconds. The engine is paired with an eight-speed Steptronic transmission and the claimed fuel consumption is a respectable 10.0 – 9.7 l/100 km.

On the diesel front, the 520d provides entry to the fuel burners with a four-cylinder in-line diesel engine offering 140 kW and 400 Nm. Fuel consumption is a claimed combined 4.5 – 4.3 l/100 km. The car manages to move from 0-100 km/h in 7.6 seconds.

Completing the diesel offering is the 530d and 540d. Both feature a six-cylinder in-line diesel engine that is paired with an eight-speed Steptronic transmission. The engine makes 210 kW and 650 Nm in the 530d whilst it is good for a gutsy 250 kW and 700 Nm in the 540d. 0-10 km/h sprint is 5.6 seconds and 4.6 seconds respectively. The claimed fuel consumption sits at 4.6 – 4.5 l/100 km in the 530d and at 5.1 – 5.0 l/100 km 540d. Both vehicles are offered with BMW’s xDrive.

The plug-in hybrid models are offered in BMW 530e Sedan, 530e xDrive Sedan, 530e Touring, BMW 530e xDrive Touring, and BMW 545e xDrive Sedan. Power ranges from 135 kW to 210 kW with consumption as low as 2.1 – 1.9 l/100 km in the BMW 530e Sedan.

BMW 5 Series M Sport Edition

BMW is offering special-edition versions of the new BMW 5 Series Sedan and new BMW 5 Series Touring from launch. These will be in a limited run of 1,000 units and will include the M Sport package, the Donington Grey metallic paint finish previously only available for BMW M models and exclusive, 20-inch BMW Individual Air Performance Wheels in bi-colour design.

The updated 5 Series is expected to reach our shores in the fourth quarter of this year.