After owning a half-dozen BMWs, two of which were 5-Series, and along the way driving every new 5 produced in various trim levels, from a rather anemic 518i that someone mistakenly imported and then couldn’t register, to European turbo-diesels, regular North American-spec inline-sixes and V8 models, as well as mid-‘90s through current generation M5s, I think that i might be overqualified in a somewhat biased leaning to report on this car. Yet my distaste for the currently and soon to be outgoing model should put things back into perspective.
It’s not that the current lineup of 5 sedans, which includes the 528i, 535i, 550i and M5, is particularly bad. In fact, these are great cars. Technically, the 2010 is the best 5-Series yet and anyone who owns one should be happy with their purchase, as long as they keep their eyes closed when walking towards it. Oh, maybe I’m being too rough on the old gal. Truly, it looks better than the dearly departed previous-generation 7, which nearly caused me to cry when first laying eyes on it. I got over it, but never really warmed up to the car. And while I was at first positive about the current 5 when compared to the 7, its mishmash of angles and curves, collage of bisecting panels, granny horn-rimmed glasses-like headlight clusters, ah-so Japanese-style taillight design and general frumpiness, was hardly cured by an interior marred with an unattractive double-bubble dash design and, worse yet, iDrive powering the second bubble.
Making matters more challenging, BMW’s rivals kept getting better during the current 5’s reign, with Audi’s A6 really stepping up to take a significant chunk of a segment once ruled by the 5 and Mercedes E, while the latter car has recently been transformed from oh-so ordinary into out-and-out breathtaking. The Japanese haven’t been sitting still either, Lexus building an excellent GS and Infiniti an even more competitive M, while even Hyundai has brought forth a bona fide 5-fighter in its Genesis sedan. Truly, there’s no better time for BMW to launch an all-new 5 to do battle against growing competition and try and win back a league of disgruntled previous owners who wouldn’t be caught dead behind the wheel of the current generation.
There is only one more important car in BMW’s North American lineup than the 5, and the 3-Series sedan won’t be completely updated for another couple of years. Instead the 5 has gone under the knife and the results are clearly positive; the transformation from one of the oddest looking premium midsize models to one of the most attractive, now featuring young looking surgically enhanced eyes where those aforementioned granny glasses previously wrapped around its less muscular front fenders. The new 5 is all about muscularity, a masculine look that will be sure to ring true with traditional BMW fans. That in mind, its taillights pay tribute to those on one of the most beloved 5s of all time, the third-generation E34 (1988-1996), while the headlight design pulls cues from the new 7, the car it shares its overall architecture with.
At 2,969 mm (116.9 inches) the new 5 is just over 100 millimeters (four inches) shorter than the regular wheelbase 7, but it’s still longer than its main rival from Mercedes-Benz, the E-Class sedan, which measures in with a 2,873-mm (113.1-inch) wheelbase. That gives the 5 more interior space, especially in back where it’s traditionally come up a bit short, and should translate into better ride quality too with greater high-speed stability.
The new F10 (BMW’s internal code name for the newest 5… and if anyone in Munich had ever seen photos of the Datsun that went by the same alphanumeric name they would’ve never allowed it) will get electric power steering assist, which reduces parasitic power loss while enhancing efficiencies, although this may give the new car different steering feel than what BMW enthusiasts are used to. So far, however, 7 Series buyers have not complained about the new steering system, and neither have many professional pundits. As for my experience behind the wheel of a couple of new 7s, BMW has somehow managed to add feel to a system that gets criticized for its lack thereof all too often. The F10 also offers optional active rear-wheel steering, plus an adaptive damping system and active roll control to improve handling.
Improved handling is good, although off-the-line performance is where BMW can improve its 5 most easily. The new 5 will be especially quick as it gets a 300hp turbocharged inline-six in 535i guise, although not the same one we’ve all come to know and love in the last few years. Gone is the twin-turbocharged system currently available on the 135i, 335i and outgoing 535i, replaced by a new engine featuring a single twin-scroll turbo. BMW’s Valvetronic variable lift system is included too, making this the first application of Valvetronic and turbos working together. This combination still produces 300hp and 300 lb-ft of torque, and should make for an excellent entry-level powertrain.
When the 550i nomenclature is fitted to the rear trunk lid the same 400hp twin-turbocharged V8 as already found in the X6, 750i and 550i Gran Turismo gets stuffed under the hood. A marvelous engine, it pulls relentlessly in these heavier cars so should feel particularly energetic in the new lighter weight 5 sedan.
No matter which engine you choose, BMW’s ultra-smooth, quick-shifting 8-speeed automatic gets the nod, other than in base six-cylinder guise where a 6-speed manual comes standard, unique in the midsize premium market. BMW says it will add a normally aspirated version of the inline-six with 240hp late next year, an engine that will be tuned with fuel economy in mind. No doubt, diesel fans will be hoping for a 535d variant, but BMW is hush on this if it is indeed in the cards.
If you like the look of the new 7’s interior then you’ll probably like the new 5, as it’s a cleaner, less cluttered place to be with more flowing lines atop the dash. Everything points towards the driver, as it should be in a BMW, and the overall design is extremely attractive. iDrive continues to be part of the package, like it or lump it, but this is now generation-four and should therefore be more intuitively designed. It connects through to an LCD display on the centre stack that also houses audio and climate control info. A 7.0-inch display comes standard, while a 10.2-inch display can be had as part of the navigation package.
Technology in mind, the new 5 also becomes the first BMW, outside of its new hybrid models, to boast brake energy regeneration. Why? By recouping power from braking and storing it in a heavy duty glass-mat battery pack, it’s there to run ancillary functions while reducing electrical load from the engine, where fuel is needed to create it. After all, BMW has created the technology for its hybrids, so why not use it. It also makes sense that a hybrid version of the 5 will be made available soon, no doubt dubbed ActiveHybrid 5.
And now that we’re hypothesizing, an M5 will be in the cards of course. And while it might at first appear less technically advanced than the current V10-powered car, no one should scoff at a twin-turbo V8 making upwards of 500hp, especially if it makes a little more torque than the current offering.
The new 5 will likely prove extremely popular, and due to a more traditional design, should resonate well with longtime BMW fans. I, for one, am pleased with the design direction BMW is adopting, a subtler approach that might not be as avante garde as the current car, but certainly promises greater staying power that should result in stronger residual values. Yes, it’s all good.
Source:[driving.ca]
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