BMW 5 Series

The 6th generation of the 5 Series model has had its world debut in Munich on 23 November.

The premium midsize sedan hasan athletic and executive look: the design is characterized by a long wheelbase (2.97 meters, the longest in the segment), long hood, short overhangs and a coupe-like roofline.

The brand’s typical styling cues can be found at the front with the kidney grille inclined slightly forward, in the side view of the car, and in the muscular rear end.

The modern interior features a cockpit with a clear orientation to the driver, as in the BMW’s tradition.

At launch, the new BMW 5 Series Sedan will be available with one V-8 and one inline-6 gasoline engine. The top-of-the-range BMW 550i arrives with BMW’s “reverse-flow” V-8 engine featuring twin turbochargers and High Precision direct injection for maximum output of 400 hp.

The new inline-6 of the BMW 535i features a single twin-scroll turbocharger, High Precision direct injection, and, for the first time, VALVETRONIC throttle-less intake technology.

It delivers a maximum output of 300 hp and 300 lb-ft. The 535i and 550i will be available with a choice of 6-speed manual transmission, BMW’s new 8-speed automatic transmission, or new “Sport Automatic” 8-speed.

When equipped with the Sport Package, the new BMW 5 Series Sedan includes Adaptive Drive, which encompasses Driving Dynamics Control, Electronic Damper Control, and Active Roll Stabilization.

Optional Integral Active Steering will virtually extend or shorten the vehicle’s wheelbase for improved stability at high speeds and enhanced agility at lower speeds.

BMW EfficientDynamics technologies include Brake Energy Regeneration, Electric Power Steering, a gearshift point indicator, active cooling air flaps, and on-demand operation of engine accessory drives.

Lightweight materials are used to balance the vehicle and lower its overall weight. For example, components such as doors, hood, front fenders, and suspension assemblies are made of aluminum.

The driver assistance systems include an all-new Parking Assistant, Top View cameras, and Frontal Collision Warning with application of the brakes when ordered with Active Cruise Control plus Stop & Go.

Other driver assistance features available include Blind Spot Warning, Lane Departure Warning, a Head-Up Display, BMW Night Vision with Pedestrian Detection.

The new BMW 5 Series is based on a newly developed vehicle architecture also featured in the BMW 7 Series. Joint production of the two models at Plant Dingolfing, together with the extensive use of shared components, ensures efficient production and high quality standards.

From the official Press Release:

Exterior Design

The proportions of the new BMW 5 Series Sedan are defined in archetypal BMW style by the long wheelbase and hood, short overhangs, aft-set greenhouse, and the coupe-like flowing roofline. The slightly wedge-like shape of the body creates a sporty, forward-moving character.

The fresh interpretation of BMW’s signature Hofmeister kink at the bottom of the C-pillar further emphasizes the dynamic looks of the car in profile.

The entire silhouette is superbly balanced, providing a clear indication of the near-perfect front-to-rear weight distribution for all engine variants.

Measuring 2.97 meters or 116.9”, the wheelbase of the new BMW 5 Series is the longest in the car’s segment, while the sculptural design again distinctive of BMW provides a smooth flow of lines from the front along the side to the rear, creating a body where everything fits together as if out of one mould.

The front end presents the sporting character of the car. The upright BMW kidney grille – even appearing from some angles to lean forward – symbolizes the forward-pushing motion of the sedan and, together with the powerfully flared wheel arches, gives the front end of the car strong charismatic presence.

In conjunction with the BMW Adaptive Xenon headlights (optional on 528i), the daytime running lights incorporate quite unmistakable LED corona rings, while the direction indicators moved far to the outside are made up of ten LED units each.

As a final highlight, an LED focus light marks the upper edge of each headlight unit.

Above the striking contour line running along the car at the height of the door openers, a slightly flared shoulder surface, together with the coupe-like roofline and the stretched window surface, gives the glazed section of the passenger cell a light and stretched look despite its size.

Further down the body, concave modeled surfaces create lively light and shade effects emphasizing the sporting character of the sedan. Greater curvature around the rear wheel arches, finally, bears clear testimony to rear-wheel drive typical of a BMW of this kind.

The dynamic lines of the car are further enhanced by the strikingly compact counter-swing at the bottom of the C-pillar.

Featuring the smallest radius at this point ever to be seen on a BMW sedan, this re-interpretation of the typical Hofmeister kick underlines the stretched silhouette of the car and gives the passenger cell a light and low appearance.

Running parallel to one another, the contour and sill lines rise up dynamically, the former stretching out from the front wheel arch all the way to the rear lights to create the elegant and dynamic look of the car from the side.

The sculptural shape typical of a BMW established in this way makes the side sections and the rear end literally flow into one another.

The contour lines continue into the contours of the rear light clusters and finally come together above the license plate. Seen from the rear, the new BMW 5 Series Sedan also stands out through the concave surface between the contour line and the wheel arches giving the body a distinctly recognizable waist.

The flared wheel arches and the horizontal breakdown of the rear end, in turn, strongly emphasize the powerful stature of the sedan, the wide track and the wheels ending flush with the wheel arches further enhancing this impression.

The L-shaped rear light clusters again reflect the typical look of a BMW and provide that unmistakable night design. Three rows of LED lights form the look of homogeneously glowing bodies again quite characteristic of BMW. And last but not least, the direction indicators and brake lights also come in LED technology.

Interior Design

The cockpit is inclined towards the driver at an angle of approximately 7° and the asymmetrically designed center console likewise emphasizes this clear orientation to the driver.

The horizontal lines of the instrument panel accentuate the feeling of space.

All displays, knobs and buttons serving comfort functions are situated centrally for use by the driver and front passengers; controls for the driver’s use only are to the left of the steering wheel, on or near the steering wheel, or on the front center console.

The steering wheel has power tilt and telescopic adjustment and tilt-away for exit and entry; and of course both front seats come standard with 10-way power adjustment including head-restraint height.

The seating position has been improved over the former model both front and rear, with knee-room on the rear seats of the new BMW 5 Series Sedan up by 13 millimeters or 0.5”.

Luggage compartment capacity is 520 litres or 18.2 cubic feet, and the folding rear-seat backrest available as an option provides greater flexibility in enlarging the car’s transport capacities.

In addition to its 40:60 split, the rear-seat backrest also comes with through-loading and, as yet a further option, a ski-bag for additional convenience.

Like so many aspects of the new 5 Series sedan, its instrument cluster combines BMW tradition with advanced, beautiful new executions.

Here the entire cluster is in a high-resolution Black Panel display, in which four classic circular instruments are most prominent; other driving-relevant displays and readouts – including Navigation if present, vehicle-monitoring functions, upcoming service requirements and other information – also appear here in their various (and function-related) graphic forms. Climate-control settings and controls are located in a second Black Panel display in the center console stack.

With the new 5 Series sedan, BMW’s 4th generation iDrive control screen appears in two versions: with 7.0-in. dimensions and 800 x 480-pixel resolution in standard form, or with the optional Navigation system, in a 10.2-in., 1280 x 480-pixel version with a wider range of features and functions as in the new BMW 7 Series. Displays are transreflective so that light from the sun actually enhances the images on the screen.

The instrument cluster interacts in new ways with the iDrive control display and the available Head-up Display. According to selected function, users can call up phone numbers or radio stations via the steering-wheel controls. The cluster display also augments iDrive’s optional Navigation display with road-realistic directional instructions, helping the driver to change lanes or negotiate a complicated intersection. If the optional Head-up Display is activated, the relevant directions appear there.

The choices of colors and materials further enhance the impression of personal luxury and the interior’s interplay of lines and surfaces.

For the dash’s finely grained upper section, there are two colors depending upon the chosen interior color. Dakota leather is standard on the 550i, and available in six color schemes of which three are new; BMW’s luxurious Nappa leather is optional, and available in three color schemes.

Dark Burl Ash wood trim interior trim is standard, appearing in sweeping expanses on the dash, doors and front center console; Ash Anthracite (gray tone) and another distinctive wood called Fineline Matte are optional.

The center console comes in two variants: On cars with a manual gearbox the console is split into two sections, the black surface surrounding the gearshift lever and the buttons on the optional Driving Dynamics Control oriented towards the driver. A key holder has been placed between the gearshift lever and the climate controls.

On models with automatic transmission, the space between the electronic gear selector lever and the climate control unit offers enough room for two cupholders and a key holder. A further storage compartment is located behind the iDrive Controller (where there is another cupholder on models with a manual gearbox).

(Source: BMW)