The 2017 BMW 5 Series is exactly what you'd imagine:
comfortable, sporty, practical, full of technology, and simply classy. If so, it's more or less the same as usual. The 5 Series is the world's most famous executive sedan, and there's nothing wrong with that.
The seventh-generation BMW 5 Series, the German manufacturer's longest-running 'series', will make its way to Australia around March next year. When it arrives, the new 5er will face the best technology and equipment ever offered by its arch-rival, the Mercedes-Benz E-Class.
At first glance, the new BMW 5 Series looks similar to its predecessor. There are a lot of changes, but they are too subtle - unless you know where to look. Starting from the lines that run across the body and the air vents in the wheel arches, to the updated front and rear lights which now feature a sharper and more modern look. If anything, this car has more in common with the Chris Bangle-designed fifth-generation 5 Series than its predecessor and, to us at least, that's a good thing.
Go inside and the story is much the same. Lots of subtle improvements but very similar to the 5 Series we've known before. In some ways, this generational change is something we might expect from the Japanese and their Kaizen philosophy of small improvements per cycle. There's a lot to like about the Series 5, but there's also nothing that makes you go, 'wow'.
You can park your 5 Series anywhere within phone range, then use BMW's smartphone app to have the car take a picture of its oval-shaped surroundings. Basically, you can use the Series 5 as a hidden spy camera with high-resolution imagery. That's something.
It's amazing how good the surround photos turn out. It's so good, in fact, that BMW says it has limited use of the feature to three photos per hour - out of concern for the privacy of anyone nearby. However, if you're worried about where your car is or whether there are people around who shouldn't be there, you can easily check before getting there. Most importantly, BMW does not store images or log the car's location, so, even if requested by authorities, the information is not available to anyone but you.
We also couldn't activate the Apple CarPlay system wirelessly, which is a shame as the new 5 Series is the first car in the world to enable this feature (rather than requiring a Lightning cable connection to the iPhone).
Once you get in, the cabin ambiance improves significantly compared to the old car. Not by anything major, but simply by changing the materials used on certain surfaces, using a 10.25-inch super high-resolution screen as well as a very large head-up display - by far the largest we've ever seen - with bright colors and Very impressive utilization.
Prices
for the new BMW 5 Series will start at $93,900 for the 520d and rise to $136,900 for the 540i (plus on-roads). Complete prices and specifications can be seen here. This is a relative improvement over its predecessor, which started the range with the 520d at $84,755.
That said, the list of additional equipment is quite extensive (far outweighing the cost of the options compared to the price increase) and BMW Australia should be applauded for raising the price but delivering a ton of equipment that really should be standard on every 5 Series.
These include dynamic damper control for a much better ride, the M-spoke package, Driving and Parking Assistant Plus, and more.
Our test drive at the international launch of the new 5 Series in Portugal involved a BMW 540i with 250kW, 450Nm from its just-launched 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine, and a 530d ($119,900), which delivered very impressive performance. 195kW and 620Nm of torque from the 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo diesel engine.
The 540i is rear-wheel drive, while the 530d uses xDrive, which is BMW's all-wheel-drive system that we're unlikely to get in Australia - due to the lack of weather requirements, like in Europe and the US.
BMW's insistence that all 5 Series cars should feel the same everywhere in the world means that there are no special adjustments for the Australian market. All the cars they produce have the same damper, suspension, and steering settings worldwide. For us, this immediately raised alarm bells. After all, the smooth, well-maintained surface of the German Autobahn is a far cry from Australia's neglected and often potholed motorways.
Thankfully, Portugal shares more with Australia in road management than Germany does:
namely, we're both terrible at it, so we had the opportunity to take the 5 Series over some truly terrible roads, and the results were quite surprising. It's fair to say it doesn't float over bumps like the super-luxurious E-Class and its adaptive air suspension (which you're required to opt for in Australia), but, considering it has dynamic suspension as standard, the ride is quite good.
Even more impressive, considering ride comfort, are the driving dynamics. There's usually only one company that manages to find that strange balance between driving comfort and dynamic performance time and time again, and that's Porsche. Well, we can add BMW to the list now.
The BMW 5 Series rides exceptionally well, whether it's its relentless grip, its superbly balanced and highly communicative steering, or the way it accelerates around corners but never dives or rolls or punishes its occupants harshly. Whatever you call it, the driving dynamics are perfect. It's BMW, and the German brand has lived up to its own standards.
For us, the 530d with its ridiculous amount of torque and 0-100km/h time of just 5.7 seconds, is a pretty good choice for its intended purpose as a business sedan - but who wouldn't want a turbocharged six-cylinder petrol engine?? The 540i is fast, a quick 5.1 seconds. That said, it's still a long way from the 550i's 4.1-second sprint - quicker than the soon-to-be-replaced F10 M5 - but we won't be getting that in Australia. At least for now.
pounding around the Portuguese countryside in the 540i is a good demonstration of how far the 5 Series has come. Here, we have a big sedan that can go faster around twisty corners than most dedicated sports cars of ten years ago. It's well-balanced, has great grip, and always inspires confidence to keep going.
However, this is very ridiculous. There is virtually no road noise, wind noise, or anything like that. The level of soundproofing is very noticeable and on the highway, it almost puts you to sleep.
In most cars, falling asleep while driving is a bad thing, but in the new BMW 5 Series, it's not so bad - thanks in large part to the variety of semi-autonomous driving technologies the car is now equipped with.
With stereo sensors in the windshield, a giant radar in the front bumper that even has a heating element to combat rain or ice, hidden radar sensors on the front and rear sides, plus a ton of ultrasonic sensors, the 5 Series has a lot going for it. eye. He can see more than before and, thus, he can also do many things himself.
One of the new features that BMW has introduced on the 5 Series is the autonomous lane change feature. If you have active cruise control on, and there's no one in your blind spot, simply press and hold the indicator in the direction you want and the BMW will change lanes by itself. It's a little scary, and more often than not we found ourselves frantically checking our heads, as it's hard to trust a car to make such decisions, but it never let us down. It changed lanes perfectly.
of course, the question must be asked, what is the point? Under what circumstances would you care enough to ask a car to change lanes for you? This is a relatively personal question and may apply differently to each individual, but the implication is clear - it's another step in vehicle autonomy. The 5 Series can now essentially drive itself on the highway, able to follow a lane and maintain its speed either at set point or to the car in front. Indeed, when it comes to driving on the road, the 5 Series is autonomous, if not for the fact that it is programmed to hand back control if hands are not behind the wheel (legal regulations and all). Give it time, and it won't have to be done.
While we're playing around with the car's self-driving capabilities, it's a good time to appreciate the cabin. The cabin atmosphere is amazing. The materials used have been upgraded to another level. You won't be impressed by the feel of the giant twin LCD screens like the E-Class, but it's a big step up from its predecessor and we can't fault it for what it is.
The latest version of iDrive is also quite good, easy to use, and fast. Easily the best in the business. It comes with a ton of features like Microsoft Exchange connectivity and the ability to sync with your iPhone's calendar to know where your next meeting is and tell you when you need to leave, based on traffic (iOS already does this itself, mind you). There are so many individualization options available, that you can spend several hours customizing it to your liking.
The back seat is also quite spacious. Two large adults can spend time there in comfort, and the auto's greenhouse allows decent visibility for second-row passengers.
Towards the trunk, you can kick the rear bumper and it will open. Handy if your hands are full, although it is nothing new. That's big. It's actually quite big. But if you want practicality and extra space, you'll have to wait for the train.
Overall, the new BMW 5 Series takes all the advantages of its predecessor one step further. It strikes a somewhat odd balance between dynamic performance and comfort that we've never seen before from a German manufacturer. It's also a proper luxury car, with an interior that can finally compete with its rivals.
If you've been waiting for a big new luxury sedan, and if sporty driving dynamics have any particular appeal, the 5 Series will meet your every expectation.
