BMW 5 Series 2017 Review

BMW 530d xDrive and 540i sDrive
International Launch
Sintra, Portugal

An automotive icon, the BMW 5 Series executive sedan in large part shapes the world’s perception of the BMW brand. No pressure then on the team that designed, built and perfected the seventh-generation G30 line-up. And perfected is an appropriate term, for the new 5 Series is very much a standout in the Bavarian company’s line-up. Faster, more spacious, more luxurious and yet lighter and more economical, the new 5 Series model range delivers cutting-edge semi-autonomous driving, unprecedented levels of integration and connectivity and, above all, a proper BMW focus on driving dynamics and feel-good feedback.

There’s a spring in BMW’s 5 Series project team’s step. And it’s because it believes it now not only has the best car in the executive segment, but that its new 5 Series has its elemental BMW-ness back in spades.

If the 3 Series and X5 are BMW’s engine-room, in terms of sales and dollars, the 5 Series is its calling card. And in the last couple of generations it’s been good but not at the absolute top of its game.

In the face of a renewed and better than ever Mercedes-Benz E-Class, Munich’s engineers couldn’t afford to miss the target this time around. And they haven’t, the all new G30 5 Series is a bullseye.

Styling is oh so very BMW -- as you'd expect, given the 5 Series’ place in the BMW lexicon, but there’s certainly a touch more aggression and angularity in the metal than is apparent on screen. It's a good-looking bus.

What's also impressive is its aerodynamic efficiency. With a drag coefficient of just 0.22Cd in its slipperiest form, the new BMW 5 Series at the very least matches the benchmark for sedans. While this aero focus improves efficiency, it also helps make the new 5 Series one of the quietest cars at speed that I've experienced. Yes, it’s that good.

We’ve detailed the Australian pricing, engine details, fuel economy and specification for the local four-model 5 Series range here.

It’s a comprehensive look at the line-up and the myriad new features and systems the 5 Series brings Down Under and therefore I won’t repeat all of the content here. It’s worth reviewing a few pointers, nonetheless.

In its latest generation, the 5 Series is 29mm longer overall at 4936mm and rides on a mildly stretched (+7mm) wheelbase. It's wider too and front and rear wheel tracks have been increased marginally. Despite of the larger footprint, thanks to the adoption of the lightweight chassis design pioneered by the new 7 Series, the new five is around 100kg lighter than the car it replaces.

The chassis is a blend of ultra-high strength steels and aluminium, but does not use the 7’s carbon-fibre parts. The engineers say they reached their weight target for the new car without black art. But a key point is also industrialisation of the carbon parts.

Head of the 5 Series project for BMW Johann Kistler told motoring.com.au that the company will build as many 5 Series cars next year as the whole generation of 7s – it simply can’t build enough carbon pieces. Look, however, for some carbon reinforcement to be used in the upcoming 5 Series flagship M5.

Carbon aside it appears BMW did adopt what appears a gram-by-gram strategy elsewhere. Unsprung mass has been reduced (lighter brakes and wheels, for example) and almost all of the new 5’s panels are aluminium. Indeed, the lightweight metal has been used extensively.

By way of example, the new 5’s doors feature an aluminium shell construction in addition to their aluminium skins. BMW claims that at around 6kg each, the doors are the lightest in this segment.

In addition to reducing weight BMW claims the new car is safer than ever before thanks to a combination of structure, pre-crash systems, active safety and new electronically controlled airbags. The new 5 Series also has an active bonnet to improve pedestrian safety.

Packaging has been a focus of the generational change. In many markets 5 Series owners are driven rather than drive – so it’s not just dynamics that the development team prioritised.

There’s appreciably more space in the rear of the new 5 Series. An extra 2cm has been added to the couple distance between front and rear seats and, in addition, the rear of the front seats has been re-profiled to yield more knee space. BMW has also tweaked the foot well to add space and make it easier for back-seaters to get in and out.

While it was hardly lacking luggage space in previous generations, the new five adds extra boot capacity (10 litres for a total of 530). BMW says three ISOFIX child seats will fit across the rear seat, which itself can be specified with a 40:20:40-split folding function. Even the upcoming 530e plug-in hybrid has decent boot space (430 litres)

Gone are the stark, hard-surfaced cabins that seemed to define BMW just a few years ago. The new 5 is plush, particularly in the upper-spec models that feature Nappa leather and Comfort seats straight from the 7 Series. Sportier models get sportier seats but they’re still armchair quality.

In the front half of the cabin there's also been a focus on better incidental storage. New larger door pockets now take a one-litre drink bottle. And at the front of the centre console there is a compartment for a phone complete with inductive charging. It’s large enough for an iPhone Plus.

The large tri-corder style Display Key (Trekkies will understand) that is now shared by 5 and 7 Series (and delivers functionality such as remote operation of ventilation and heating) is also charged wirelessly in this space.

There is a significant boost in the level of integration of systems across the new 5 Series. Some of this is deeply embedded and will only become noticeable as owners get to know the car better. For instance, the controls for seat and steering wheel heating are automated at low temperatures.

The rest are more obvious – the infotainment system for one. The new 5 Series introduces the sixth generation of iDrive. The interface features larger representations for the various functions (BMW calls them ‘pads’) and owners can move and choose operations to customise their home screen.

The resolution of a new screen is impressive, as is the way maps and other information is presented. Maps are updated automatically "over the air" and in the European setting, in which we tested the 5 Series, 3-D city representations was realistic enough to be useful.

One thing that is not as impressive is the way the gesture control systems work. Perhaps the no-touch functionality (including volume control and map scaling) will work better as an owner becomes more familiar with the system. Bu for the time being it seems more gimmick than gift. Voice control works well but is still troubled by an Aussie accent – stick a plum in your mouth as you drive.

What is not a gimmick is the parking assistant plus package that will be fitted as standard to all models Down Under. Combining surround view functionality and a new remote 3-D view as well as Park Distance Control and auto parking, the system is a boon in tight spaces.

We are also fans of the new, larger full-colour head-up display. This technology has matured to the point where it is truly useful, particularly when combined with navigation instructions.

Automatic for the people
The new 5 Series introduces the next level of autonomous driving to the BMW range, although project boss Kistler admits full autonomy is still a generation or so away.

Adaptive cruise control, speed limit recognition, lane keeping and steering assistance are all features of the system. BMW’s own engineers are keen to categorise the system as "your co-pilot" rather than pump up the "full autonomous" potential. BMW says the systems operate at up to 210km/h -- somewhat academic on our roads.

On multilane roads the system works well but does prompt you to confirm steering input at relatively short intervals. At around 120km/h we timed the initial prompt at just seven seconds, however, the vehicle continued to provide steering assistance for more than 30 seconds before a warning required driver to provide steering input.

Timing is related to speed and the traffic conditions sensed, BMW experts told us. In bumper-to-bumper traffic the autonomous functionality allows considerably more time between inputs. Great for those tedious commutes.

The auto lane change function works well on straight roads with just a touch of the indicator stalk. Combine a lane change with a sweeping highway corner and the function is confidence inspiring. In reality most drivers will just momentarily take control.

One could argue the operation of BMW's autonomous drive systems is tailored as much to prepare drivers and authorities for the autonomous future as it is to provide day-to-day functionality to drivers. Indeed, the BMW experts on hand for the 5 Series launch said as much.

One smart piece of technology that gets our tick of approval today is BMW's latest intelligent idle-stop function. This system uses navigation and other sensing data to determine whether it should shut off the engine as you slow. This should mean an end to those annoying engine stops/starts at stop signs and roundabouts.

The autonomous systems also sense and warn the driver of upcoming give-way and stop signs -- at least in European markets. It's not clear whether this technology will be compatible with our signage. Watch this space.

Australian 5 Series buyers will, however, definitely be able to option remote-control parking functionality. This system allows the driver to position the car in front of a tight parking space and then manoeuvre their car to its final position using the key.

We drove two 5 Series variants at the international launch in Portugal. Neither were exact matches to models we'll get in Australia, but both for varying reasons gave us a good taste of what's coming when the new model arrives in March 2017.

The Luxury Line 530d xDrive we sampled features BMW's latest B57 six-cylinder turbo-diesel powerplant coupled to the default and excellent eight-speed auto BMW uses in so many models.

If there is a better sounding turbo-diesel made today, we haven't heard it. Although the 530d does give some performance away on paper to the 535d it replaces (trimmed from 230kW to 195 and from 630Nm to a nonetheless still muscular 620), you'd be nitpicking given the extra equipment and price difference between the two models.

At $119,900, the 530d is $4000 or so cheaper than the car it replaces – and, as the story of the new 5 Series range, has a claimed $16K worth of extra equipment. Our pricing and spec news has all the details.

Our 530d tester featured BMW's xDrive AWD system and rear wheel steering (an option on all models) so wasn't completely representative in terms of handling nor performance. But the signs are good.

BMW has reworked both front and rear suspensions of the 5 Series in the new generation. There have been significant geometry changes and reductions in both overall and unsprung mass. All of these factors contribute to a better riding and better handling car than the previous generation and, just perhaps, makes it the car the 5 Series really needs to be to beat the Mercedes-Benz E-Class.

Steering especially is a highlight. The fully electric system delivers significant weighting differences across BMW's Driving Experience Control modes, but in all cases the result is linear and pure in terms of its feedback and accuracy.

The other highlight is the new car’s blend of ride and road-holding. On the Luxury rather than M Sport suspension, the ride was commendable especially over the broken bitumen we encountered on our test loop to the north and south of Lisbon.

But that ride doesn't come at the expense of body control. Changes of direction were smooth and controlled and the car exhibited almost a total lack of the diagonal pitching that afflicts some vehicles in this segment.

It will be instructional to compare like-for-like between BMW and Benz when we get back on local roads. There is no doubt there is a battle brewing between these state-of-the-art executive sedans

The 540i is the range-topper for the time being. It's powered by the latest in a line of iconic BMW six-cylinder petrol engines, now turbocharged.

The story of this engine is an almost atmo-style blend of power and torque. Although the 450Nm peak arrives early (from just 1380rpm), the engine is a willing and tuneful revver right through to 5200rpm. It’s one 5 Series that would be great with a manual gearbox – but that’s just the nostalgic coming out in me.

It’s seriously fast as delivered – 200km/h plus bursts seemed only a few seconds away from the 120km/h legal cruise on Portuguese roads. Even more impressive is the overtaking urge from 80 to 120km/h.

Featuring lowered M Sport suspension as standard, the $136,900 540i is supremely capable. Bigger brakes, wider alloy wheels (19s on our tester, 20s in Oz) all contribute to make this an impressive sports sedan, one that's closer than ever to those that have previously worn the M badge.

The 540i is a substantial $19,285 more than the outgoing 535i, however, BMW Australia claims the added equipment boasted by the new car represents an increase in value of around $34K

As part of that value-add, Aussie 540s will get Adaptive Drive Dynamic Roll Stabilisation as standard equipment. We didn’t drive a car so-equipped. The 540i sDrive (rear-wheel drive) test car was every inch the BMW we expected, so hopefully the cleverer suspension doesn’t upset the balance and poise of the basic package.

No, it's not perfect – and nor is it cheap – but the new 540i is a certified cracker.