BMW has finally taken the covers off its next-generation 5 Series which for the first time will be offered as a fully-electric model in the form of the i5.
Market launch of the executive sedan will commence in the fourth quarter of 2023 and South Africa is confirmed to be receiving a variety of turbo-diesel drivetrains, plug-in hybrids, as well as the battery-electric flagship.
The new 5 Series was redesigned from the ground up with an entirely new interior and exterior composition, a more advanced operating concept, enhanced digital services, and increased sustainability throughout the entire product life cycle.
Everything new on the 5 Series
The next-gen 5 Series boasts an all-new design with the famous kidney grille projecting further forward and featuring a wider surround than before, and the twin headlights now incorporate LED fixtures arranged almost vertically which serve as turn signals and daytime running lights.
Around the flanks, cosmetic changes include black side skirts, flush door handles, an embossed number 5 on the C-pillar, two continuous character lines, and light-alloy wheels measuring between 18 and 19 inches.
At the rear, the flattened light clusters divided by a chrome strip and a new bumper encompass the bulk of the updates.
Compared to the outgoing 5 Series, the new one has grown in length by 97mm to 5,060mm, in width by 32mm to 1,900mm, and in height by 36mm to 1,515mm.
Moving into the passenger compartment, the four-door now features BMW’s latest interior design language which is hallmarked by the curved operating system on the dash that houses a 12.3-inch digital driver’s display and a 14.9-inch media centre.
The latest operating system 8.5 now features an overhauled user interface and a “Quick Select” concept that allows operators to quickly and easily select certain frequently-used apps without having to navigate through several sub-menus.
Moreover, it offers smartphone integration, ConnectedDrive online services, over-the-air updates, augmented reality navigation, a voice assistant, online video streaming, and for the first time, the AirConsole platform that lets passengers “play so-called casual games while the vehicle is stationary,” said BMW.
Upgrades to the new 5 Series continue through fitment of a new-look steering wheel with a flattened lower section and haptic feedback buttons, a new gear selector lever on the centre console, and Sports seats wrapped in vegan leather – making the 5 Series the first car in the BMW stable with this material equipped as standard.
Six driving profiles are also available through the My Modes function with an “Efficient” option reserved for the electric i5 in order to draw as much as possible range from the battery.
The BMW boasts a suite of advanced driver-assist features, too, such as the parking assistant with 360-degree cameras, the reversing assistant, active lane change assist, cruise control, front-collision warning with city collision mitigation, and blind-spot detection.
The optional Driving Assistant Professional then brings a first-for-the-brand Highway Assistant which relieves the driver of steering tasks on highways with separated directional lanes, as well as the Active Lane Change Assistant with eye activation that suggests a lane change which can automatically be carried out by looking in the exterior mirror to confirm the lane change.
Other paid-for extras include a panoramic sunroof, four-zone climate control, a 12-speaker Harman Kardon stereo, leather upholsteries, a heated steering wheel and seats, a touch-sensitive control bar on the dashboard, and the M Sport and M Sport Pro packages.
In South Africa, the 5 Series will initially be offered in 520d and i5 M60 guises, with a six-cylinder diesel and two plug-in hybrid drivelines joining the line-up in 2024.
The entry-level 520d utilises a 2.0-litre, four-cylinder, turbo-diesel configuration generating 145kW and 400Nm with an additional 8kW and 25Nm coming from a newly-installed 48-volt mild-hybrid system.
Sending power to the rear tyres is an eight-speed automatic transmission with the sedan handling the 0-100km/h sprint in 7.3 seconds and continuing to a top speed of 233km/h, while fuel consumption is listed at 5.1-5.6l/100km.
The i5 M60 xDrive, on the other hand, employs an electric motor on each axle for a combined output of 380kW and 795Nm, which can be upped to 442kW and 820Nm if the right buttons are pressed.
In this configuration, the BMW manages to clear 100km/h in a brisk 3.8 seconds and it runs out of steam at 230km/h.
Supplying juice to the motors is an 81.2kWh high-voltage battery which lends the BMW a maximum range of 516km. On a 205kW DC charger, the pack replenishes from 10-80% in approximately 30 minutes, and with an 11kW AC home charger, it charges from flat to full in eight hours and 15 minutes.
This i5 is also equipped with adaptive electronic suspension and the M sport brake system as standard.
Optional add-ons in the performance department are available in the form of rear-axle steering and lowered sports suspension.
BMW i5 M60 xDrive
BMW 530e
Join the discussion