The new BMW 5 Series has landed in South Africa following its global unveiling nine months prior.
Local customers have two flavours of the premium business sedan to choose from comprising one diesel and one fully-electric model, the most affordable of which goes for R1,247,894.
The new generation of the 5 Series has grown in size, features a completely overhauled look, and brings a host of new in-cabin technologies.
Standard equipment
The latest 5 Series range features a revised exterior design underscored by redesigned head and taillight clusters, a widened kidney grille, a more aggressively sloping waistline, a selection of light-alloy wheels starting at 19 inches in diametre, and standard fitment of the M Sport package that brings sporty bumpers and side skirts.
Inside the cabin, the sedan boasts a new curved display comprising a 12.3-inch instrument cluster and a 14.9-inch infotainment system, which operates on the manufacturer’s updated iDrive 8.5 software that supports functions such as Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, onboard navigation, voice assist, over-the-air updates, and online video streaming services.
Veganza leather Sports seats with electric adjustment and heating are further included, as are keyless entry and start, automatic airconditioning, cruise control, lane-keep assist, traffic sign recognition, front and rear parking sensors, a reverse camera, automatic LED lights with high-beam assist, rain-sensing wipers, and a hands-free tailgate.
Exclusive to the i5, the flagship was also on the receiving end of four-zone climate control and a panoramic sunroof.
Powertrains
The base BMW 520d is equipped with a 2.0-litre, turbocharged diesel engine matched with a 48V mild-hybrid system and eight-speed automatic transmission that delivers drive to the rear wheels.
The setup generates 145kW and 400Nm and sends the sedan to 100km/h in 7.3 seconds and up to a top speed of 233km/h. Fuel consumption for the diesel-powered BMW is rated at a lowly 5.1-5.6l/100km.
The top-spec i5, meanwhile, comes with two electric motors pushing out a massive 442kW and 795Nm, which despite the added half-tonne heft brought about by the sizeable 81.2kWh battery, cuts the 0-100km/h acceleration time to just 3.8 seconds.
The i5’s speedometer maxes out at 230km/h, and it achieves a maximum driving range of 515km.
Charging the electric 5 Series from 10-80% can be done in just 30 minutes using a 205kW DC plug; and with a 22kW AC home charger, a 0-100% top-up takes around four hours and 15 minutes.
The i5 is also fitted with adaptive suspension and rear-wheel steering at no extra cost, whereas these are optional extras on the 520d.
Price
The South Africa pricing and model line-up of the new BMW 5 Series are as follows:
- BMW 520d M Sport – R1,247,894
- BMW i5 M60 xDrive – R2,190,000
Each purchase includes a 2-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty and a 5-year/100,000km maintenance plan, with the i5 additionally receiving an 8-year/100,000km battery warranty.
BMW 520d M Sport
BMW i5 M60 xDrive
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