The BMW 5 Series is a hugely capable, beautifully built, and spacious premium saloon that’s also great to drive. Arguably, it is still one of the most complete cars on sale today, despite having waned in popularity in South Africa.
The BMW 5 Series heritage in South Africa is undeniable. From the establishment of Plant Rosslyn (the first BMW plant anywhere in the world outside of Germany), the 5 Series (E28) was the first BMW to be produced in South Africa under the newly formed BMW South Africa, and was assembled at the plant until the E34 replaced it in 1989, which would become the last 5 Series produced here.
Its history here also includes the creation of the legendary BMW 530MLE in 1976 (the second car produced by BMW’s fledgling M division), designed to compete in the local Modified Production Series.
The 5 Series is also one of the most awarded model ranges in South African history, having been crowned South African Car of the Year by the SA Guild of Mobility Journalists no fewer than three times.
Few vehicles are as accomplished as the 5 Series. BMW’s executive saloon has long been considered one of the best all-round cars you can buy, and the seventh-generation model delivers the talents of its predecessors with a healthy dose of hi-tech kit and construction in the mix.
There has been a 5 Series in BMW SA’s line-up for more than five decades now, and the all-new 5 Series model – officially launched here last month – remains an exemplar of fine engineering and offers a superbly driver-focused approach.
As you’d expect, the latest car is packed with BMW’s most up-to-date technology and safety features, but it also offers more interior space than its predecessor thanks to the adoption of the larger platform from the bigger 7 Series. It’s lighter than previously due to the extensive use of aluminium for the body panels and internal structures. At the same time, the all-electric model introduces emissions-free motoring to the line-up, widening the range’s appeal.
SIMPLIFIED MODEL RANGE
While the 5 Series is one of only a handful of luxury saloons still sold here, it retains mass appeal outside of the country and remains a stalwart of BMW’s global model offering. And as sales of the 5 Series have capitulated to the total onslaught of the luxury SUV (or SAV, in the case of BMW), the company has distilled its offering to only two derivatives – 520d and i5 M60 xDrive – with a smaller capacity i5 40 joining the line-up later in the year.
The 5 Series is luxurious, beautifully built, and has always been one of the most engaging cars in its segment. The new car doesn’t disappoint. It may be bigger than its predecessor, but it feels just as nimble. The styling is smart and daring – a revolution on the previous model – combining cues from the new 7 Series with a new design language. The BMW kidney grille, which projects far forward, features a wide surround and optional BMW Iconic Glow contour lighting, while the side view is dominated by a high shoulder line and two precisely traced character lines. Black side skirts, flush-mounted door openers and an embossed number 5 at the base of the C-pillar are further eye-catchers, and the flat rear lights divided by a chrome strip expressively interpret the hallmark L-shape. Optional enhancements include the M Sport Package and the M Sport Package Pro.
The range opens with the turbodiesel-powered 520d (offered at R1,247,894) and is, in our mind, the pick of the crop. Lighter by almost 600 kg than the range-topping i5 M60 xDrive (R2,190,000), the 520d feels elegant and refined from the first drive, expelling its 145 kW and 400 Nm in a buttery, predictably suave way. The oil burner also employs a clever mild-hybrid eight-speed transmission that adds 13 kW and 200 Nm to the mix for satisfyingly direct gear changes. It’s also no slouch, and will sprint to 100 km/h in 7.3 seconds.
Everything about the 5 Series is extremely refined, with barely a hint of wind or engine noise intruding into the cabin. The standard suspension is compliant and comfortable, too, and a sportier M Sport suspension and brake system set-up is available as an option.
Although a technological tour de force, boasting a string of high-tech advancements such as directly controlled wheel slip limitation, and Adaptive Suspension Professional with electronically controlled shock absorbers and active rear-wheel-steering, the i5 driving experience is vastly different to the lighter 520d.
Phenomenal in many ways, the i5 issues a maximum of 442 kW and 820 Nm from its twin electric motors and batteries (with “Boost mode”, activated from a button on the steering wheel, accounting for a small portion of that), which is enough to barrel down the highway at a top speed of 230 km/h, and rocket the near-three-tonne beast to 100 km/h from standstill in only 3.8 seconds. Yet, despite its mind-bending performance, it somehow lacks the suppleness of its less powerful sibling.
REFINED AND FORWARD-THINKING
The BMW 5 Series’ top-notch refinement is backed up by one of the classiest cabins in the business. The quality of the materials and finish are first-rate, while there’s plenty of standard kit and, for the first time, a fully vegan interior.
There are also fewer buttons than before as touch-sensitive controls with haptic feedback have replaced those controls that have not been integrated into the onboard computer system.
The BMW Curved Display reinterprets the brand’s hallmark idea of driver orientation, and consists of a 12.3″ information display (running BMW Operating System 8.5) and a 14.9″ control display. The steering wheel has also been redesigned with a flattened lower section and haptic feedback on the control panels and the selector lever on the centre console. The optional BMW Interaction Bar is another highlight. The effectively backlit functional unit with crystalline surface structure extends across the entire width of the instrument panel far into the door panels and includes touch-sensitive controls.
There are more than 40 driver-assistance technologies at work at any given time in the new 5 Series, and, with the aid of a high-res eight-megapixel camera, the 5 Series benefits from augmented views for turn-by-turn navigation and a more refined park-assist function as well.
LAST WORD
By rationalising the new 5 Series line-up, BMW has given the strongest indication yet as to where its business saloon might be headed in the future. While other markets still have the option of petrol-powered versions and plug-in hybrid models, BMW South Africa is more subscribed to electro-mobility than ever with the 5 Series, and we wouldn’t be surprised if the 520d is the last ICE Five to make its way here.
That said, the G60 5 Series range is hard to fault as an overall offering, and for as long as it is around, we will continue to sing its praises.
PRICELIST: BMW 5 SERIES
BMW 520d R1.247.894
BMW i5 40 R1.842.500BMW i5 M60 R2.190.000
Report by BERNIE HELLBERG JR | Images © BMW SOUTH AFRICA
