Next-gen BMW 5 Series debuts with 590 HP fully-electric variant

The latest version of the BMW 5 Series has officially debuted with three main variants. There’s the all-electric i5, the combustion-powered 530i, and the mild hybrid 540i. As a whole, the new 5 series gets plenty of notable updates for its exterior styling and features. 

THE NEW i5

Sales for the BMW next-generation 5 Series will start in the US market in 2024. As for the local market, BWM Philippines has yet to say if we’ll be getting the 8th-generation version of the 5 Series. So for now, let’s check out what this all-new Bimmer offers. 

Exterior

In terms of appearance, the all-new 5 Series gets a slim, and sleek “Kidney” grille which contrasts the large one on the new 7 Series. This grille, however, does protrude forwards a bit as a nod to the “Sharknose” front ends found on the 1st and 2nd-generation 5-series. 

The all-new BMW 5 Series

Other than the above, the rest of the exterior doesn’t depart from the original sleekness of the outgoing model. A tasteful mix of angular lines is still present on the front end, which then transitions to straight character lines on the side. As always, this new BMW sedan’s window line ends with the brand’s signature Hofmeister kink. 

Present on the model is a pair of LED headlamps that appear to have upward sweeping ends that wrap towards the side. The rear then comes with a pair of new LED taillights, which are far more compact compared to the ones on the older sedan. 

BMW i5 M60

While appearing as an evolved form of the older model, the new 5 Series did grow in size. Specifically, it is now 5,060mm long, 1,900mm wide, and 1,515mm in height. That’s a gain of 86mm, 33mm, and 35mm respectively.

Interior

In contrast to the conservative changes made to the exterior, the interior of the new model gets plenty of updates.

A peek inside the next-gen sedan.

Depending on the trim, it now sports vegan leather for its seats and on its soft-touch surfaces. The entire dashboard was also sculpted to be straighter and more minimalistic. The automatic air-conditioning controls now come in the form of touch controls instead of buttons and knobs as well.  

The gear-shift lever then gave way to a toggle-type gear selector but the rotary controller on the center console was kept. Also, the driver now gets a flat-bottom steering wheel, while all occupants can now enjoy a tilt-and-slide moonroof. 

Tech & Safety

The flatter, re-shaped dash accommodates a 12.3-inch driver’s display and a 14.9-inch touchscreen display. The aforementioned central touchscreen gets BMW’s latest iDrive 8.5 operating system while connectivity is provided by Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Additional entertainment on the new BMW 5 Series can then be had from the German marque’s AirConsole which offers a variety of video games. This can be accessed from the central display when the car is stationary.

The new 5 Series gets a sliding moonroof or an optional fixed glass roof

Standard safety for the all-new 5 Series includes dual front airbags, side airbags, head airbags, a seatbelt force limiter, tire pressure monitoring, anti-lock braking, stability control, etc.

The new 5 Series model likewise gets an eye-activated lane change support system. As per its name, all a driver needs to command the car to perform an automated lane change is to look at the car’s side mirrors. This is available from the BMW Driving Assistance Professional safety suite. Other standard active safety systems present on the new 5 Series include adaptive cruise control, blind spot monitoring, front collision mitigation, etc. 

This new Bimmer is filled to the brim with tech.

Parking is likewise made easier on the new Bimmer thanks to its automatic parking assist feature which comes standard on all trims. If that isn’t enough, there’s also the optional Parking Assistant Plus package which adds a 3D exterior view, a 360-degree monitor, and an anti-theft recorder, among others. 

Engine & Performance

The all-new 5 Series gets several powertrain options. Starting with the fully-electric i5 versions, the eDrive40 base model gets a single rear-mounted motor that’s good for 335 horsepower and 400 Nm of torque. The higher-spec M60 XDrive meanwhile, gets a twin motor setup outputting 590 horsepower and 794 Nm of torque sent to all four of its wheels. 

According to the Bavarian carmaker, the M60 is capable of reaching 0-100 km/h time of just 3.7 seconds. The eDrive40 in turn, has a 0-100 km/h time of 5.7 seconds. 

5 Series from the rear

For range, BMW says that the M60 can cover 411 kilometers. The rear-wheel-drive eDrive40 meanwhile, has an estimated 474 kilometers of range. Powering up from 10 to 80 percent for both trims can then be done in just 30 minutes with a DC fast charger.

For the entry-level combustion engine versions, there’s the base 530i and the 530i XDrive. Both use a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, outputting 255 horsepower and 400 Nm of torque. 

Last but not least is the 540i mild hybrid. For this particular trim makes a bit more at 375 horsepower and 520 Nm of torque. 

Numbers-wise, the i5 M60 is the most powerful in the variant lineup

Both the 530i variants as well as the 540i come standard with an eight-speed automatic gearbox. The 530i versions are rear-wheel-drive, while the 540i gets all-wheel-drive. 

Price

The next-generation 2023 BMW 5 Series for the US market starts at $57,900. At current exchange rates, that’s equivalent to about Php 3.236 million. 

BMW’s new 5 Series sedan will then see a global debut on October 5. Other 5 Series versions are expected to come out as well.  By then, we hope that a local launch will be confirmed as well. 

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