BMW has released the first set of details and pictures of its all-new 5 Series sedan, just a month after Mercedes-Benz took the wraps off the latest E-class. The new 5 Series from BMW (codename: G60) now also gets an all-electric i5 line-up, similar to what the i7 is for the latest 7 Series flagship sedan. The latest BMW 5 Series line-up, apart from the all-electric i5, gets petrol, diesel and plug-in hybrid powertrains on offer, depending on the market.
- New 5 Series is longer, wider and taller than before
- Styling more on the evolutionary side
- Features a fully vegan interior
BMW 5 Series G60 exterior design
The 5 Series G60’s styling can be termed more as an evolution of the previous-gen car, and not a “revolution”, which we saw when BMW redesigned the 7 Series to give it a unique front design. The new 5 Series looks as conventional as its predecessor, giving the gigantic grille or the outlandish split headlamp design a miss, but going with styling that can immediately be recognised as a BMW 5 Series. It definitely looks more modern; it gets the flush-fit door handles like the 7 Series, sportier bumpers at both ends with blacked-out inserts and sleek tail-lights.
The new 5 Series is larger than the one it replaces – it is around 85mm longer, 33mm wider and around 35mm taller. It has a 20mm longer wheelbase too, which could result in slightly more rear legroom. The new car has a drag coefficient of 0.23.
BMW 5 Series G60 interior
On the inside, the new 5 Series gets the latest twin-screen cockpit that is now seen on the updated 3 Series, the M2 and the latest 7 Series among other newer BMWs. It uses the latest iDrive 8.5 system, which made its debut in the i7 M70 recently. The screen size also remains the same as other BMW models with a 12.3-inch driver's display and a 14.9-inch touchscreen for infotainment duties.
Like the earlier 5 Series, the latest-gen car also gets a long equipment list with multiple finishes for seating and interior trim. This 8th-generation 5 Series is also the first BMW to come with a fully vegan interior.
BMW 5 Series G60 global platform, powertrain
The basis for the new 5 Series is BMW’s Cluster Architecture (CLAR) platform – the same structure that underpins all BMW models featuring either a longitudinally mounted internal combustion engine or electric drivetrain.
The 5 Series global line-up will include the 520i, 520d, and 520d xDrive models initially. The 530e and 550e xDrive plug-in hybrids will join them in Europe a little later. In addition, there are also plans to launch a 6-cylinder diesel in some markets at some point in the future.
The entry-level 520i will come with a 2.0-litre turbo four-cylinder good for 205hp. There will be a lower-spec 190hp version too in some European markets. The 520d gets a 2.0-litre diesel engine that now generates 197hp which is 7hp more than before. The 530e plug-in hybrid gets a 2.0-litre engine and churns out a combined output of 299hp. The more powerful 550e plug-in hybrid with xDrive gets a 3.0-litre inline six good for 489hp.
The North American market will get the 530i with a 2.0-litre turbo petrol four-cylinder engine good for 255hp, available in RWD or xDrive AWD set-up. The more potent 540i will come only with xDrive, equipped with a 375hp 3.0-litre inline six and does 0-100kph sprint in just 4.5 seconds.
BMW 5 Series G60: India to get LWB for the first time
The 5 Series has been quite a successful model for BMW in India and is a strong rival to the Mercedes-Benz E-Class. Sources have confirmed to us that the next-gen 5 Series, which will come to India, will have the yet-to-be-revealed long-wheelbase body style.
Expect the 8th-gen BMW 5 Series LWB to come to India sometime next year when it will competition from the next-gen E-Class sedan.
Viraaj Bhatnagar
Uday Singh
Suraj Viswanathan
Lenny D'sa
Saptarshi Mondal
