BMW 5 Series

Overview

You do not require an extensive preamble introducing the hugely popular BMW 5-Series sedan. This luxury automobile has been the outright bestseller for the German carmakers and also a benchmark for perfection. Currently, the 7th generation (G30) of this sedan gets assembled at the Chennai plant of the company and bookings are already underway at various dealerships across the country. You can avail them in seven attractive colors- Alpine White, Cashmere Silver, Mediterranean Blue, Imperial Blue, Bluestone Metallic, Black Sapphire, and Carbon Black.

Since the 6th generation, unlike all its successful predecessors, could not excite the fans much in India, BMW has launched the latest upgrade with many updated and innovative features which the company feels would help the 5-Series reclaim its lost territory. It will go up against other cars in the same segment including Mercedes-Benz E-Class, Audi A6, Jaguar XF, and Volvo S90.

Exterior

The first look of the car would tell you its unmistakably BMW because of the unified design theme across all the models in this family of luxury cars. However, the long-wheelbase in 7-series makes the sedan visibly stretched which is not the case in the 5-series. Though the 7th generation is 36 millimeters longer, 6 millimeters broader, and 2 millimeters higher than the 6th generation, it looks more stylish and compact among the segment. The front fascia has the familiar kidney grille and the LED headlights with two open circles. However, it has turned more contemporary as the headlamps meet the kidney grille. The alloy wheels now bear a sportier look in the M Sports pack with five twin-spoke surrounded by 18-inch tires

Interior

The moment you step into the 5-series cabin you can experience a luxurious yet contemporary feel with electric memory seats having adjustable under-thigh support. Rear seats also come with firm cushions and thigh support so that you do not feel tired during long journeys. The upholstery is in excellent leather with a top-notch finish, and the air cons have four-zone climate control coming with central pillar vent for the rear occupants. The fixed 10.25 infotainment display placed centrally on the dashboard comes with iDrive technology and gesture control. 

Engine

The 5-Series comes with a choice of 3 engine options- 2 Litre Twin Turbo Inline 4-Cylinder Diesel, 3 Litre Twin Turbo Inline 6-Cylinder Diesel, and 2-litre Twin-Turbo Petrol engine. The 3L diesel engine churns out a maximum power of 261 bhp@4000 rpm and a peak torque of 620 Nm@2000-2500 rpm. The above values in the petrol engine are 248 bhp@5200 rpm and 350 Nm@1450-4800 rpm respectively. The 6-cylinder diesel engine can zoom from 0-100 Kmpl in merely 5.7 seconds and reach a maximum speed of 250 Kmpl. In both the fuel version, the power gets transmitted by an 8-Speed fully automatic transmission gearbox.

Pros & Cons

The presence of numerous top-notch features makes 5-Series sedan one of the most sought-after vehicles in the segment.
 
•      The exterior design of 5-Series is very stylish, and this compact vehicle offers a sporty appeal with attractive LED headlamps and five twin-spoke alloy wheels.
•      There are multiple power train options; you can choose the best one based on your driving style and budget.
•      The sedan has fast acceleration and can sprint from 0-100 Kmpl in 5.7 seconds.
•      The interior is spacious and uses premium quality materials in the upholstery and dashboard.
 
In spite of having many premium features, there are some drawbacks in the 5-Series sedan.
 
•      The rearview camera is not present as a standard in all the variants.
•      Blind-spot monitoring is available as an option, and not as a standard.
•      The rear sitting arrangement and the boot space are small compared to other cars in the same price range.
 
In the end, we can say 5-Series is a stylish premium sedan packed with many advanced and innovative features for automobile enthusiasts.