Ever since the first generation BMW 5 Series debuted in 1972, it has widely been regarded as the most dynamic car in its segment. It is a trait that has made the Five the darling of motoring enthusiasts and -journalists alike. Having said that, the Five’s dynamic focus has sometimes left it struggling to match the comfort and “serenity” that its rivals from Mercedes-Benz and Audi offered, and many customers in this segment demand. Well, no more.
As is usual on a BMW launch, the test drive route for the local launch of the new 5 Series was long and testing, taking in not only the lesser travelled roads of the Western Cape and Winelands, but also a handful of the thrilling mountain passes.
Featuring Dynamic Damper Control, and Dynamic Drive Control, one is able to fine-tune this BMW’s steering, suspension and throttle to suit any driving condition. Obviously, by virtue of its extra size (and being a little bit heavier), as well as the fitment of electric steering, the new Five can’t quite match the lively feel of the outgoing car, but it was nevertheless huge fun to drive over those passes.
It controls its primary body movements well and is impressively smooth and stable – for the first time on a Five a double-wishbone front suspension set-up is used, while the five-link design of the 7 Series does duty at the rear. You simply set the car up for a corner and revel in the confidence it inspires all the way through. I guess the steered rear axle plays a big role here. At speeds over 60 km/h the rear wheels steer in the same direction as the front ones, with the result being a “virtual wheelbase lengthening” that improves stability.
It’s a crushingly competent car in terms of its suspension and in comfort mode offers the type of ride serenity that owners of the previous Five will find near-miraculous.
The comfort levels are also improved by a vastly more spacious cabin – the new car has a wheelbase that is 88 mm longer than before, and much of that has gone into catering for the rear passengers – always a criticism levelled at previous 5 Series models. The new model is also significantly wider, so the impression of space is no illusion – there’s a lot of it.
As to be expected, the facia design is very much similar to what you’d find in the 5 GT, but that’s no bad thing. The quality is superb, the ergonomics impressive and the features on offer mind-boggling. On offer is a raft of
safety-enhancing features, but they’re never intrusive and easy to cancel out at the press of a button. BMW also offers a new Parking Assistant system that scans open parking spaces, alerts you when it has found a suitable spot, and then does most of the parking for you – driver controls the throttle and brake.
I drove the 530d first, offering 180 kW (4,3 per cent up) and 540 N.m (8 per cent up) of torque, but consuming only a claimed 6,2 litres/100 km (6,1 per cent down). The turbodiesel six-cylinder engine is mated with the marque’s brilliant 8-speed automatic transmission, one of the jewels in the current BMW high-tech armoury.
Most likely to be the top-selling petrol engine, the 535i uses the marque’s new single-turbo straight-six engine as opposed to the twin-turbo set-up used before. Yet it still delivers its maximum torque earlier and uses less fuel, too. The target of improved efficiency was obviously a high priority for BMW, and as such a full EfficientDynamics package applies to the Five – except for the active aero (not for hot climates) and auto start/stop.
Available right now are the 523i, 535i and 530d models. The flagship 550i arrives next month (June), and the 520d in August. CAR will publish a road test soon, and the question of how the new Five stacks up to the
Mercedes-Benz E-Class will inevitably have to be addressed.
One can’t reach definite conclusions based on a launch drive, albeit an extensive one. But I will say this… it so happened that I spent the past weekend doing two separate stints of about 350 km each in a Mercedes-Benz
E250 CDI. Each time I have driven a new variant of the E-Class, my fondness of the car has grown. The E250 CDI is probably one of the best in its range, offering excellent economy/performance, a superb ride quality and even some driver entertainment.
I do, however, find the BMW more comfortable, and this is mostly down to the seats – the Mercedes’ chairs being rather flat and hard, while the BMW seats are more supportive. Also, iDrive has evolved into a control system that is now more intuitive than Mercedes’ COMAND system.
Based on my back-to-back drives of these two arch-rivals, I’m sure the margin of victory will be closer than ever before, because these cars have evolved and matured, both now offering far more complete packages than they did before.
I can’t wait to be part of the proper comparative test.
