BMW 5 Series

ALL THOSE PURISTS WHO loved BMW's outlook on all things automotive can take a hike. If change is a way of life, the Munich carmaker sure is living it up. And making sure more buyers step in with an aim to enjoy motoring.
But this is not a complaint. It would be wrong to write off the new 5 series because it is no longer a limo that lets its hair down and parties at the drop of the proverbial hat. The typical city businessman might buy a BMW and yearn for weekend drives to the mountains; not because of the beautiful destination but because of those tricky roads that bring every ounce of driver and car capability to the fore. Thankfully, all is not lost yet.
The 5 series has been one of the major success stories for BMW about 55 lakh units have been sold worldwide ever since the name first surfaced in 1972. And the German carmaker continues to bank on the 5 for raking in the moolah to stay at the head of the premium car market race. It's an 'economic necessity' for the company, said one of the top bosses of BMW Germany while unveiling the car prior to its official launch this March. That's in Germany. It is slated to reach India later this year, probably by July.
The last time we drove a 5 series, the smile was plastered on our faces even before we set out. BMW has a reputation of making driver-centric cars, and their owners have traditionally been the kinds who are willing to sacrifice comfort for handling. Bur as we mentioned earlier, change was imminent. And the change we were expecting was a mushy limo that will make the owner hand over the keys to his chauffeur. Thankfully, it's not come to that yet.
However, the luxury saloon market has been leaning towards comfort over outright sporty. It's like the soft-roading effect with traditional SUV designs. We guess there's no point playing techno when the mood says lounge. As is the trend, the new 5 is bigger than the earlier car. Overall length has been increased by about 5.Bcm but wheelbase has gone up by Bern. So clearly, it takes the 5 away from the 3 series and more towards the 7 in terms of sheer street presence.
The front is where all the action is. And unfortunately, much of the 'mean' look of the current 5 has given way to more maturity with the kidney grille getting wider and lower. Thankfully, the twin ring headlamps add some sharpness. The eyebrows on the headlamps try to give it sharper eyes but isn't as effective as the current one. Just as in the 7 series, the grille and BMW badge now protrude ahead of the bonnet line. There's a seam line running throughout the length of the car, which adds to the long limo look.
The rear is more acceptable, with flatter tail lamps to keep in sync with the design and the eats' overall wider stance. BMW claims to have run through a total of 128 designs for the new 5 before settling on this one.
The chassis is all-new and makes judicious use of steel with the aluminum bits restricted to the bonnet and doors. Surprisingly Weight is down by roughly 50kg compared to the earlier model. The front has a double wishbone setup and the rear gets an integral V axle, which improves the ride substantially. Typically the chassis is designed in such a way that it isn't overly hampered by transverse forces while cornering.
BMW had the guts to let us loose with the car on Portugal's Estoril racetrack. It's not a very tricky circuit except for Turn 3. The 5 is one of the few exec limos that give you the confidence to push it around corners. The optional eight-speed auto transmission effortlessly prances through the slots to put each of the 306 horses to good use when called upon.
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