51 years ago, the first 5 Series BMW followed the “New Class” – today it is the other way around: Before the Munich-based company converts its model series to the new “New Class” from 2025, the eighth generation of the 5 Series is now coming onto the market: as a gasoline engine , diesel, plug-in hybrid and electric car. “Krone” engine editor Stephan Schätzl was on the road with the i5 (that’s the electric one) in two versions – his impressions here in the video!
They have long been committed to sustainability in every respect in Munich, in drivetrains, materials, production, everywhere. It was therefore no surprise that there were no combustion engines available at the first driving presentation, only electric vehicles. Although diesel and petrol engines will also be available at dealers from October 21st – we only have to wait until spring for the two plug-in hybrids, as well as for the station wagon. Half a shoe size has grown, as they have done since 1973, they continue to build the 5 Series in Dingolfing , namely all drive variants on one line. Not only has their number grown, but so has the car itself, in practically all dimensions: it is now a whopping 5.06 meters long (plus 10 cm) and 1.90 m wide (+ 3 cm). Although the battery now has to fit in the floor in the electric variants, the 5 Series was only 4 cm higher (1.52 m). The wheelbase grew by two centimeters to three meters. The fact that the knee room in the back seat is not always the best may be due to the extreme adjustment range of the standard front sports seats. The longitudinal adjustment of the steering wheel was also increased by 2 cm to eight centimeters. No manufacturer in this class (and not only) takes better care of the driver. You feel extremely well looked after, especially at the front, the ambience is elegant, the materials are pleasant, including the “vegan leather” called Veganza. Leather upholstery is also available as an option. The space available is the same for all variants, only the trunk volume of the i5 is 30 liters short of the 520 liters of the others. The drive motor has to go somewhere. But you hope in vain for a frunk (front trunk), even though there is no combustion engine at the front.Interior with features from the BMW i7In contrast to the fundamentally more classic front, the interior is based on that of the BMW i7. The attached, integrated 12.3 plus 14.9 inch curved display dominates the landscape, the controls appear tidy and reduced. The iDrive controller has not been omitted; it is located on a massive center console next to the volume roller and a few buttons, behind the double charging cradle for cell phones and in front of the folding armrest. A shortened version of the diversely backlit BMW Interaction Bar (from the i7 ) with their touch surfaces for ventilation and hazard warning lights, which, among other things, control a welcome and farewell display or use the Safe Exit function to indicate when it is safe to exit. It’s better here than in the 7 Series because there’s less plastic overall. And it symbolizes the fact that other things are becoming more and more important than driving the car itself. No wonder that in the 5 Series you can play games via the display for the first time, theoretically a maximum of seven, each with their own smartphone as a controller. Instead, we would have preferred higher-quality adjustment buttons for the ventilation direction, instead of these simple rubber knobs. A win is the new home screen in the BMW OS 8.5 operating system: The navigation map is always in the foreground; on the left side there are assignable tiles (QuickSelect) that you can scroll through vertically. However, the fact that you have to be logged in with a BMW ID for many settings or for the last navigation destinations is not for everyone. The fact that many functions that could previously be accessed directly on the steering wheel were now relegated to the menu was also not a good idea.First two, then three electric drivesThe juice for the electric drive of the BMW i5 comes from a battery that has a net 81.2 kWh and can be charged with up to 205 kW. It takes 30 minutes until the filling level is 80 instead of 10 percent. Alternating current is supplied as standard with 11 kW and optionally with 22 kW. Before another all-wheel drive variant of the i5 is introduced in 2024, the 5 Series electric car will be launched as the eDrive40 and as the M60 xDrive. The entry-level model produces 250 kW/340 hp in sport mode, otherwise only 313 hp. The maximum torque is normally 400 Nm. If you pull the boost button behind the steering wheel or activate the launch control, it is 430 Nm. The standard sprint with the car, which weighs 2130 kg according to DIN, is achieved in 6.0 seconds, and the top speed is reached at 193 km/h. The WLTP range is given as 497 to 582 kilometers. The BMW i5 M60 xDrive is the athlete in the league. It has an additional 192 kW/261 hp motor on the axle at the front. In sport mode, 442 kW/601 hp are available, otherwise “only” 380 kW/517 hp. The maximum torque is 795 or 820 Nm, depending on requirements. Weighing 2305 kg, it accelerates from 0 to 100 in a respectable 3.8 seconds and tops out at 230 km/h. The WLTP range here is 455 to 516 km. New is a special emergency mode that increases the range by up to 25 percent by, among other things, reducing the top speed to 90 km/h and switching off the air conditioning compressor (also possible via voice command) – special in the event that a planned charging stop cannot be completed due to a defect or other unavailability.Lots of suspensionsIn principle, there are two classic suspensions for the 5 Series, a standard suspension and an 8 mm lower sports suspension. Depending on the version, the dampers work depending on the stroke or not. Then there is the 4 mm lower adaptive sports suspension and, for the i5 M50, the 8 mm lower adaptive sports suspension, each with 2.5 degree rear wheel steering. The i5 and the plug-in hybrids also have air suspension on the rear axle. Active roll stabilization is optionally available for the i5 M60 and 550e. And how does it work? The i5 M60 xDrive with roll stabilization is a real athlete. It lies like a board, without any side inclination, accelerates surprisingly light-footed and has nothing sluggish about it, even in tight corners. It is wonderfully balanced, has surprisingly little understeer (given its weight!) and its steering conveys a pleasant responsiveness to the road. Nevertheless, it is still comfortable. The eDrive40 with the “normal” adaptive chassis lacks this commitment in the steering, but it still works progressively and directly. This also allows the i5 to circle around corners with millimeter precision. The comfort is a little more pronounced. Both operate very quietly if you don’t activate the electronic “iconic sounds”. Brakes like before – and yet completely different The brakes are impressively good and stand out above all from their main competitor Mercedes. The integrated braking system provides the driver with a constant pedal feel, but the actual braking force in the background is made up of recuperation and disc brakes. The system combines the functions of brake actuation, brake booster and brake control in a compact module. The required brake pressure is triggered using an electric actuator. Other drives At market launch there will also be two 48-volt mild hybrid four-cylinder engines. The petrol engine 520i delivers 208 hp and a system torque of 330 Nm, of which up to 190 hp/310 Nm comes from the combustion engine. This is supported by a 48-volt crankshaft starter generator with 13 kW/18 hp and 200 Nm, which is located in the eight-speed automatic transmission that is standard on all combustion engine variants. The six-cylinder diesel coming in 2024 will also be constructed in this way. The four-cylinder diesel 520d, on the other hand, which will be delivered with either rear or all-wheel drive from market launch, has a belt-driven starter generator on board that only produces 11 hp or 25 Nm. The PHEVs 530e (299 hp, 450 Nm, 87 to 102 km range) and 550e xDrive (489 hp, 700 Nm, 79 to 90 km range). And then the assistance systems… When it comes to assistance, the 5 Series plays more pieces than ever, right down to the highway assistant, which is up to 130 km/h allows the driver to take their hands off the steering wheel permanently. If necessary, the car suggests changing lanes, but only does so when the driver confirms this by looking in the exterior mirror. The BMW turns on the indicator – listen, hear! – automatically. This is currently only approved for the USA, Canada and Germany, the application for approval for all of Europe is ongoing. Customers in Austria are not offered the function in the online configurator. Anyone who insists on this from the dealer will get it (that would otherwise violate EU law). However, GPS prevents this assistant from being used in Austria. The prices The market launch in Austria is planned for October 21, 2023. The price list starts at 62,100 euros for the BMW 520i, the 520d is available from 63,000 euros, with all-wheel drive from 67,200 euros. The plug-in variants 530e and 550e cost 65,900 and 79,000 euros respectively, the cheapest i5 costs 69,950 euros, and the i5 M60 xDrive costs no less than 99,950 euros.
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