New - 2011 BMW 5-Series



The sixth-generation 5-Series is easily recognized by a wider "twin-kidney" grille inspired by the CS concept and 7-Series sedan. The adaptive xenon headlights are standard.

The welterweight 5-Series is at the very core of BMW's model portfolio and, together with the 3-Series and 1-Series, generates more than half of the German carmaker's profits. Yet the all-new, sixth-generation BMW 5-Series sedan has more in common than ever with its range-topping 7-Series sibling, including all-new multilink front suspension members. It was effectively developed on the same architecture, shares many components and will be built in the same plant in Dingolfing, Germany. It even looks like a trimmer 7, but only at first glance. The 535i at the car's launch in Portugal is slightly bigger and rides on a noticeably longer wheelbase than its predecessor. It nonetheless proves impressively agile, stable and refined. In fact, this new 5-Series sedan is the best-handling, best-riding and most comfortable ever, and might just be the cream of the current crop of midsize luxury sedans.

Model Line-up

The 535i is powered by a revamped 3.0-liter 300-horsepower turbocharged inline six, and the 550i by a twin-turbo 4.4-liter 400-horse V8. Both are rear-wheel drive and will be delivered with a 6-speed manual gearbox — an exclusive trait in this segment. An all-new 8-speed automatic gearbox is optional. Coming later in the fall will be all-wheel-drive xDrive versions and a 528i that gets a naturally aspirated 240-horsepower 3.0-liter inline six.

A bit bigger than its predecessor, the 2010 5-Series has grown by 1.8 inches in length and about half an inch in width, and rides on a wheelbase stretched by a full 3.1 inches. The front and rear wheel tracks have increased by 1.7 inches. Since the new 5 is also 0.16 inch lower, it looks longer and slimmer. The front view is more squat and aggressive, with larger "twin-kidney" grilles inspired by the CS Concept and current 7-Series; on the other hand, the rear view evokes the 3-Series. The aerodynamic drag coefficient is unchanged for the 535i, at 0.29.

BMW upped the tech quotient in the new 5, positioning it toe-to-toe with its chief rival, the Mercedes-Benz E-Class. Some new systems are a surprise, given BMW's traditional emphasis on driving dynamics: Parking Assistant lets the car back itself into a space; Top View cameras show all that surrounds it; Frontal Collision Warning can apply the brakes by itself; Active Cruise Control can stop the car completely and get it going again in traffic. You can also get Blind Spot and Lane Departure warning systems, a neat heads-up display and BMW's Night Vision system.



There's a hint of the current 3-Series in the three-quarter rear view of the new 5-Series, with sculpted volumes and new light clusters now filled with rows of LEDs.

Inner Space

On the driver's side, the cockpit wraps around you without feeling narrow or confining. Accessible controls let you adjust the well-sculpted seat 10 ways, fine-tune your driving position and save the settings easily. The wheel is electrically adjustable in height and reach, with redundant controls for the audio system, onboard settings and cruise control. The rim's size, shape and texture are impeccable.

BMW pioneered driver-oriented instruments and controls long ago, and the new 5-Series rekindles this practice with controls that are angled toward the driver by about 7 degrees. The design and control layout are straightforward. No revolution here.

Speaking of which, the fourth-generation iDrive interface has been improved with the addition of separate buttons for main functions, contradicting its original intent. The standard display screen is 7 inches across, and you get a superb 10.2-inch screen with an optional navigation system that is nicely complemented by an available heads-up display. Its various menus are still too fragmented and needlessly complex, though.

The rear seat offers an extra half-inch of knee room, and you can get a 60/40 split-folding seatback, a pass-through and a ski bag as options. Trunk volume is up appreciably, to a class-leading 18.2 cubic feet, easily bettering the Mercedes E-Class and Audi A6's 15.9 cubic feet. The new 5 can also be equipped with a rear-seat infotainment system. You get a pair of 8-inch screens or larger 9.2-inch units that play independently with the Professional system.



Driving ergonomics are top-notch as usual, and the cockpit is angled toward the driver once again. The sharp 10.2-inch screen comes with the optional navigation system.



Well-sculpted front sport seats are comfortable and supportive. The cockpit seems to shrink-wrap around the driver for a perfect fit without feeling tight or confining.

BMW has virtually squared the circle by making its new sixth-generation 5-Series sedan bigger, roomier, better-equipped and more refined than ever before, while further improving its standard-setting dynamics. It also looks the part entirely, its elegant lines and chiseled features belying increased girth. The challenge now is to make this sharp new 5-Series as competitive in price as it is on the road against its direct German rivals.