The name BMW does evoke a slew of emotions: yuppies would definitely look forward to the 3 Series as their first car to show to the rest of the world that they have “made it” in life, before making the upgrade to the BMW 5 Series as their career or business progresses. Each new BMW model will come with its fair share of technological innovations, and the BMW 5 Series 2017 G30 is no different. Set to arrive in showrooms this coming February, the seventh generation 5 Series is certainly a head turner as with its predecessors, with the Audi A6 and Mercedes-Benz E Class being its main rivals.
With an asking price of $44,000 onward, this is not a cheap option for any Tom, Dick or Harry. You basically need to make sure that you are well positioned in life financially in order to afford this ride. The entry price point across the pond would be $44,000 after conversion at first, although there is a possibility that there might be cheaper variants being released down the road.
At that price point, you will be able to tap on a 520d diesel model that delivers 187bhp and 400Nm of torque. There is power in its diesel engine, where it impressively takes 7.5 seconds to go from 0-62mph, with a top speed of 146mph. Apart from that, the G30 will be able to manage 68.8mpg as it emits 108g/km. If you decide that you would want xDrive four-wheel drive to go along with the 520d, then be prepared to see your fuel economy suffer, dropping to 62.7mpg while seeing the CO2 level increase to 119g/km.
Of course, if diesel is not your engine of choice, there is always petrol to fall back upon in order to provide you with plenty of power when you place the pedal to the metal. Other engines available to the G30 at launch would be the 249bhp 530i petrol with a starting price of $49,000, where it takes a mere 6.2 seconds to hit the 0-62mph mark, as it emits 132g/km. For those with a little bit more coin in their pockets, there is the 335bhp 540i xDrive that will start from $57,000, and it is blistering fast by hitting0-62mph in just 4.8 seconds while emitting 164g/km of CO2.
Those who want a more powerful diesel engine can always settle for the $53,580 530d where it boasts of 261bhp and 620Nm of torque. With this engine underneath the hood, it can hit 0-62mph in a matter of 5.7 seconds, with 5.4 seconds being the mark if you engage xDrive.
Innovations found on the BMW 7 Series will be filtered down to the new 5 Series, in an effort to see the German marque catch up with its newer rivals, such as the Mercedes E-Class and Jaguar XF. There will be new LED headlamps in front alongside the standard kidney grille; adaptive LED lights that boast of a 500-metre illumination range (!), a new chassis that is similar to the the 7 Series but sans the carbon fibre core. There will be liberal use of aluminium where the body is concerned, in addition to lighter brakes and alloy wheels that helps the ride be 30kg lighter, all the while maintaining a 50:50 weight distribution.
The new BMW 5 Series 2017 will be longer than its predecessor, with a 7mm longer wheelbase while the entire ride being longer by 36mm. Width has also increased by 6mm, while its height has also grown by a negligible 2mm Expect to pack in more stuff when you drive as the boot capacity received a 10 litre gain to 530 litres.
It would be interesting to see how the action heats up in the luxury sedan market as the BMW 5 Series 2017 arrives on the scene.
