23 most interesting changes in the new BMW 5 Series

"Restyling" is usually just a way for car manufacturers to sell their old models to us by replacing one or another element on the bumper or headlights. But there are exceptions from time to time, and the new BMW 5 Series is among the most striking of them.

Changes in its appearance are moderate, but with great effect, and changes in the driver and functionality are radical.

Design: front

As you would expect, the new "five" has an enlarged radiator grille and enlarged air intakes. But this fix, which caused so much controversy in the new 7th series, looks much more harmonious here.

Design: laser headlights

On the other hand, the headlights are slightly smaller, and for the first time in the history of a 5 Series, they present BMW's new laser technology capable of illuminating the road 650 meters ahead.

Design: LED lights

Laser headlights are, of course, the most expensive option. But the LED headlights below them also work very well and use a matrix system so as not to blind oncoming cars. The daytime running lights take on an impressive U- or L-shape, depending on the version.

Design: rear

At the rear, the dark taillights make an immediate impression – a solution that shows the signature of former head designer Josef Kaban. It seems to us that this makes the car more compact and dynamic.

Design: dimensions

The updated car is also slightly larger than the previous one - 2,7 cm longer in the sedan version and 2,1 cm longer in the Touring variant. It is curious that the sedan and station wagon are now the same length - 4,96 meters.

Design: air resistance

The drag coefficient is at an all-time low of 0,23 Cd for the sedan and 0,26 for the station wagon. A significant contribution to this is made by the active radiator grille, which closes when the engine does not need additional air.

Design: eco rims

The new Five is also equipped with the revolutionary 20-inch BMW Individual Air Performance wheels. Made from lightweight aluminum alloy, they reduce air resistance by about 5% compared to standard alloy wheels. This reduces the vehicle's CO2 emissions by about 3 grams per kilometer.

Interior: new multimedia

The most noticeable change was the screen of the multimedia system - completely new, with a diagonal of 10,25 to 12,3 inches. Behind this is the new seventh generation of the BMW infotainment system.

Interior: standard Climatronic

Advanced automatic climate control is now standard on all versions, even the basic one.

Interior: new seat material

The seats are made of textiles or a combination of textiles and Alcantara. BMW is introducing the new synthetic material Sensatec here for the first time. You can, of course, order a Napa or Dakota leather interior.

Interior: cargo compartment

The sedan's cargo compartment remains at 530 liters, but in the plug-in hybrid it has been reduced to 410 due to the batteries. The station wagon version offers 560 liters with vertical rear seats and 1700 liters folded. The rear seat can be folded in a ratio of 40:20:40.

Drive: 48-volt hybrids

All Series 4 6- and 5-cylinder engines now receive a mild hybrid system with a 48-volt starter-generator. It reduces the load and consumption of the combustion engine, reduces emissions and delivers more power (11 horsepower during acceleration). The energy recovered during braking is used much more efficiently.

Drive: plug-in hybrids

530e: The new "five" retains its current hybrid version of the 530e, which combines a two-liter 4-cylinder engine with an 80-kilowatt electric motor. The total output is 292 horsepower, 0-100 km / h acceleration is 5,9 seconds, and the electric-only range is 57 km WLTP.

545e: The new plug-in hybrid variant has much more impressive performance - a 6-cylinder engine instead of a 4-cylinder, maximum output of 394 horsepower and 600 Nm of torque, 4,7 seconds from 0 to 100 km / h and a range of up to 57 km on electricity only .

Drive: gasoline engines

520i: 4-liter 184-cylinder engine, 7,9 horsepower and 0 seconds from 100 to XNUMX km / h.

530i: Same engine as 520, but with 252 horsepower and 0-100 km / h in 6,4 seconds.

540i: 6-liter 3-cylinder, 333 horsepower, 5,2 seconds from 0 to 100 km / h.

M550i: with a 4,4-liter V8 engine, 530 horsepower and 3,8 seconds from 0 to 100 km / h.

Drive: diesel engines

520d: a 190-liter unit with 7,2 horsepower and 0 seconds from 100 to XNUMX km / h.

530d: 2993-cylinder 286 cc, 5,6 horsepower and 0 seconds from 100 to XNUMX km / h.

540d: with the same 6-cylinder engine, but with another turbine, which gives 340 horsepower and 4,8 seconds from 0 to 100 km / h.

Drive: standard automatic

All versions of the new 8 Series are equipped as standard with the 550-speed Steptronic automatic transmission from ZF. A manual transmission is available as an option, and a dedicated Steptronic sports transmission is standard on the top MXNUMXi xDrive.

Drive: swivel rear wheels

An optional extra is the Integrated Active Steering System, which at high speeds can flex the rear wheels up to 3 degrees for increased agility.

Drive: standard air suspension

The rear suspension of all variants of the 5th series is independent, five-link. Station wagon variants are also equipped with air self-levelling suspension as standard. For sedans, this is an option. The M Sport suspension can also be ordered with stiffer settings and reduced by 10 mm.

Assistants: cruise control up to 210 km / h

Here, adaptive cruise control works between 30 and 210 km / h, and you can adjust how far you want to stay from the front car. He is able to stop alone when needed. Supplied complete with character recognition system. There is also an emergency braking system that recognizes cyclists and pedestrians and can safely stop the car if you fall asleep or faint while driving.

Assistants: Automatic emergency lane

A big innovation is the ability of assistants to recognize when a corridor on the highway needs to be cleared, for example, for an ambulance to pass, and maneuver to make room.

The parking assistant has also been improved. In older versions, it can handle itself while you are out of the car.

Assistants: automatic video recording

With the BMW Live Cockpit Professional, the vehicle monitors the environment and all other vehicles around you, including the rear. It can display them in three dimensions on the dashboard and paint red those that are too close or move dangerously.

The new Series 5 also has a video recording system for all traffic situations, which will be useful in the event of an accident to establish the insurance fault.

Assistants: BMW Maps

The all-new navigation system uses cloud technology and always-on connectivity to calculate your route in real time and according to current road conditions. Warns of accidents, road obstacles and more. POIs now include visitor reviews, contacts, and other useful information.

Assistants: voice control

Activated by a simple voice command (for example, Hello BMW), now it can not only control the radio, navigation and air conditioning, but also open and close windows, and answer any questions about the car, including helping. diagnose in case of damage.