BMW 5 Series generation six due next year
November 24, 2009 by Matt Brogan
BMW has officially revealed the sixth generation of the 5 Series and at the same time welcomed home the prodigal son that has been the Bavarians’ executive saloon of the past six years.
The dramatic exterior lines of the E60 are gone, and left is a conservative cruiser that fits the family mould, inheriting from the 7 Series and sharing with the smaller 3.
However, during its years in the wilderness of aggressive design – put it down to an early midlife crisis for the now 37-year-old German – the 5 Series learnt a few things.
Among the long feature list of the most highly specified 5 Series ever is Start-Stop technology, an eight-speed automatic transmission and a double-wishbone front suspension setup.
Europe will start with seven different engine options when the car is launched first quarter 2010, from a four-cylinder diesel to the range-topping twin-turbocharged V8.
The base 520d coming to Australia gets the 137kw/380Nm 4-cylinder diesel, capable of 4.16 litres/100km while emitting just 132g/km CO2.
The 530d steps up 9kW and 40Nm over the outgoing model to punch out 182kW/540Nm from its 3.0-litre turbocharged straight-six.
Fuel consumption is down from 6.6 to 5.2 litres/100km while emissions drop by 10 to 166g/km.
While the M5 still perhaps a year away, the 550i is doing more than just keeping its seat warm at the top of the line-up, slamming out 304kW and a commanding 600Nm of torque, propelling the saloon from 0-100km/h in five seconds dead and winding out to the top speed limited at 250km/h.
Despite this, combined economy is still an impressive 8.64 litres/100km with emissions topping out at 243g/km – less than any Falcon or Commodore.
The new eight-speed gearbox is standard on the 550i and optional on all other models.
It comes in both traditional and paddle-shift forms and improves fuel efficiency by six per cent.
Standard features include leather upholstery, fully-automatic air-conditioning and radio and Bluetooth phone integration, while all but the 520d get USB audio interface and ambient lighting.
The list of optional features stretches far and wide, from comfort and convenience to performance and safety.
Park assist locates suitable spots for the five metre 5 Series and slides in with the driver’s help on the accelerator and brake only.
Four-wheel Integral Active Steering helps the process, reducing the turning circle by 0.5 metres, while the Surround View and Reversing Assist systems incorporate cameras from all over the car (including the wing mirrors and wheel arches) to provide a 360 degree view of what’s around the car.
Safety features range from head-up display to night vision, information and warnings about pedestrians, lane changes and departures and speed limiting, while four optional sports packages kit out the 5 Series with 19-inch alloys, sports seats and steering wheel and adaptive, xenon, high-beam assisted headlamps.
We will find out whether the new restrained, conservative styling spawns disenchantment or desire among drivers when the prodigal son goes on sale from mid-next year, along with the fast-back Grand Tourer.
Prices for the 5 Series are expected to rise slightly over the current model, which means the 520d should start from around $78,000 and the 550i top out close to $175,000.
by Tim Beissmann
Print it: 
Very conservative styling. I like the current 5 series. I think looks better then the new e class.
Bring on the new M5.
As BMW continue to de-Bangel their models, they are looking better. Bangel had some good ideas, but he pushed it too far, way too quickly.
Couldnt agree more, I see the previous Z4 and struggle to keep my food down.
The fuel economy for the 550i is outstanding. Mercedes didn’t stay long at the pinnacle of luxury cruisers.
Definitely better than the E60, but for some reason it doesnt shout “premium” the way the new E-Class does.
The front lights take some getting use to, but the front overhang is wayyy too long to look good. Hopefully improves on the M5 with a bigger/deeper front bumper. Rear looks good though, taut, aggressive and nice detailing on the lights as well.
Cant wait for a comparison between this and the E-Class caradvice.. :D
Get used to the long, front overhangs. They will be more common in future cars so they can meet the pedestrian impact criteria.
A bit too conservative for my taste, but not bad. Ceratinly puts the new MB e-class to shame.
By the way CA, it’s interresting that we can still comment on BMW stories but that function seems to be disabled from all recent stories/news/reviews related to Mercedes. Care to explain?
Ive noticed this as well…
Seriously, the 550i returns 8.64 litres per 100? Makes the 3.0 V6 SIDI engine look positively redundant
Looking at other sites, i think CA stuffed up.
I think they mean the engine in the 535i????
Nope, the 550i uses 10.4L/100km on the combined EU cycle, which is still quite impressive nevertheless, but not quite the same as 8.64!
And the 535i is good for 8.5 for the six-speed manual or 8.4 for the eight-speed auto.
I thought that figure was too good to be true. But miud tens is bloody impressive from such a powerful fast car
Beautiful car. And the corona rings are now LEDs too.
Bimmer post has new photos as well, the interior is gorgeous and mimics the 7 series.
If the 550i is so quick, imagine where the M5 will be.
Current 5 series looks better IMO. Though the rear lights on this look nice. Like others said, too conservative for my liking.
I do like the styling however it has become to similar to 3/7 series… like audis look very similar. Merc does a better job of diferentiating each model I think.
But those economy numbers are amazing!
I’m pleased with how it turned out, but the black outlines on the tail lights are a little strange. I’m all for toning down the 5-series, but does anyone else think they’ve toned it down too much?
The rear lights are LEDs – the darkness around the lights would be as a result of the contrast.
In all honesty it looks better than the E-Class but still looks soft compared to the old 5. They should have toned down the ugly from the old model and stuck the other changes on.
I really love it. I like the current one too, but this looks like a more natural re-generation from the E39. My only problem is that from the front, it looks a bit like the pre-facelift current 3 Series. I’m not sure if it’s perhaps just slightly understyled, but I feel bad writing that because when the current one came out I thought it was ugly and overstyled. You have to let them win at some point.
Obviously BMW will have no problems getting sales, but I think the biggest problem with them these days is that they just aren’t as special or interesting as what Jaguar are putting out. This just isn’t quite as special as the XF. I’m not making any comments here on quality or drive (I’m not getting into that argument yet again), I’m just saying that as a piece of metal with wheels and an engine, the Jaguar XF is a bit more special. I feel the same with the new 7 Series versus the new XJ.
However, that 520d getting 4.16 litres per 100kms? Brilliant! Honestly, is there any point in the Prius?
Forgot to write – One thing that BMW need to do is have a decent range of colours to choose from. I think for a car like the 5 Series to have any less than about twenty five different colours is wrong. Most will be bought in silver and black, but you have to give some real chance of individuality or at the very least, some real choice. I think the new Z4 only has about eight colours to choose from and that’s just not enough. BMW and Mini have been slipping badly in colour choice lately.
They also need to offer manual gearboxes in Australia. I’m pretty sure they haven’t done that in a while and if they have, it’s been limited to certain engines. Which gearbox you get should be a choice made by the consumer, not the dealer.
We won’t go down this path again re Jaguar… :-)
If you take into account the BMW “Individual” options the range of colours should be quite broad. I believe in larger markets there are a greater base range of colours.
Wow this car is beautiful. Like all new BMW’s no doubt. This car manufacturer is getting better and better.
This is such an improvement over the previous gen! They got rid of that stupid Bangle but which spoiled the previous gen.
I’d buy this in a heartbeat. Bring on the M5. It will be a awesome.
When I first saw the previous 5 I quite liked it, radical design (but too radical for some) with the creases, stretched and sucked in shapes now being copied by many brands. This new generation looks like BMW has indeed blended elements from the 3 and 7 series, with traces of the previous generation. I don’t really like the nose pointing out, looks a bit unusual. Other than that though I really like the rear, like other people have mentioned hear: BMW seem to be aligning their models design more closely like what Audi have done, to save costs or to have a more consistent corporate design?
I agree…I initially found the previous 5 to be too radical…but it\’s grown on me over time.
When I first saw this model, I thought that it was a little conservative, but it\’s growing on me, the more I look at it.
While I do tend to be biased towards BMW, even taking this into account, I find the Mercedes Benz E-Class to be significantly uglier than this new 5-series is conservative.
Massive improvement over the overcomplicated & fussy previous model. The new shape appears much wider, lower & sleaker compared to the noddy car look of the old one. Now just have to hope they dump the rubbish gearbox from the M5.
The Bangle design philosophy is odd IMO, but I see what he was trying too achieve with his design direction. Confronting design which is ahead of its time should still look fresh 5 years or so down the track. He succeeded with the current 5 series. I admit it looked awkward when it was released but it looks very modern nowadays and IMO better than the opposition. How many cars look great when first released but in only 1 years time look like crapola?
The next gen 5 looks fresh and modern but very plain jane like the new 7!
This new 5 series takes alot of design features from the 7 series. I don’t like the new rear end as it looks like someone has put a sledgehammer and dented it in.
The front grille is enormous, looks very conservative face on but if you see it from side view, the grille protrudes out like a echnidna which doesn’t look cool. Headlamps are not exciting but they are not offensive either.
I guess the market for 5 series is the baby boomers, grey hair industry bigwigs who care about ride quality and prestige rather than looks. It will be interesting to see if it will sell more than Bangle’s creations.
The car is just so uninspiring to look at. I mean – it’s boring. I want to see what the M5 version looks like – having said that – the 550i looks so good on paper – why would you have to buy the m5? Why is the front grill so big? The rear end just looks too Japanese/ import to me. I’m lost with this design and really disappointed.
Maybe it will grow on me over time or it will look better in person.