Last week, the wraps officially came off the all-new 2017 'G30' 5 Series. Right after, BMW Australia took the extra step of flying two pre-production cars in for an early preview.
CarAdvice went in for an exclusive first look, and you can catch our walkaround video above.
Measuring 37mm longer, 8mm wider and 15mm taller, the new BMW 5 Series offers more rear leg and headroom than before, along with an extra 10 litres of cargo capacity, bringing the total to 530 litres.
The 5 Series range debuts worldwide with a number of engine options including two diesels and three petrols. We also expect to see two ultra-efficient options in the form of a plug-in hybrid and an efficient diesel.
While the exterior design hasn't taken huge strides from the previous-generation 5 Series, the evolution is strong enough to bring fresh styling.
It's the same story inside the cabin, where the 7 Series-esque design increases the infotainment offering and debuts a world first — wireless Apple CarPlay.
As reported earlier, kicking off the petrol-powered range is the 528i-replacing 530i, which employs a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine offering 185kW of power and 350Nm of torque.
The 530i claims a 0-100km/h time of 6.2 seconds (6.0 seconds with xDrive all-wheel drive), while fuel use is rated as low as 5.4L/100km on the combined cycle.
Next up is the 540i, which succeeds the previous 535i. Powered by a 3.0-litre turbocharged six-cylinder unit, the 540i lists outputs of 250kW and 450Nm.
Acceleration is pretty brisk, with BMW quoting 5.1 seconds for the 0-100km/h dash (4.8 with xDrive), while fuel consumption is rated at 6.5L/100km.
Two turbo-diesels will be offered at launch alongside the two petrols, the 520d and 530d.
The 520d is powered by a 2.0-litre four-cylinder oiler, producing 140kW of power and 400Nm of torque.
The 0-100km/h run is claimed to take 7.7 seconds (7.6s with xDrive), while fuel use is rated at 4.1L/100km – giving some hybrids a run for their money.
The 530d, meanwhile, employs a 3.0-litre turbo-diesel generating 195kW and 620Nm.
BMW says hitting 100km/h in the 530d takes just 5.7 seconds (5.4 with xDrive) and, despite the performance potential, the 530d sips just 4.5L/100km.
While the Australian pricing and specification is yet to be confirmed, we expect to see the 5 Series launched locally in early 2017.
What do you think of the design and features? Let us know in the comments below
MORE: 2017 BMW 5 Series revealed
