Seven years. That's how long the G3X generation BMW 5 Series stayed in production. But fret not, because the Munich marque hasn't given up on the business car game, as they just introduced a brand new one to battle the Audi A6 and Mercedes E-Class. Sold under the G6X (G60 Sedan/G61 Touring) codename, it will enter production at Dingolfing in Germany this summer, with deliveries commencing shortly after.
Introduced at the same time as the first-ever i5, aka the electric variant, it's the same car beneath the skin as the all-quiet model, as both build on the CLAR platform. You know what car is based on the same construction? That would be its predecessor, alongside other Bimmers, from the 2 Series Coupe to the 7 Series flagship, and from the i3 and Z4, to the X3 and X7. Thus, the brand's fanbase cannot say that it's new from the ground up.
Nevertheless, despite the familiar construction, the all-new 5 Series doesn't lack in the tech department. It features a curved screen setup mixing the 14.9-inch infotainment screen with the 12.3-inch digital dials, and the iDrive 8.5 operating system backs it up. BMW speaks about a more user-friendly layout alongside physical controls and voice commands. It has a toggle switch to change gears instead of the old car's traditional gear shifter and allows the occupants to play games, albeit only when it is stationary. Vegan leather is on deck because the new model will likely stick around until the end of the decade, and the automotive world (and not only) is all about saving the planet one cowhide at a time.
The dashboard’s overall design is more minimalistic, and this translates to the center console. Fortunately, BMW hasn't given up the traditional buttons and knobs, so there are quite a few of them around to access and control various functions. Compared to the new one, the G3X (G30 Sedan/G31 Touring) has a tablet-like infotainment system mounted on top of the dashboard. The central air vents are positioned under it, and further down, it has the physical controls for the multimedia and HVAC system. The center console is dominated by the traditional gear shifter, positioned next to the iDrive controller, both of which are surrounded by several buttons.
The ambient lighting hasn't gone anywhere, and we're pleased to announce it's not as flashy 'as on the Merc' E-Class. Due to the length of the wheelbase extending from 117.1 to 117.9 inches (2,975-2,995 mm), the interior is a bit more spacious than before. Nonetheless, the improvement likely won't be recognized by those unfamiliar with the old one. At 199.2 in (5,060 mm) from bumper to bumper, 74.8 in (1,900 mm) wide, and 59.6 in (1,515 mm) tall, it is a bit longer, wider, and taller than its predecessor.
Photo: BMW
Since we mentioned the size, we might as well continue with the exterior design, which is evolutionary and not that pretty, this writer thinks. The headlamps are roughly the same size as before, but the grille is taller, and it makes the whole nose of the car look like a snout. It's still a three-box sedan, and it looks a bit better at the rear due to the slightly shrunken taillights. It doesn't have a light bar linking the main units together, and the bumper is a bit more on the aggressive side on the new car, whose tailpipe trim is concealed better.
Future owners of the new-gen BMW 5 Series will have other stuff to enjoy on their daily commutes, like the highway assistant that allows drivers to keep their hands off the wheel at up to 85 mph (137 kph). The semi-autonomous gadgetry enables the car to change lanes on its own and comprises a fully-automated parking system that's bound to come in handy in the urban jungle, where every inch counts.
The current powertrain family includes the 2.0-liter inline-four in the 530i with rear- and all-wheel-drive (xDrive). It produces 255 hp (259 ps/190 kW) and 295 lb-ft (400 Nm) of torque. A straight-six is also available, and it comes with the 540i and 540i xDrive, bringing 375 hp (380 ps/279 kW) and 384 lb-ft (521 Nm) to the party, and 398 lb-ft (540 Nm) with the mild-hybrid tech. The i5 family includes the eDrive 40 and xDrive M60, rated at 335 hp (340 ps/250 kW) and 295 lb-ft (400 Nm), and 590 hp (598 ps/440 kW) and 586 lb-ft (795 Nm) respectively.
Meanwhile, the G3X used to be offered with an assortment of four- and six-cylinder units, and in the range-topping M5 configuration, it packed a V8 with twin-turbocharging and a displacement of 4.4 liters. The upcoming M5 is expected with an electrified powertrain, likely mixing a six-pot unit with one (or perhaps more) electric motors. In the most plausible scenario, it will develop over 700 hp combined. So, if you had the cash and a G30 parked in the driveway, would you upgrade to the new one? I have an F10, and the G30 doesn't seem that pretty inside and out, and the same goes for the G60, which is even uglier on the outside. But who knows, the design could grow on us, right?
After a series of unfortunate events put an end to Cristian's dream of entering a custom built & tuned old-school Dacia into a rally competition, he moved on to drive press cars and write for a living. He's worked for several automotive online journals and now he's back at autoevolution after his first tour in the mid-2000s. Full profile
Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?
Google News