Archive for the '5 Series' Category

The BMW 5 series overview

Published on December 29, 2011 in 5 Series. 0 Comments

There a number of different cars within the BMW 5 series range – such as the saloon, Touring, Convertible and Gran Turismo Hatchback models. This is an overview of the pros and cons of each of the cars in this 5 series.

The BMW 5 series saloon

This model is likely to be the most popular – and the biggest seller – for the average car driver. The 5 series saloon offers marvellous design and comfort levels, with clear, easy-to-use dashboard design and more than enough internal space for four people to sit comfortably. In terms of safety features it has the standard six airbags along with stability control feature and a spring-loaded bonnet – which should make it safer both for passengers and pedestrians. On the downside the problems of rough driving caused by the suspension system can only be solved by investing in expensive upgrades to the system.

The BMW 5 series Touring

There are many similarities with the saloon editions of the BMW 5 series, as this model also provides excellently straightforward dashboard layout and the widescreen monitor system, operated via the rotary controller on the iDrive – although it may seem strange at first, to those used to the touch screen – will probably prove to be easier to use for most people once they have adjusted to it. The Touring models are really for those who require a bit more storage space, as they feature a bigger boot – 1670 litres of space, when the rear seats are folded down – than the saloon models.

The BMW 5 series Gran Turismo Hatchback

The semi-SUV Hatchback has many of the same pros and cons of the other models in the BMW 5 series, with the major flaw being the problems with road surfaces. It is simply impossible to get a smooth ride, even on the best roads, while on bad ones the bumping and jolting can be a serious problem. Nonetheless, this is countered by the excellent handling, ensuring that the driver should never lose control of the vehicle. Furthermore the reliability and comfort levels are second to none.

If you are looking to buy any of the cars in the BMW 5 Series range but they are a bit out of your price range, you can always pick up a used BMW 5 series for a more affordable price and still in good condition either online or at your local used car dealership.

BMW M Tuned 5 Series?

Published on November 23, 2011 in 5 Series and BMW World. 0 Comments Tags: , .

A BMW dealer in the Netherlands has leaked what it says is a tasty bit of information on the upcoming diesel 5 Series. According to 5post.com, the vehicle will boast a tri-turbo inline six-cylinder oil burner good for around 381 horsepower. That number is a far cry from the 500-pony speculation that had been making the rounds until recently, but that doesn’t mean that the big 5 Series will be any slouch on the road. The dealer also let slip that the vehicle will arrive packing 516 pound-feet of torque, which should be more than enough for the big sedan’s all-wheel drive system to rip up massive handfuls of asphalt to throw at lesser machinery.

Speaking of all-wheel drive, word has it that the 550d will only be available with all four corners turning, at least initially. Production is set to kick off in March of next year, and true to form, there’s no telling whether or not the big, powerful diesel will be available to U.S. buyers. There’s also some indication that this potent engine will show up in hardware like the next-generation BMW X5 and X6, though there are no fuel economy estimates to be had at this time. Presumably, a Touring variant like the one shown above will be on offer overseas, as well, making it this Bimmer a covet-worthy alternative to a premium crossover.

2011 BMW 5 Series sedan

Published on November 23, 2009 in 2011, 5 Series and BMW 5 Series. 0 Comments Tags: , .

BMW 5 Series sedan - all new!

The 5 Series is an important model for BMW, particularly in North America where it’s the brand’s second best seller behind the 3 Series. Heading into 2010, BMW has expanded its mid-size line with the new Gran Turismo body style already on sale. However, the volume leader for the 5 Series is the four-door sedan, which officially debuts today. The 2011 model transitions to a new platform architecture shared with the latest 7 Series as well as the upcoming Rolls-Royce Ghost. The 5 Series sedan gets a four-inch shorter wheelbase than its siblings, but at 116.9 inches, it still stretches well past its competition. The new Mercedes-Benz E-Class runs a mere 113.1 inches between its axles and the Cadillac CTS is 113.4 inches.

From a technical perspective, the new 5 Series picks up much of what can be found in the 7 Series and the Gran Turismo. Read on after the jump to learn more about it.

BMW to offer four-cylinder diesels in the U.S.

Published on November 11, 2009 in 3 Series, 5 Series, b7, BMW, BMW diesel, BMW X5, BmwDiesel, diesel, Diesel BMW, DieselBmw and performance. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , .



To mechanics of the Seventies, the phrase “Oldmobile 350 Diesel” is enough to cause heart palpitations. For many Americans, that particular engine was their first – and most definitely last – exposure to diesel. Doomed from the start by both a lack of a water-separator and the head/headbolt pattern from the Olds 350 Rocket, few engines have done more to destroy a brand’s reputation quite as thoroughly as that engine. In many ways, General Motors is still paying for that corner cutting blunder.

But man, talk about unfair! First of all, those bad old GM diesels were designed and built over thirty years ago – much has changed. Furthermore, slightly more than half of all the cars sold in Europe today are glow-plugged oil burners. And diesel owners simply love their cars. Why not? Lots of torque, fantastic mileage and no spark plugs to change, ever. But we would be mistaken not to point out that there is a section of the automotive landscape still not smitten with diesels, despite all of these advancements. Who? Driving enthusiasts, that’s who. Hey, it’s hard to love a 4,500 rpm redline when all you want to do is pound it at 9/10s.

BMW is looking to change all that – at least partially. According to Erin Riches at Inside Line, the brand from Bavaria plans to introduce four-cylinder diesels mit turbos to the U.S. in a few years. Says Tom Baloga, vice president of engineering for BMW North America, “This engine needs to match the acoustic qualities of a six-cylinder, and it needs to match the performance, as well as performing better in terms of fuel economy and emissions.”

You can expect to see these new engines in both the truckish X3 and X5, as well as the all important bread-und-butter 3 Series and maybe even the 5 Series. All we need to hear is the middle part, because if BMW puts the new four-banger turbodiesel in the 3 Series, the motor simply has to be sporty. Them’s the rules. Note: the Inside Line article never explicitly mentions turbos, but does say, “Our four-cylinder diesel will be so good that people will readily accept it as a replacement for six-cylinders. The target is to produce enough horsepower to be comparable to our N54/N55 six-cylinder turbos.”

BMW 5 Series Touring caught testing

Published on November 9, 2009 in 2011 5 series, 2011 5 Series Kombi, 2011 5 Series Touring, 2011 5 Series Wagon, 2011 bmw, 2011 bmw 5 series, 20115SeriesKombi, 20115SeriesTouring, 20115SeriesWagon, 2011Bmw5Series, 5 Series, 5 Series GT, 5 Series Station Wagon, 5 Series Touring, 530i Touring, 530iTouring, 5Series, 5SeriesStationWagon, 5SeriesTouring, b7, Bimmer, BMW, BMW 5 Series, BMW 5 Series GT, BMW 5 Series Wagon, BMW wagon, Bmw5Series, Bmw5SeriesGranTurismo, Bmw5SeriesGt, Bmw5SeriesWagon, BmwWagon, Gran Turismo, GranTurismo, luxury, M5, performance, spy, spy photos, spy shot, spy shots, SpyPhotos, station wagon and StationWagon. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , , .

BMW 5 Series Touring caught testing

Unlike the never ending back-and-forth between the A6 and/or the A8, we’re certain this is the new 2011 5 Series Touring, a.k.a. a Bimmer station wagon or “Kombi” as they call ‘em over in Europe. Not bad, right? Kinda lithe yet athletic at the same time. Good looking, too. And let’s not forget the M versions of these puppies. Only thing is, what we think probably doesn’t matter – odds are we’ll never see the 5 Series Touring here in the States.

We’ve mentioned it before, but BMW just launched the 5 Series Gran Turismo. Selling both of the fairly similar five-door cars along side each other might cut into sales. Additionally, wagons have never sold well for BMW here in North America – and for some reason, Americans just aren’t into traditional car-like station wagons.

Never mind the nearly 1,000 pound weight advantage of the wagon (around 4,000 pounds) over the GT (about 4,800 pounds) – which should bring with it better mileage, performance and handling – to its detractors, the Gran Turismo just has an air of Chrysler Pacifica about it. Of course, since the day it came out, many of us auto-journo types have been asking why one would buy the SUV-ish X5 when the hauls-just-as-much-stuff 5 Series wagon is not only available but costs less, goes quicker, handles better, etc. Looks like BMW just might just disarm that line of questioning altogether.

BMW teases new 5 Series sedan

Published on November 9, 2009 in 2010 bmw, 5 Series, 525i, 530i, 535i, 550i, 5Series, Bimmer, BMW, BMW M, BMW Museum, luxury, sedan, spy, spy shot, spy shots and video. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , .



We knew that BMW’s pivotal 5 Series was slated for replacement soon, and we’ve seen plenty of spy shots to prove that it’s in the cards. Up until just now, however, we didn’t know when it would appear.

In a brief press release available after the jump, BMW promises that its new 5 Series will be revealed with a “Live-Stream of the unveiling ceremony” on November 23 at 8pm CET. In the meantime, the automaker has released a teaser video of an amazing kinetic sculpture at the BMW Museum that gives away the car’s outline.

BMW reduces the price of satellite radio by 41 percent

Published on November 5, 2009 in 5 Series, 6 Series, Bimmer, BMW, satellite radio, SatelliteRadio, sirius satellite and SiriusSatellite. 1 Comment Tags: , , , , , , , .


BMW has substantially cut the price of its Sirius Satellite Radio factory option from $595 to $350 on select 2010 vehicles (excludes 5 Series, 6 Series and X3) while also adding functionality. Customers who choose Sirius will continue to receive “The Sirius Everything” package for one year, along with some of the most popular XM channels available including Oprah Radio, XM Public Radio and several sports channels.

Beyond cheaper hardware and expanded channels, BMW and Sirius have also made the satellite radio more user friendly. Users can now view the channel list as a channel name, artist and a new “Instant Replay” function allows you to replay a favorite song or program. You can also choose favorite songs and receive an alert when one of your favorites is being played, which is one of those good ideas somebody should have thought of long ago.

Anyone who has ever priced out a Bimmer knows that options can be a pricey endeavor, so lower satellite radio prices is sure to be welcome news to BMW buyers. We’re wondering if other automakers will soon follow suit and also drop the price of their satellite hardware. Subscriptions to the now combined Sirius/XM service aren’t exactly flying off the shelves, and a lower cost of entry to the hardware in cars can only help.

Next generation BMW 3 Series

Published on November 4, 2009 in 2012, 2012 bmw 3 series, 2012Bmw3Series, 3 Series, 3Series, 5 Series, 5 Series GT, BMW, BMW 3, BMW 3-Series, Bmw3, Bmw3-series, Bmw3Series, sedan, spy, spy photos, spy pics, spy shot, spy shots, SpyPhotos, SpyPics, SpyShot and SpyShots. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , , .



This morning we get our first “clear” look at the next generation BMW 3 Series as one of our intrepid spy photographers captured one sitting on a trailer somewhere in Germany. The newest version of BMW’s mainstream model is expected to debut sometime in 2011 as 2012 model. Judging from these shots, it does not appear that the size of the new 3 will change much, although we can expect BMW to implement some weight reduction measures in order to help meet new fuel efficiency and emissions standards.

The next 3 is also expected to adopt some new powertrains including a new turbocharged and direct-injected three-cylinder engine. When the new 3 arrives here in the U.S., it will likely also mark the return of four-cylinder engines to the brand’s U.S. lineup, to which we say, bring on the fuel savings.

BMW looking at cheaper 5 Series Gran Turismo

Published on October 27, 2009 in 5 Series, 5 Series GT, 5-seriesGt, 535i, 535iGT, 550i, 550iGT, 5Series, 5SeriesGt, Bimmer, BMW, BMW diesel, BMW Gran turismo, BMW Grand Turismo, BMW M, BMW Motorsports, BMW wagon, BmwDiesel, BmwGrandTurismo, BmwGranTurismo, BmwM, BmwMotorsports, BmwWagon, diesel, Gran Turismo, Grand Turismo, GrandTurismo, GranTurismo, M-technik and Motorsport. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , .



The famed automotive pot-stirrers at Autocar are at it again. According to two blurbs from the UK publication, BMW’s new 5 Series Gran Turismo may spawn at least one less costly, less powerful variant, but a high-performance M version is apparently off the table.

On the fuel and financial economy front, Bimmer is reportedly considering adding four-cylinder powerplants to the controversial new five-door, including the 175 bhp diesel from the 320d. A twin-turbo diesel may also be in the cards. The fear here is that the premium-priced 5GT may in fact be priced too aggressively, as it stickers above a comparable 5 Series Touring model. In any case, we don’t expect to see the less-powerful diesel Stateside, although we wouldn’t be terribly suprised if the company chose to shoehorn in something like the twin-turbo 3.0-liter diesel already on offer in the 335d.

On the M side of the equation, Autocar says that the gasoline V8-powered 550i will remain the pinnacle of the range, as BMW has “ruled out” a M-Technik variant. Given that BMW has recently seen fit to move M beyond traditional cars (see: X5 and X6) and that these higher performance models often have thicker margins attached, this strikes us as somewhat curious decision – especially as the 5GT figures to be the most dynamically promising of the bunch. This source also doesn’t jibe with what we heard from BMW officials just last month when we drove the car in Portugal. At that time, the official line was that no decision had been made, but knowing glances and meek smiles seemed to indicate that things looked good for the model.

2011 BMW 5-Series

Published on October 25, 2009 in 2011 5 series, 2011 bmw, 2011 bmw 5 series, 20115-series, 20115Series, 2011Bmw, 2011Bmw5-series, 2011Bmw5Series, 5 Series, 5Series, 7 Series, ActiveHybrid, sedan, spy shots and SpyShots. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , .


The 2011 BMW 5-Series is slowly undressing as far as camouflage goes, and its looks are going the “more substantial” route to match its more substantial, modified 7 Series chassis along with a dose of 5 Series Gran Turismo in back. The front end gets a less sculpted treatment while, if the swirls don’t deceive us, the rear glasshouse slopes more steeply into the trunk lid. The lower rear fascia gets the same severe angle as that on the 5Series GT.

Inside – at least according to the forms, since everything but the shift lever and iDrive is covered – it is beginning to look like a 7 Series in miniature.

Under the hood will be the usual suspects, with the 550i supposedly getting the brand’s eight-speed auto. There are also rumors of a turbocharged four-cylinder and Active Hybrid. The car should make its first public appearance sometime early next year.