- To be launched in India on 24 July
- Expected to be offered with both petrol and diesel power
The much anticipated next-gen BMW 5 Series LWB has been officially unveiled ahead of its India price announcement on 24 July. This is the next generation of BMW India’s most successful and iconic product and will take the fight to the new Mercedes-Benz E-Class that is due at the end of the year.
Exterior design highlights
On the outside, the next-gen 5 Series retains the shape and familiar elements that define the range but is bigger than the outgoing model. Hence, the LWB tag and not Gran Limousine as the 3 Series has been tagged. It measures 5.17 metres and has a wheelbase of 3.1 metres, making it marginally longer than the E-Class which has a length of 5.09 metres and a wheelbase of 3.09 metres. Major exterior design highlights include a revised kidney grille, sharper bumpers, and a multi-spoke design for the alloy wheels.
The car you see in the pictures is running 18-inch wheels but BMW will also offer 19-inch units at the time of configuration. One of the most signature elements is BMW’s wrap-around taillamps, which are now full LED units and sport a much cleaner and simpler design compared to those of its predecessor.
Interior design highlights and feature list
We first saw this cabin design on the iX and now, it has come to the 5 Series. The layout is minimalistic with a massive one-piece screen divided between the driver and passenger but more oriented towards the former (as is the case with any BMW). While minimalism is the key, the centre console does look busy with the iDrive dial, volume controls, drive modes, and the gear selector element. A big selling point of this car is the rear seat package, which thanks to the extended wheelbase offers more room across all dimensions as compared to the outgoing model. Sadly, there’s no curved roof-mounted display like that in the 7 Series but we expect optional seatback screens to be a part of the deal when the car is launched. Lastly, the second row is fixed in place, unlike the E-Class LWB which has adjustment for the base and seatback.
The feature list includes the usual luxuries such as multi-zone climate control, Level 2 ADAS, 18-speaker Bowers and Wilkins sound system, USB-C charging ports, wireless phone charger, and ventilated front seats with power function. These are all things one would expect in a 5 Series and on paper at least BMW has delivered with no fuss.
BMW 5 Series LWB powertrain options, pricing, and competition
As is the case with the outgoing model, we expect BMW to offer this car in the 520d and 520i guise but at a later date also introduce a 530d and 530i in M-Sport guises. All powertrains will be offered with a ZF-sourced eight-speed AT powering the rear wheels. xDrive is only expected to be offered with the next-generation M5 when it comes along in 2025.
We expect BMW to price this new 5 Series in the range of Rs. 85 lakh to Rs. 1 crore and it will compete with not only the new Mercedes-Benz E-Class and the Audi A6 but also SUVs like the Mercedes-Benz GLE, BMW X3, and the Audi Q5.
