The segment of large sedans is the preserve of the Germans in Europe. Of these, the BMW 5 Series is one of its greatest exponents, a car that has known throughout its history to combine elegance, interior refinement and driving dynamism. At the end of the year it will add another notch to its milestones, a 100% electric variant, the BMW i5. We have been able to see it and play it in Madrid (for now stopped).
As soon as the model was revealed, the first thing that caught my attention was how big the new model is. Measure 5.06 meters in length, so it’s 9.7 centimeters longer than the 2021 5 Series that preceded it. But the huge wheelbase of 2.99 meters (gain 2 cm) is very striking. It is also wider (1.90 meters, 3.2 cm more) and 3.6 cm taller, staying at 1.52 meters.
Compared with what will be its main rival, the Mercedes EQE, I like the BMW that bets on keeping the classic three-volume silhouette instead of betting on such an innovative and different bodywork. If you are one of those who do not want the car you drive to announce that it has an electric propulsion system, bet on the BMW.
Made on the same platform as the combustion one, there are hardly any notable design differences beyond details and logos. The unit we saw was the top of the range, a i5 M60xDrivewith 601 CV of power and 795 Nm of maximum torque, with which it had the M Pro package or the iconic glow, that LED backlit grill that gives it a more distinguished air, outlining the already classic profile of the two kidneys. Premiere lighting signature.
The interior is clearly spacious and, above all, well finished. The front seats are easily accessible, as the doors are very large and have handles integrated into the bodywork to improve airflow around the car. The seats surprised me for good: despite being in front of a sports unit, very comfortable.
Before you is the M sports steering wheel, with a thick, very soft rim and a red touch that indicates 12 o’clock. It’s a pleasure to hold in your hands and it has paddles behind it. Those of us who are more fanatics of driving perhaps pay more attention to this type of aspect than to infotainment. And that you can see the double screen, visually united behind a curved glass. It shows the information well, but I prefer to test it running to better see its fluency. Without a doubt, the best thing is that it retains the rotary iDrive controller on the console. What do you prefer to touch the screen? Do it, it is tactile, but that control is very very intuitive to move through menus.
A technological detail in which the brand influenced a lot is in the Interaction Bar. It’s an LED light bar that runs across the dashboard to the doors. Beyond its decorative function, it can change color depending on the driving mode and warns of dangers (or when we have the four turn signals activated).
It is not a car that stands out excessively for offering a huge trunk. Understand me. The 490 liters of the electric versions (520 in the combustion and PHEV) are not bad and it is enough for luggage, but the car exceeds 5 meters. In 2024 there will come a Touring bodyworkthe family member of the range, with greater capacity and practicality.
The electrical range consists of the start of the i5 M60 as top of the range version and the eDrive40, with 340 CV and 430 Nm of torque (engine that the BMW i4 already has) Both are fed by the energy stored by an 81.2 kWh lithium-ion battery, which supports charges of up to 205 kW. The approved autonomy is between 516 and 579 km.
The first units will begin to be assembled in July and will reach dealers in October, along with the combustion versions. If you want a plug-in hybrid engine, there will be two versions, with excellent ranges, up to 1,012 km in the 530exDrive and up to 90 km in the 550e xDrive. Prices start at 60,050 euros for the 520d, while the i5 starts at 76,750 euros for the eDrive40.
