5 Series: first impressions

 

It’s half-time for the sixth generation BMW 5 Series but if the executive saloon star player was expecting the hairdryer treatment as it wandered into the dressing room what it got was more of a full-blown makeover.

 

Three years into the 5 Series’ six-year lifecycle with a million units sold and a ‘most successful 5 Series ever’ rosette slapped on its grille, BMW’s mid-life facelift wand has been waved. The results don’t appear to amount to much but a wide range of key revisions to styling, engines and technology promise a car that’s all set to bound out and shine in the second half.

 

What’s changed? Here goes. Across the three 5 Series bodystyles (saloon, Touring estate and GT hatch) there are tweaked tail lights, indicators integrated into the door mirrors and a wider air intake below the reprofiled kidney grille.

 

A 518d model now opens proceedings and a new twin-turbo V8 550i tops the sub-M5 UK line-up with 449hp. BMW says the driving dynamics have been honed further while all 5 Series models are now Euro 6 compliant thanks to green upgrades across the range.

 

Posted on: 09-12-2013

Tweet