The BMW 5 Series was recently launched at BGC Arts Center in Bonifacio Global City. Marketed by BMW globally as “The Business Athlete”, the BMW 5 Series continues its reign as the true jekyll and hyde, an executive sedan that is comfortable and luxurious yet sporty and very fun to drive.
The BMW 5 Series carries an evolutionary approach to its design. The exterior is a conservative approach from its previous iteration, but carries a sharper, more aggressive look. The now typical LED headlight design that merges the lights with the grille is now present in this 5 Series, with sharp-looking semi-trapezoidal LED daytime running lights illuminating the daytime road. There are two flavors of the BMW 5 Series, luxury, and M Sport. We prefer the M Sport for obvious reasons.
While the exterior is an evolutionary approach, the interior design and build quality is anything but. The BMW 5 Series is equipped as standard with a TFT LCD gauge cluster that replaces the traditional gauges. Cabin quality is also miles ahead from the previous generation, being at par with the BMW 7 Series on which it is now based. BMW iDrive receives an overhaul. Whereas past iDrives can only be controlled by the control knob, interaction can now be done via the touch screen and gesture control, both of which debuted at the BMW 7 Series.
Also receiving a complete change are the car’s internals. Its platform is based on the CLAR (cluster architecture) platform that debuted in the BMW 7 Series. This means that the all-new BMW 5 Series is now a shortened 7 Series, whereas previous BMW 5 Series used to be based on a larger BMW 3 Series platform. The new architecture has enabled BMW to cut weight on the 5 Series by as much as up to 100 kg.
There are two engine choices, both of which are diesels. The 520d Luxury and M Sport uses an oh so familiar B47 2.0 liter inline-4 cylinder TwinPower Turbo diesel engine, producing 190 hp and 400 Nm of torque, enough for a 0-100 kph run of 7.7 seconds. The 530d, which is only available in the Luxury model, is powered by a new B57 3.0 liter inline-6 cylinder TwinPower Turbo diesel engine, producing 265 hp and an earth-shattering 620 Nm of torque, enough for a 0-100 kph sprint in 5.7 seconds. Of course, BMW’s excellent ZF 8-speed Automatic is the only transmission option.
Equipment levels are generous across the range. The base 520d Luxury utilizes 18 inch alloy wheels, rear passenger sunblinds, and a luxury oriented interior with chrome trimmings. The 520d M Sport is sportier, with the M Sport exterior pack, 19 inch alloy wheels, paddle shifters, and BMW’s head up display, which in this generation of the 5 Series, is insanely large and crisp.
Finally, the 530d Luxury receives almost all the bells and whistles. Nappa leather adorns the interior, including soft closing doors, and its neatest party trick, the BMW Remote Control Parking, which uses the standard Display Key to control the vehicle from the outside in order to park your car in tight spaces, or you’re just simply too lazy to start the car yourself and you want it to drive right out of your garage for you.
Over the years, BMW has sold more than 7 million 5 Series models since its birth in 1972. Its has been a key midsize sports sedan for the brand, and despite the popularity of SUVs nowadays, BMW remains optimistic in the midsize sedan segment.
Pricing
520d Luxury: P4,590,000
520d M Sport: P4,990,000
530d Luxury: P6,390,000
Video
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