It’s finally here, BMW Group Malaysia has launched the latest generation of the 5-Series here in Malaysia. At the moment, only the 530i M Sport has been made available to order. But as a whole, the 5-Series range features a slew of tech that make it a formidable foe to the S-Class.
Now, in its seventh-generation, the new car has a comparatively different look to its predecessor. It’s kidney grille and headlights are now directly linked, a design feature that was absent on former models. The BMW adaptive full-LED headlights with LED daytime running lights (DRL) have been enhanced with roundabout lights and the high beam is now able to illuminate the path ahead up to 500 meters.
The roof’s low and sleek profile provides a coupe-like look to the car’s silhouette which will definitely be of interest to the younger car buyer. The crease below the side windows, now curve upwards which BMW claims, lends a more dynamic appearance to the the car’s look.
Following with the philosophy of form following function, there are a number of bits on the car that serve both an aesthetic and functional purpose. The air vent control in the kidney grille, air inlets and air curtains in the front apron and air breathers in the front wings have been optimized to create better airflow. As such, BMW boasts that the new 5-series offers the best drag coefficient of any sedan at a cd of 0.22.
Featuring a newly designed chassis, BMW used an increased amount of aluminium and high-strength steels in the car’s construction. And as such, the new car is about 100kg leighter than its predecessor. These weight saving measures have attributed the car with a very low centre of gravity, which should improve stability while meandering through sharp bends. Standing as it is, the 5-Series measures 4,936mm long, 1,868mm wide and 1,479mm high.
Equipped with the M-Sport package, the 530i M Sport comes with 19-inch double spoke M Light-alloy wheels wrapped in mixed sized tyres, M Sport brake with blue painted calipers adorned with the ‘M’ moniker as well as M aerodynamic components in the respective body colour, front and rear aprons, and sill overs at the sides. BMW has also equipped the car with electrically adjustable sports seats for both driver (Memory Function)and front passenger, illuminated M door sill finishers, new M specific pedals and M leather steering wheel.
Under the hood is a 2.0-litre engine that features TwinPower Turbo technology, Twin Scroll turbochargers, High Precision Direct Injection, VALVETRONIC fully variable valve control and Double-VANOS variable camshaft timing – it’s a real mouthful but is also a testament to the meticulous engineering effort that goes into new BMW engines.
This engine is mated to an eight-speed Steptronic Sport transmission and when in 530i M Sport guise, the 5-Series engine develops 252bhp and 350Nm of torque. Due to that, the 0-100km/h sprint can be dispensed with in 6.2 seconds and enables the car to reach a top speed of 250km/h.
In addition to the three driving modes – Comfort, Sport and Eco Pro, the new 5-Series features an additional mode called Adaptive. When enabled, the Dynamic Damper Control (DDC), steering responsiveness, GPS and Steptronic systems adapt to the driver’s driving style and the route ahead.
Like all BMWs, the main party-piece is the iDrive system and with the new car, it features the latest generation system which offers navigation and entertainment features. the 10.25-inch touchscreen can be accessed with the iDrive controller, voice command, gestures or by touching the display. For comfort, there is a 4-zone climate control air-con system as well as sun protecting glazing for the glass.
This time around, BMW has dumped a myriad of tech into the new 5-Series. it now comes with Active Cruise Control with Stop&Go function, which accelerates, brakes and maintains the required speed (functional up to 210km/h) as and when necessary, depending on traffic conditions. The new car is also able to detect speed limits and adjusts speeds accordingly.
As for safety, the car has Lane Departure Warning and Lane Change Warning systems that alert the driver when he veers into another lane. Approach Control Warning & Person Warning works with the City Brake function which will adjust speeds or applies the brakes when the system detects a person (for speeds up to 60km/h) and vehicles (for up to 80km/h) in the way.
Crossing-Traffic Warning Rear, is a system that warns drivers when reversing from tight spaces. Working with the rear camera, the system is able to offer an improved view for the driver and warn him when there is a potential threat of a collision. Through The Connected Mobility assistant, the car helps drivers plan their journeys depending on the their schedule.
Even the key of the new 5-Series isn’t devoid of tech. It features an LCD display and touch control panel that displays various information of the vehicle’s status and allows the available functions to be controlled from it.
The new BMW 530i M Sport can be ordered in a number of colours which are Black Sapphire, Sophisto Grey Brilliant Effect, Alpine White and Mediterranean Blue. Inside, the interior upholstery leather is of Dakota Black with contrast blue stitching or Dakota Cognac with contrast stitching. However, this isn’t available for the Mediterranean Blue body colour.
Retailing for RM398,800.00, the new car comes with a 5-year unlimited mileage warranty, free schedule service program and BMW Tyre Warranty programme.
