2010 BMW 5-Series Review

[BmwDubai]

The sixth generation BMW 5 Series is due in the Middle East very soon.

The new 5 Series model range comprises of the 2011 sedan and the 2010 Gran Turismo (GT), which was launched in the region in February 2010.

The new executive sedan’s design is a clean break from the controversial looks of the Chris Bangle designed predecessor. It is surprisingly low-key and has elements that hint at the fourth generation car such as the clean bodylines, rear profile and head lamps.

However, unlike the polarising design of the last generation 5 Series, the new car is more neutral and won’t evoke many strong emotions. The sedan has also grown marginally in size.

The new car features a 3.0-litre turbocharged, inline six-cylinder engine with 300bhp in the 535i and a brawny twin-turbo 4.4-litre V8 with 400bhp in the 550i. The same engines do duty in the 535i GT and the 550i GT. While the sedan is available with either a six-speed manual gearbox or a new eight-speed automatic transmission, the GT comes only with the automatic.

At the time of writing this BMW had not introduced the xDrive all-wheel drive system in any of the new 5 Series variants but had plans to do so later in 2010. BMW claims that the new 550i can accelerate from 0-100kph in about five seconds.

The new 5 Series features an upgraded fourth generation iDrive entertainment/ navigation system, which BMW claims is more refined and user friendly than previous iterations. Novel features include a head-up display and an advanced Parking Assistant, which automatically steers the car into a parking slot.

The 5 Series scored the maximum five stars for safety in the Euro NCAP crash tests in 2010 and was the first BMW to score a perfect 100 percent.

SOURCE: http://automiddleeast.com/2010-bmw-5-series/