New Driver Assitance Innovations, Styling and Interior for BMW 5 Series
The BMW 5 Series strengthens its leading position in the segment with a mid-life update boasting a raft of new class-leading high-tech innovations as well as highly attractive design and comfort enhancements.
Already acknowledged as the epitome of sheer driving pleasure in its segment, and fresh from a winning sales performance in 2006, the mid-life update will ensure the BMW 5 Series reaches a new standard of perfection.
Class-leading innovation, technology
Headlining the changes, the BMW 5 Series offers a wide range of innovations in driver assistance and comfort features when it arrives in April.
As an example, it will be the only car in its segment available with Night Vision, Active Steering, High-Beam Assist, Head-Up Display as well as Lane Change Warning. This newly developed driver assistance system alerts the driver when the car strays out of its lane.
Highly attractive modifications to the exterior and significant, visible and tangible enhancements of style and sophistication in the interior, including re-designed interior elements and controls and additional storage options, further accentuate the sporting, elegant and classy character of the BMW 5 Series Sedan.
Other new developments include the particularly quick and precise new six-speed automatic transmission, boasting 40 per cent faster reaction times and swifter gearshifts, now controlled by an electronic gear selector lever.
BMW’s petrol engines, already widely lauded for their superior power and supreme refinement, now feature increased power. The volume selling 523i sedan has an additional 10 kW power, and the 530i Sedan gains an additional 10 kW power and 15 Nm torque, with the 3.0-litre six-cylinder engine now boasting 200 kW and 315 Nm of torque.
Exterior design: sporting character with new elegance
The sporting look of the class-leading BMW 5 Series Sedan is accentuated, thanks to headlights that now come with new clear glass technology, transparent glass panels covering the direction indicators along with chrome surrounds that highlight the technically sophisticated character of the round headlights.
The surrounds on the BMW double kidney grille are now flush with the surfaces on the front air dam, and the air intake sweeping up at the side along the same dynamic line as the headlight contours also contributes to a smoother and friendlier looking front end. A horizontal trim bar in the middle highlights the car’s wide track and muscular stance.
An additional light contour along the side-sills gives the body of the Sedan an even sleeker, more stretched look from the side. The rear end, in turn, is dominated by horizontal lines highlighting the projection of power. Like the headlights at the front, the rear lights also come in a new, sophisticated clear-glass look and now feature LED direction indicators. The trim bar around the rear numberplate is now defined even more smoothly and precisely on the BMW 5 Series Sedan.
Refinement and sophisticated styling within the interior
Enhanced control comfort, new design and sophisticated surface materials give the interior of the BMW 5 Series a new standard of quality. High-class Pearl Gloss Chrome, the very pleasant finish on the controls for smooth and easy handling, comfortable padding on the door armrests and panels as well as on the centre console all contribute to the quality interior. At the same time additional storage options give the BMW 5 Series an even greater practicality.
A striking twin-tone finish on the door panels highlights the new refinement of the car’s interior design. Black door trim bars at the top and the lower panel section in the respective interior colour, together with elegantly sweeping decal bars, continue the look and the materials used on the dashboard. The buttons for the window lifts and mirror adjustment have been integrated in the armrest, just as the door handles have been optimised ergonomically. The door pockets are now integrated even more effectively in the door panels, providing greater storage capacity.
The new electronic gear selector lever for the automatic transmission matches the stylish interior with its appealing look and ideal ergonomics.
Control of the iDrive vehicle management system has been optimised to an even higher standard. Apart from enhanced menu guidance and refined graphics, the new Favourites buttons ensure even more intuitive control and operation of the car. The eight freely available buttons with their favourite functions allow the driver and front passenger to access important functions very quickly, smoothly and easily. All they do is press one single button to activate, say, a specific destination, a telephone number dialled frequently, or a preferred radio station saved in advance.
Fast and efficient six-speed automatic transmission
The six-speed automatic transmission stands out in particular through its upgraded hydraulics, innovative torque converter and even more powerful management software, ensuring an even more spontaneous response to even the slightest movement of the accelerator pedal and an extremely fast and efficient gearshift. On the road, this means reaction times are now some 40 per cent faster, with the actual gearshift time being almost halved. Shifting back a gear is now just as fast too, thanks to the direct gear path finder.
The automatic transmission is controlled by an electronic gear selector lever following the usual gearshift pattern. The new gear selector lever moves back to its initial position once the gear selected is in mesh, with the transmission itself masterminded not in a mechanical process, but rather via electrical signals.
Active Steering for unique driving comfort
The BMW 5 Series is the only car in its segment that allows the driver to manoeuvre the car with less effort and force on the steering wheel when parking, while at high speeds remaining precisely on track. Thanks to Active Steering, the steering angle is varied in accordance with the speed at which the car is travelling.
The power and effectiveness of the high-performance swing-calliper brakes with inner-vented brake discs is now controlled electro-hydraulically on the BMW 5 Series. Brake pressure is modified individually as required on all four wheels. So should the electronic control unit notice that the driver is applying the brakes all-out, the system will build up brake pressure very quickly indeed, making the entire process of applying the brakes more comfortable and enhancing driving safety, thanks to shorter stopping distances.
DSC Dynamic Stability Control with new functions
DSC Dynamic Stability Control, which counteracts any over- or under-steer in bends, now features innovative functions designed to make the brake system of the BMW 5 Series even more effective. These include Fading Compensation, Start-Off Assistant, Regular Dry Braking which helps to ensure optimum stopping power in wet weather, and pre-loading of the brake pads which enhances the brake standby function when the driver requires a particularly short stopping distance.
Cruise control with brake function
The BMW 5 Series also comes standard with cruise control complete with a special brake function. The system is activated in order to maintain the speed set by the driver in advance – at least 30 km/h. Depending on requirements, the system either increases engine power or slows down the car. Contrary to conventional cruise control, this intelligent new system is able to control the road speed of the car not just via the drag force generated by the engine and by shifting down gears, but also by activating the brakes, thus keeping the car at a consistent speed when, say, driving downhill for a longer distance. And using the Curve Speed Limiter, the system is also able to reduce road speed in bends whenever required for reasons of driving dynamics.
Keeping reliably on course: Lane Change Warning.
To enhance driver awareness, the BMW 5 Series is available as an option with a newly developed and quite unique assistance system helping to keep the car exactly on course, that is in the lane chosen by the driver. Referred to as “Lane Change Warning”, this highly innovative system identifies any deviation from the correct course of the car and gives the driver a discreet but tangible signal where the steering is felt – on the steering wheel itself.
The Lane Change Warning system consists of a camera fitted near the interior mirror on the windscreen, a control unit serving to compare data, and a signaling device.
Head-Up Display and driver support in poor weather with bad visibility
The BMW 5 Series is the only car in its segment available as an option with a Head-Up Display. Activating this function, the driver has the benefit of receiving information and data particularly relevant for motoring directly in front of his eyes on the windscreen. So as an example, the driver is able to check out the current speed of the car or navigation data in direct line of vision with maximum convenience at all times.
In combination with the xenon headlights the BMW 5 Series comes with a daytime lights function using the corona rings in the dual round headlights. Another feature also available as an option on the BMW 5 Series is Adaptive Headlight technology, illuminating the road ahead in exactly the right way and in the right direction following the curves taken by the driver. In this case the headlights swivel in accordance with the position of the steering wheel, the yaw rate of the car, and its road speed. The Turning Lights function, in turn, adjusts the direction of the headlights when taking bends at a speed of less than 40 km/h.
Yet another option available in the BMW 5 Series as the only car in its segment is the High-Beam Assist. This sophisticated lights system automatically switches off the high-beam headlights as soon as oncoming traffic is approaching, when the distance to a vehicle ahead drops below a certain level, or if the road ahead is sufficiently illuminated, for example in a built-up area or on a brightly lit road.
BMW Night Vision - also available as an option - ensures an even higher standard of all-round safety when driving at night. Unique to the BMW 5 Series in this segment, BMW Night Vision is based on a thermal imaging camera able to detect people, animals and objects on and next to the road up to a distance of 300 metres, transmitting a clear, high-contrast image to the Control Display also used by the navigation system.