Tag Archives: 5 series

Is the new 2017 BMW 5 Series a hit or miss?

Well by now you’ve all seen it. The new 2017 BMW 5 Series, that is. It’s hard to believe the current F10 generation 5-series has been on sale since 2010. Yes, it’s old. It’s a very familiar shape on the road, having been a smashing sales success for the Roundel. However, to keep up with the times, BMW has ended the life of the F10 for the new G30 edition.

As you might recall from my drive of a 528i in Florida, it’s bit of a mixed bag in how I regard the outgoing 5 Series. I find it’s shape incredibly unexciting, and lacks emotion and further excitement while driving, but it is very comfortable, gets great gas mileage when easing on it, has great power and one of the best transmissions available. Overall it’s a good car, but not exactly a BMW in my opinion. But then, what do I know; I’m just an Internet nitpicker.

2017 BMW 5 Series Rear

So, for the new 2017 BMW 5 Series to be any good it would have to address my issues with it’s immediate predecessor. As far as looks go at least, it is a definite improvement. Taking the appearance of a shrunken 7 Series, it exudes a satisfying shape of elegance and class. But I still wish it had more drama to the shape. Optioning the M-sport package sure spices things up with the larger, almost gaping front air intakes to show it means business. The M5, with the surely obligatory wide fender flares and haunches will be a real looker given the base car’s form. I’m not too sure about the hockey stick running along the bottom of the doors though. It’s directly taken from the 7 and I didn’t like it there either. BMW indubitably could have come up with a more interesting design cue for that area.

The real question though, is how will it drive? If the direction the new 7 went is any indication, I don’t think it will win me over in this category. The new 7 is wonderfully compliant and smooth. With the seat massages optioned and rear-seating package, it is, to be frank, a very nice place to be. The 7, though, does drive with a sense of disconnection, isolating the driver and his/her entourage from the outside environment. It’s not my exact ideal driving characteristics, far from it to be precise, but it is slated as a genuine luxury car. It’s a car that puts on, as Will Ferrell would say, its big-boy pants, every day; not a racing suit. This is what the 7 is supposed to be, not a sports car, so I can’t dislike it for that reason.

However, if the 5 were to achieve this same style, I would be disappointed. The 5 series has always been, historically at least, a driver’s car, just of a larger dimension. Each time I’ve had a chance behind the wheel of an E60 era 535i, with it’s twin turbo six, it’s a joy compared to the outgoing model. The steering has brilliant weighting and feedback with a firecracker of an engine. V8 guise gets even better, and has aged remarkably well when wearing the M-sport uniform, especially the M5. This is the car I would like the new 5 to be more like, but seeing its emphasis on technology, it likely will continue in BMW’s current trend of further disengaging the driver. Though, compared to the last Mercedes Benz E350 I drove, a current 528i feels like a track star. It could be disconnected as per BMW standards, but will very likely be the driver’s pick still of the current range of offerings by rival marques.

The engines on offer seem to be the same that appear in the also new-for-2017 330i and 340i, and will receive the same bumps in model name. The entry-level four-cylinder 5 will be called the 530i and the six-cylinder variant the 540i. You know, they have to seem like they’re improving in some regard. Bigger number, better car, right?

Autonomous driving capabilities seem to be pushing further to full robotics each few months, and BMW has instilled the G30 with some self-driving prowess of its own. No, it’s not a Tesla in what it can do, but remember, people usually buy BMW’s because of how they drive, not how they, er, drive you. A new version of iDrive also appears imminent, even if iDrive 5.0 only was released a year ago. It looks to continue the trend of BMW having the easiest and most intuitive infotainment system on market. In terms of features of the technological kind, the new ‘5 has got it made.

Perhaps my biggest wish of the new 2017 BMW 5 Series? That it includes a backup camera as standard equipment. I mean, come on, how is a backup camera not included as standard on a $50k+ car? That is perhaps my number one “what were they thinking moment?” on the outgoing car. Wonder how many people bought 5’s thinking it standard only to be surprised when going into reverse.

There you have it, my thoughts on the incoming 5-series. I’m sure it will be another BMW sales success, but will it be a success as a BMW is the real question. We will just wait and see!

The All-New 2017 BMW 5 Series

The formula for success continues with the 7th generation of the most successful premium sedan, the all-new BMW 5 Series.  Over 7.6 million BMW 5 Series have been sold worldwide since 1972 and since 1975 over 1 million units in the U.S. alone. The 2017 BMW 5 Series has been entirely newly developed allowing for a significant weight loss of up to 137 lbs with the use of magnesium, aluminum and high-strength steel. Thanks to the available state of the art chassis systems including Integral Active Steering now in conjunction with xDrive (BMW’s intelligent all-wheel drive system), Driver and Parking Assistance Systems and Adaptive Mode including Dynamic Damper Control, the all-new BMW 5 Series once more defines the athletic and executive design of a true sport sedan. Featuring a new user interface (iDrive 6.0), Gesture Control, the latest generation of Head-Up Display, Remote 3D View and an improved Voice Control with natural voice input, the 2017 BMW 5 Series marks a new era of personalized connectivity. The BMW 5 Series is the most innovative BMW 5 Series to date, combining unique driving dynamics using Remote Control Parking and Advanced Driver Assistance Systems clearing the way towards semi-automated driving.

Continue reading The All-New 2017 BMW 5 Series

Coming Soon AquilaBMW’s Freedom Tour 2016

That’s right… another member is about to undertake another EPIC journey across the country in his E39 M5.  Sometime soon, some of you might just catch a glimpse of this Imola Red E39 M5 as it is crossing  our great country.  Could this be the ultimate cross country mile muncher? What is your favorite car to drive cross country in?

Let us know in our discussion forum

Building a cross country car

Today, I put the car on jack stands to listen to the engine and drive train while it’s running. In the past, with the engine running, there was always this seemingly marble in a can sound. I was first very concerned that it might be the rod bearings. I’ve had a couple of very knowledgeable people listen to the car and the opinion was that it was something loose in the engine area, but not the engine itself. It was not the chains or the guides and a friend stated that if it was the rod bearings, the engine should have exploded over the last few thousand miles of driving which has included a few long distance trips.

You can check out his thread starting the road trip here.