I have always thought of the BMW 5 Series as the car that sits right between two worlds. Despite its positioning as a proper luxury sedan, it has always carried enough of BMW’s DNA to make you want to take the long way home. The current generation 5 Series takes that formula and stretches it – quite literally – with a long wheelbase that gives it an even stronger focus on comfort and rear-seat space. And now, BMW has given the car a bunch of updates, like sportier looking, 19-inch wheels, a fixed pane panoramic sunroof and additional safety features. A couple of days behind its wheel helped me realise once again, as to why the current 5 Series is a quantum leap over its predecessor!
At over 5.1 metres long and with a 3,105mm wheelbase, this is a rather large car. I have to also admit that unlike before, I now feel the current generation 5 Series is a rather good looking BMW, while the M Sport treatment adds a dash of sportiness. Inside, the cabin feels modern, beautifully finished and distinctly BMW, but there is a greater emphasis on ambience now, thanks to BMW’s ‘Panorama Glassroof Sky Lounge’. The roof is a fixed pane glass and uses a printed pattern along with LED lighting to offer a lounge-like feel. It looks very good in the dark, as the LEDs sync with the ambient lighting, besides which it also changes appearance when you change driving modes. The dashboard looks and feels as rich as ever and also holds the curved glass panel that houses the infotainment screen and driver display both, just like before.
The 530Li also feels like a car engineered to blend comfort with sportiness unlike few other luxury sedans. Step on the gas and it reminds you instantly that it is a BMW, as the 2.0-litre, four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine offers 258PS and 400Nm. The engine feels supremely refined, while the eight-speed automatic gearbox does an excellent job of ensuring power delivery is seamless. I like the way the car gathers speed as there is no drama, no sudden shove in the back, just a very deliberate surge that makes overtakes effortless. This, while ensuring the cabin is incredibly quiet, with very little engine or road noise inside. The car also feels particularly composed over undulating highways, while the suspension does an excellent job of ironing out imperfections. And lest you forget, the steering reminds you that you are driving a BMW, with its precise and well-weighted feel.
In a nutshell, the 5 Series has grown up, without completely losing its personality. It is spacious enough to keep rear seat passengers happy, comfortable enough to make long journeys genuinely relaxing, and quick enough to remind the driver that there is still a BMW underneath all that luxury. All while retailing at a rather impressive ₹76.60 lakh ex-showroom.
Words Abhay Verma
Photography Saidatta Naik
