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The New BMW 5 Series Saloon
2003-05-14 - By Philip Byrne
This really is an impressive newcomer at first sight: The very first time you behold and admire the sporting, elegant and powerful-looking body of the new 5 Series, you will immediately appreciate this dynamic representative of the BMW business class.
 And you will experience this dynamism on the road through the sophisticated overall concept of innovative technologies including a brand-new, weight-saving aluminium/steel bodywork structure.
So in a nutshell, the new 5 Series Saloon offers more space and comfort on less weight, with enhanced fuel economy and even better performance, as well as ideal axle load distribution.
Only active driving systems are able to further enhance the safe and comfortable driving pleasure offered by the perfectly tuned all-aluminium suspension. And it is precisely here that the new 5 Series, featuring the world's first Active Front Steering as well as active Dynamic Drive stabilisation, gives the driver the option to enjoy an unprecedented synthesis of agility, handling, and driving comfort all in one. Providing a wide range of runflat tyres for the new 5 Series, BMW is also enhancing the leadership of the marque in the introduction of such safety tyres with failsafe running characteristics.
Entering the market with six-cylinder power units:
The 520i, 530i, and 530d reaching customers in July 2003:
To be launched in the European markets in July 2003, the new BMW 5 Series will be initially appearing in three variants featuring straight-six power units: The 520i developing maximum output of 125 kW/170 bhp and maximum torque of 210 Nm/155 lb-ft, the 530i with 170 kW/231 bhp and 300 Nm/ 221 lb-ft, both models featuring BMW's unique, silken-smooth bi-VANOS spark ignition engines, and the 530d developing maximum output of 160 kW/218 bhp and maximum torque of 500 Nm/369 lb-ft and powered by BMW's new diesel featuring second-generation common rail technology. All three variants come as standard with a new six-speed manual gearbox, with six-speed automatic being available as an option on all model variants.
The BMW 520i/530d/530i accelerate from 0-100 kilometres in 9.0/7.1/6.9 seconds and achieve a top speed of 230/245/250 kilometres/h (143/152/155 mph), with fuel consumption in the composite EU cycle of 9.0/6.9/9.5 litres/100 kilometres (31.3/40.9/29.7 mpg Imp).
The 520iA, the 525i displacing 2.5 litres and with maximum output of 141 kW/192 bhp plus maximum torque of 245 Nm/181 lb-ft, and, in particular, the 545i with a V8 power unit displacing 4.4 litres and developing 245 kW/333 bhp, with 450 Nm/332 lb-ft maximum torque, and with innovative VALVETRONIC, will be following in autumn 2003.
Whilst larger and more spacious than its predecessor, the new saloon is not heavier, but even - depending on the model - up to 75 kilograms (165 lb) lighter. This is attributable inter alia to the lightweight aluminium front section combined with the rest of the body-in-white made of steel to take a trendsetting step into the future of bodywork construction.
Despite its increase in size and the wider range of comfort features, the BMW 5 Series offers a standard of all-round performance setting new benchmarks in the Executives Express Segment on a relatively low level of fuel consumption.
Design: sporting, refined, unmistakable:
In its looks and appearance, the new 5 Series combines the dynamism and sporting flair of the 3 Series with the supremacy and presence of the BMW 7 Series. Through its design alone, the new Saloon thus forms the powerful centrepoint within the BMW model range. The muscular front end with its unmistakable, curved headlight clusters featuring dual headlights and the coupé-like 'greenhouse' clearly bear testimony to the car's sporting and dynamic character.
Networked: Active Front Steering, adaptive headlights, and ACC:
Available as optional equipment, the world's first Active Front Steering offers a new level of driving comfort, motoring pleasure and safety on the road. Masterminded electronically, this sophisticated system varies the steering transmission ratio under normal driving conditions at low and medium road speeds, making the steering more direct, reducing the steering effort, and thus significantly enhancing the car's agile performance in city traffic, when parking and in bends. At high speeds, in turn, the steering becomes more indirect and thus provides superior directional stability and a very good, docile steering response. Networked to DSC Dynamic Stability Control, Active Front Steering is able to intervene as soon as the car starts to become unstable by monitoring the yaw rate and changing the steering angle accordingly. This reduces the number of DSC interventions at the lower end of the control range and thus offers optimum control comfort for the driver and his passengers.
Introducing adaptive headlights, BMW is offering yet another networked system in the new 5 Series as an option, thus providing a significant improvement of active safety on the road: With this system, the two bi-xenon headlights are controlled in real time as a function of the steering wheel angle, yaw rate and road speed, perfectly illuminating the road ahead in a bend.
Brake Force Display already homologated for the BMW 7 Series in the USA and now also available in the 5 Series reduces the risk of bumper-to-bumper collisions when the driver applies the brakes hard by enlarging the brake light area. Following completion of the homologation process, the system will also be introduced in other countries and then only requires activation of the software already available.
The new BMW 5 Series comes for the first time with ACC Automatic Cruise Control. This radar-based assistant is specially developed for driving on the motorway, making it much easier, in particular, to drive smoothly in convoys by automatically controlling the distance from the vehicle ahead chosen in advance.
Trendsetting ergonomics: Controller and head-up display:
With its cockpit based on BMW's iDrive philosophy, the new 5 Series is taking on a pioneering role in its class in driver-oriented ergonomics: Most functions essential for motoring are within the driver's immediate reach on or around the steering wheel, whilst the basic comfort functions are in the centre console. All other settings, functions and services are masterminded smoothly and efficiently by the driver or front passenger using the Controller and Control Display specially modified for the 5 Series - as an example, this control system is now featured for the first time together with a gearshift lever in the middle.
The head-up display also featured in a BMW for the first time makes a significant contribution to active safety by presenting information relevant to the driver in his direct line of vision. A further advantage is that the driver can determine himself at any time what information is to be presented on the windscreen, for example his road speed and/or navigation instructions.
The interior: Rhythm and harmony, more space and high-quality, sophisticated features:
 Harmony as the result of clear lines and rhythm ensured by surfaces and contours full of tension act together with a sophisticated range of individualised colours and materials in creating the design language of the car's interior. Customers are able to choose their new 5 Series in five equipment variants and with four worlds of interior colours. The new Saloon offers more space above all at the rear and has a much larger luggage compartment than its predecessor. Standard features include the new automatic air conditioning with adaptive evaporation temperature control preventing the occupants' mucous membranes from growing too cold and drying out and providing individual stratification of temperatures inside the car.
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