The new BMW 5-series Touring entered the market in 1997, because its predecessor had long since made BMW indispensable in the segment of the most expensive station wagons. And that’s where some of the most desirable cars were driving around in the first place.
The fourth generation of the 5-series (the E39) makes you realize that time does not just fly, but moves at a supersonic pace. For those who consciously experienced the market introduction in 1995, it may seem like the day before yesterday, but it really is almost thirty years ago. Almost unreal, which may also be due to the timeless appearance that BMW very consciously chose at the time – and with which a huge difference with the new 5-series/i5 has already been mentioned. We mention this ‘time travel’ because the 5 Series was an important newcomer; he set the benchmark for technical refinement, comfort and driving pleasure much further away from the competition. He did this mainly with his light, aluminum chassis.
The E39 quickly became known as the benchmark in its class. It didn’t have to be better, was also the tenor in the test reports of the 5 series. Would like to be more affordable, but that was just not possible with the disappearance of the entry-level version, the four-cylinder 518i. BMW thought six cylinders were the minimum for the 5-series, V8 engines would also follow and the 2.5-liter six-cylinder turbo diesel was a popular variant for mileage eaters. Viewed in this way, 1995 is a very long time ago, because four-cylinder and now also electric drive are still the standard for the new 5-series.
Separately opening rear window
The arrival of the Touring in 1997 made the E39 even more attractive thanks to its beautiful appearance and extra space. The spacious station wagon itself attracted great interest in the 1990s. In addition to the well-known entries from Audi, Mercedes-Benz and Volvo, there were the spaceships Citroën XM Break, Opel Omega Station Wagon and Lancia Kappa SW. As a Touring, the 5-series had some nice discoveries in its repertoire, such as a separately opening rear window, wheel arches concealed very flush in the loading space, a tailgate that electrically closes itself and, at an additional cost, an extendable loading floor: you can lay your stuff on it and the whole thing slides in easily. Also at extra cost: air conditioning, while the 528i cost a lot of money. As said: the E39 is much older than you might have thought.
– Thanks for information from Autoweek.nl