New BMW 5-series makes test round

The current generation BMW 5-series has been with us for six years now. BMW’s competitor of cars such as the Mercedes-Benz E-class and Audi A6 was already facelifted in 2020 and that means that it will not be long before a completely new 5-series is in the showrooms. That will happen in 2023. This set of photos shows a test sample of the new 5 series that is less fanatically covered with psychedelic sticker work than previously snapped prototypes.

BMW is currently walking a design path on which it is not afraid to hand out some elbows to lovers of car design without too much fuss and frills. The XM, 4-series Coupé and 7-series, just like the iX, are examples of models with which BMW has caused some controversy. With the new 5-series BMW has apparently taken a much calmer approach behind the drawing board. Those who are not a fan of the multi-layered lighting as you know it from cars such as the XM, X7 and 7 series should not leave the new Fünfer. Those layered viewers are reserved for higher-positioned models, so the new 5-series gets relatively conservatively designed lighting according to BMW terms. We see sharply drawn headlight units with which the 5-series confidently peers out into the world. In between is a grille that is a lot bigger than the one on the current 5-series, but it’s not as intense as on cars like the 4-series. On the snapped test sample in these photos, the active slats of the fencing are already clearly visible.

The new BMW 5 Series in test suit.

On the sides we use recessed handles partly in the doors and in the buttocks BMW houses lighting that does not upset the 5-series customer. In the interior, BMW’s curved set of screens will undoubtedly have a place that optically merge the digital instruments with the infotainment screen.

The new BMW 5 Series will, of course, be available with a host of mild-hybrid petrol and diesel engines, as well as plug-in hybrid engine versions. Not much new compared to the current model, you would think. But BMW goes beyond this. There will also be a fully electric variant that will be called i5. At the top of the automotive vermaeck ladder, BMW naturally puts another M5, but it will get a plug-in hybrid powertrain for the first time. The new BMW M5 may share its powertrain with the XM. That would mean that it will be at least 650 hp strong and maybe – just like the XM – a 750 hp powerful Label Red variant. We expect the new 5 Series to hit the market next year. The M5 will follow later.