Lighter, faster, fully networked and brimming with technology comes the new 5er Start 2017 to us. In the meantime, the business sedan even masters automated driving. Almost 45.000 Euro costs the base 520d, which already offers extensive standard equipment. These include an automatic climate control system, the Navisystem Business, LED full headlights, cruise control, 17-Zöller and much more.
Although completely new, the seventh generation of the 5er offers no visual surprises. In addition to old 5er DNA, it resembles in places the 7er. The four-eye headlights were now reinterpreted with now hexagonal rings. In addition, the outer skin of the limousine grown on the 4,94 Meter was ground in the wind tunnel, lowering the cW value to 0,22.
Thank the Aero-Feinschliff, the wind noise inside remain pleasingly low. In addition, the windschlüpfige outer skin has a positive effect on the consumption, which in the case of 520d Efficient Dynamics should be at only 3,9 liters. The 530d xDrive needs just over a liter more. However, given the longitudinal dynamic potential, this is a theoretical value. 195 kW / 265 horsepower and 620 Newtonmeter torque push the all-wheel-drive 1,8-Tonner on request in only 5,4 seconds on Tempo 100. 250 km / h are self-explanatory in this performance class.
The chassis of the new 5er is well balanced. Even rough bumps are concealed clean, but you get as a driver the right feedback on the road surface. This fits well with the upscale driving pleasure level, because the business sedan - especially in sports mode and thanks mitlenklenkender rear axle - very precise and very fast for forced left-right maneuvers take.
BMW has also upgraded the 5er in terms of digital worlds and parallel operating concepts. Our test copy offers a fully digital instrument cluster, an 10 touch screen for the infotainment system and a colorful head-up display. You can operate via iDrive controller, various switches on the steering wheel, via touch screen, voice command and free-hand gestures.
Also new is a Abstandstempomat, which automatically adapts its speed to the front man and to the situational limit in combination with the traffic sign recognition. In addition, you can take your hands off the wheel for a few seconds on the highway, while the 5er automatically determines the direction and speed all the way up to 210 speed. Automated driving with a follow-up assistant, including stop-and-go, worked sovereignly.
In the face of these innovations, questions about quality, space in the passenger compartment or trunk volume seem almost negligible. Are they too, because actually the new 5er is almost beyond any doubt here. Only leg and foot clearance in the rear as well as the 530 liter large trunk fall out in view of the almost five-meter-long body modest. Processing, ambience and materials are top. (Mario Hommen / SP-X)