The 5 Series is BMW’s proverbial big-hitter, with the practicality of a saloon married to the bonkers performance characteristics of a Bavaria-built engine on beast mode. Here is the newest 5-er on the block – the 2017 530d, and we’ve had a go from behind the wheel.
This new G30 definitely looks the part. BMW know what they’re doing and have taken a few styling cues from the BMW 7 Series than from the previous-gen F10 5. Bigger grille, extended wrap-around headlamps and a fresh approach to the car’s design have given it an even more cutting-edge appearance. The engineer’s scalpel has dipped passed the top layer, and even the chassis is a brand new one, and one that registers a whole 100 kilos lower on the scales than its previous-gen counterpart. There is an improvement in the tech on show too. Adaptive LED headlamps have been thrown in to the mix, and even sports BMW Selective Beam technology so that you don’t blind commuters coming at you from the opposite direction.
The interior on the new 5 Series also echoes the 7. In comes a 10.25-inch touchscreen centre display, while a new head-up display (HUD) shows you everything from traffic signs, radio stations, music tracks and navigation information, apart from warnings from the various assistance systems.
Passenger comfort is enhanced with added room, touch-controls for the seats, massage function, four-zone climate control with ionisation and discreet air fragrancing, plus further reduction to in-cabin sound levels thanks to acoustic glazing all add to the luxury inside. Driver support, connectivity and efficiency come from a stereo camera, ultrasound sensors, radar, lane recognition, corrective steering, and an Active Cruise Control (ACC) that can relieve the driver of accelerating, braking and steering from zero to 210 km/h.
Further tech includes BMW ConnectedDrive lets passengers sync machine and environment. Microsoft Exchange enables syncing one’s email, calendar and contacts, and edit them inside the car. Added smartphone integration with,fully wireless Apple CarPlay, a first, as well as inductive charging and a Wi-Fi hotspot for up to 10 devices ensures connectivity is at its ultimate.
We drove the 530d xDrive which packs a 2,993-cc, straight six, turbo-diesel engine which churns out 265 PS and 620 Nm mated to an eight-speed auto ‘box. The sports suspension with IAS sees the car lowered by 10 mm and that much more fun to drive on the track. The engine produces enough and more power to keep you occupied and having a blast behind the wheel, while the excellent all-wheel drive lets you enter corners with speed and leave with precision without breaking a sweat.
That’s all we will give you for now, if you want a more detailed insight into this fresh-off-the-block 5 Series, you will have to grab the January issue of Car India magazine as soon as its hit the stands.
