Does the new ‘exploration of beauty’ BMW 535i pack in enough plushness to out-lux its archrival, the Mercedes-Benz E350?
Story Bunny Punia
Photography Sanjay Raikar
The fifth generation 5 Series was surely a hoot to drive. True to the blue and white logo’s traits, it was, well, the ultimate driving machine in its class. It felt spirited as well as zealous, although only till you were behind the wheel. For passengers, especially those on the backseat, there was always something missing. It was crucial enough to make prospective buyers of this segment look elsewhere, in most cases, in the three-pointed star’s showrooms. The all-new sixth generation variant, however, is said to have improved everything under its skin to come out as a much better all-rounder. The most important question is does it really manage that?
Weren’t upgrades supposed to look much better? We have been a fan of the much talked about and hyped bangle eyed headlamps. They thankfully remain, though other changes to the car on the outside somehow take time getting used to. It leaves a lot to be desired sometimes or were we somehow expecting too much in the first place? Of course, the new 5 was noticed everywhere we took it, but was it a right step to take design cues from the 3 as well as 7 Series? The front kidney grille seems too bulging (yes, reminds you of the 7, doesn’t it?) while the sporty and the aggressively flared rear wheel arches seem to be a lifted from the smaller 3. They, however, seem to work in tandem and the sloping coupe like roofline further adds a bit of a sporty character to the entire package. We can’t help but notice the bold shoulder line running across the length of the car. Near perfect! The new 5 also comes in a total of ten different colour options, up from six on the earlier version.
However, park it next to the E and your eyes shift focus immediately. If elegance was ever personified on four-wheels, it has to be a Mercedes nine times out of ten. It might not have a sporty or a racy character like its counterpart, but in the rupees fifty lakh saloon segment, these parameters aren’t really essential in the first place. If there was one thing we didn’t appreciate in the E’s design, it has to be its rear end. Did the design heads at Stuttgart pay a visit to Korea before freezing the lines? However, the new 5 boasts of the longest in class wheelbase which should give some extra room on the inside. So does it?
At first look, the interiors of the Beemer seem to be largely unchanged, which in fact is the secret behind maintaining resemblance to the outgoing model. Only if you have been familiar with the earlier 5 will you notice the subtle changes. True to the German marque’s previous models, the quality of leather and wood remain top rank. Craftsmanship of the interiors is something that is expected of a luxury saloon in this price bracket, however, get the E into the picture and it easily manages to better it. Take for instance, the instrumentation dials that echo the artistry of expensive watches or the soft touch buttons for the air-con controls. It definitely has a mini S-class vibe. The little gear lever on the 5 is a masterpiece in itself, but on the other hand, the E’s steering column mounted lever means a lot of space is freed up on the center console. Both the German rivals come equipped with user interfaces – COMAND for the E and iDrive for the 5. Depending on your IQ level, however, these can turn out to be a nightmare or as simple as operating your laptop. True to the sporty genes of the 5, there is a big start/stop button next to the steering wheel with the key fob nestling in its own little space marked in the storage space in front of the gear lever. Smart move!
No matter how hard the salesman in a BMW showroom might try to convince you into believing it has more legroom than ever, the fact is that in spite of extending the wheelbase by a complete 88mm, the difference on the inside is hardly noticeable. We adjusted the front driver’s seat for my frame with Aspi at back. It was apparent where he felt more comfortable. The softer leather on the Mercedes further made it a place to be. Black is the colour of luxury and the E makes use of it in abundance. It also wins extra brownie points by having three memory settings for the front two seats as compared to two for the BMW and a much wider foot well for the driver. The Merc’s front seat controls are placed on the doors making them easily usable and accessible as compared to the 5 where you have a hard time taking your hands down in the narrow space between the door and the seat. Lastly the E, in addition to the central console placed air-con vents also has vents on the B-pillar for the rear passengers. Little issues but they go a long way in making you feel comfortable and happy in the long run.
BMW has upped its engine variants with not only extra power and torque, but also less fuel guzzling and CO2 emitting characteristics. The top of the line 535i is claimed to be powered by the world’s first straight-six petrol engine with twin power turbos, high precision injection and Valvetronic. Gulp! It also makes use of brake energy regeneration system to complement BMW’s EfficientDynamics similar to the BlueEFFICIENCY technology that the E makes use of. On paper, the 5 is not only lighter but at a rated 306PS, also manages to pump out more than 30 extra horses. No wonder, pedal to metal, it manages to smoke the E left, right and center. It is a whopping second and a half quicker to the ton mark and the gap just keeps building as the speeds increase further. The intoxicating sound from under the hood and from the twin pipes at the rear comes as an icing on the cake.
The BMW 5 Series is also the first in its segment to come with an all-new fully automatic eight-speed sports automatic gearbox. In addition to the manually selectable feature by flicking the gear lever to the left, the driver can also play around the ratios via paddle shifts. Isn’t that something we speed freaks often dream of? However, do we see an owner shelling out so much dough to indulge in such spirited driving? This is where the E350 comes into its own. The motor is silky smooth and though the gearbox isn’t as responsive as the 5’s, it goes about doing its job admirably. Adding to it is a perfectly well-balanced chassis and suspension set-up which seems to be tuned well for Indian roads and the three-pointed star suddenly seems to outshine its counterpart. Cocooned in the comfortable rear seat, it’s the Merc that creates less fuss on the move, isolating you from the outside world in a calmer way. The steering is light yet responsive and unless you are going to be spending more time in the driver’s seat than at the rear, the E is what you should be looking at.
The engineers at BMW have managed to soften the suspension on the new 5 and it manages to ride in a much better and, dare I say, plush manner. Of course it still rides on run-flat tyres which manage to rob it somewhat of a silky smooth ride,
but drive this car back-to-back with the outgoing model and you can easily make out the difference. At the same time, it has not lost any of its true traits that of offering an exhilarating and involving driving experience. Drive it around a set of hills or curves and you are sure to be delighted. It still possesses the ability to send goose bumps down every passenger’s body and with the DSC (dynamic stability control) completely switched off, it will even burn rubber during nights out to impress the fairer sex. The 535i also comes with three different settings – Normal, Sport and Sport+. These alter the stiffening of the dampers, steering resistance and the way the gearbox changes gears, keeping the engine spinning at higher revs for added punch. The Mercedes sadly does with just the S (Sports) and C (Comfort) modes. The suspension on the new 5 has originated from the 7 Series and thus the baby Rolls!
It’s hard not to be impressed by such an accomplished car, but this segment already has a benchmark in the form of the E-class. The all-new 5 is very good. That’s nice. However, the fact that the E is refined, elegant and beautifully represented leaves no doubt. For some, it might be too one dimensional in its pursuit for comfort but that is a good point, a point we simply cannot ignore. At the same time, it’s incredibly hard to ignore and argue against the BMW. It is attractive, though not as much as the E. Its interiors combine a contemporary feel though lack the munificence of its competitor. The 5 has no doubt evolved in the right manner, although frankly, it is still unable to catch up with the E in some crucial areas. Further, being a CBU, you have to shell out Rs 58 lakh (ex-showroom) for the 535i. In the E, you feel calm, pampered and looked after. This is a car that manages to make you even feel polished and dress up accordingly each time you take a spin in it. The sixth generation BMW 5 Series might boast of refined elegance, but the Mercedes-Benz E-class still manages to be in a class of its own, even if by a whisker.
