The newly redesigned BMW Five Series receives two new models for 2013: the BMW ActiveHybrid five and the high-performance BMW Mfive. The 2013 BMW Five Series now features a dozen models, all-wheel-drive variants.
The BMW 528i sedan is the entry-level model, with a rugged 240-horsepower turbocharged four-cylinder engine. Then, the BMW 535i sedan, with the smooth 300-horsepower turbocharged inline-six engine; and the 550i sedan, with a rugged 445-horsepower V8. The bodies of the four-door sedans are the same, and they all come with a sleek 8-speed manual automatic transmission.
The Series Five cars are popular with rear-wheel drive, but all of them are also available as an xDrive model with all-wheel drive.
Gran Turismo models have an extended wheelbase of 4 inches, with two seats, a long bonnet and a coupe roofline. The Gran Turismo is available in two versions: 535i GT with turbocharged I6 and 550i GT with V8. Each is available with xDrive all-wheel drive.
The 2013 BMW ActiveHybrid Five combines the turbocharged six-cylinder engine with a five- and four-horsepower electric motor to produce an impressive combined 33 and five horsepower and deliver a mediocre EPA score of 23/30 city/highway miles per gallon. via a lithium-ion battery in the trunk.
The 2013 BMW M5 is supplied with a 560-horsepower V8. The 2013 M5 is available with either a 6-speed manual transmission or a 7-speed flywheel-mounted dual-clutch paddle shifter. The new M5 is ready for the track However, we’ve found that for more than a handful of laps it prefers ceramic brake discs, which will be optional for the 2014 model.
The 2013 BMW 550i gets a big boost in power. The 550i’s V8 will go from forty-five horsepower to 445 horsepower by 2013, with torque expanding from 30 pound-feet to 480 pound-feet.
The mid-size luxury five series was redesigned for 2011, and the five28i received its rugged and effective 2. 0-liter four-cylinder engine for 2012. BMW’s 2. 0-liter turbocharged engine rivals Audi’s 2. 0-liter turbo.
All three BMW 5 Series sedans are sleek, crisp and stand out for their competitive styling and driving character. For the tougher sports driver, they’re giant and heavy, but their just right dynamics and agility make them decidedly proactive and maneuverable in the face of the need for an emergency evasive maneuver, making them perfect family sedans.
The Five Series offers an extensive stock of passive protection provisions, with airbags and structural provisions that protect occupants in the event of an impact. The Five Series models are really spacious and well-designed travel vehicles, but they boast an enthralling athletic character that makes for an engaging and fun driving experience.
BMW’s fourth-generation iDrive cockpit control formula is much less difficult to use than previous versions, but it’s still not intuitive or straightforward. With patience and a little knowledge, iDrive can get you what you want. The 2013 models benefit from further optimization and simplification of the navigation and infotainment programs. Aside from that, the tweaks made to the Series Five in 2013 have effects on all option packages.
BMW’s modular interior is charming and contemporary. Glossy tan and matte black contrast nicely on the tabletop, with those surfaces dotted with sublime samples of exotic woods. The instrumentation is complete and impeccable. It’s best to look at and read the indicators. Those who feel that they have reached a certain point of luxury will be very happy in this modern interior. Those with high ergonomic and power criteria may find spaces compromised.
With minimal front overhang and muscular flanks that look shaped by this car’s dynamic forward thrust, the Series Five never seems to be at rest. But the thrill behind the wheel has been BMW’s specialty. And the Five Series, whether it’s its energetic five28i turbocharged four-cylinder Su Forma engine, in its smooth inline 6,53fivei form, or its rugged premium Fivefive0i V8-powered form, fully deserves its reputation on the move. Even the ActiveHybrid five is rugged, accelerating from 0 to 60 in five. 7 seconds. And the functionality of the Mfive is impressive.
For those who are sensitive to genuine driving enthusiasm, the five models in the Series seem to urge you to drive them with vigour, confidence and enjoyment. Its driving qualities, or at least its promises, are actually what motivates many aspiring BMWs. The fact that these spacious sedans also offer luxurious family transportation makes them highly sought-after mid-size tickets.
The 2013 BMW Five Series will be available in seven models: BMW five28i with a 2. 0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine ($47,500), BMW five3fivei with a 3. 0-liter inline six-cylinder engine ($53,100) and BMW fivefive0i with 4. 4 5-liter V8s ($62,400). The BMW cinco28i xDrive ($49,800), BMW cinco3cinco xDrive ($55,400) and BMW cincocinco xDrive ($64,700) all feature all-wheel drive.
The BMW 535i Gran Turismo ($58,000) and 550i Gran Turismo ($67,500) add 4 inches to the wheelbase and feature a coupe roof. The BMW 535i xDrive GT ($60,300) and 550i xDrive GT ($69,800) feature all-wheel drive.
The ActiveHybrid five ($61,100) is supplied with the 3. 0-liter turbocharged inline-six engine paired with a five- and four-horsepower electric motor.
The BMW M5 sedan ($89,900) makes 560 horsepower with its 4. 4-liter V8 and comes with either a 6-speed manual transmission or a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic manual transmission (same price).
The 528i comes with leatherette (vinyl) upholstery, dual-zone automatic climate with micron air filter, a 205-watt AM/FM/CD/MP3 audio formula with 12 speakers, redundant idlers, pre-wiring for satellite radio and CD changer, iDrive, forced sunroof, Bluetooth, wood joinery.
Options come with the Cold Weather Package ($950) with heated idler, heated front seats, heated rear seats, and retractable headlight washers. The Premium package for 528i and 535i ($2,600) comes with forced liftgate, Comfort Access, satellite radio with one-year subscription, and Dakota leather.
The Driver Assistance package ($1,900) adds a rearview camera, side-view and more sensitive view cameras, active blind-spot detection, and parking distance control; The Deluxe Seating Package ($2,400) comes with upgrades to multicontour front seats, ventilated front seats, and active front seats; The Technology package ($2,800) comes with a navigation system, real-time traffic data, head-up display, tool group with expanded content, smartphone integration, online data, and BMW apps; the Premium Sound package ($950) comes with satellite radio with a one-year subscription and premium sound. New features for 2013 come with the Bang audio system
The 535i comes with Dakota leather.
Standard protective equipment on all five Series models includes two-stage front airbags, front and rear curtain airbags and head protection, active head restraints, LATCH child seat mounts, three-point seat belts with force limiters and front-seat emergency pretensioners.
Optional protective equipment includes a rear view camera with wide-angle view and line tracking; a more sensitive view also demonstrates a complete picture of the vehicle’s surroundings; and Side View monitors side traffic as seen from the front bumpers. Active cruise control adjusts speed to maintain a safe distance from the vehicle in front, with the ability to take the vehicle to its maximum speed if necessary; Collision warning indicates an imminent collision, prepares the brakes for maximum responsive force, and will apply the brakes automatically. Active Blind Spot Detection monitors safe lane re-entry when passing another car; A visual signal and a recognizable vibration in the guide wheel provide additional caution. Lane departure caution monitors lane markers; When a lane change is initiated and the turn signals are not activated, the formula warns the driver with vibrations in the guide wheel. Automatic headlights hold on to corners on winding roads and automatic high beams turn the high beams on and off as needed when approaching another car or encountering oncoming traffic up to 1,500 feet ahead. The gentle adaptive brake formula flashes the tail gently when ABS is activated or the brakes are applied hard. Night Vision with Pedestrian Detection provides early detection of objects and pedestrians at night; The warning is provided through the display and displayed on the inside surface of the windshield if provided with a front display. The head-up show provides vehicle speed and other data without having to take your eyes off the road.
The external appearance of the Five Series is unmistakably BMW. No has superfluous horizontal surfaces like pre-2011 BMWs, maintaining the functional appeal that has long been BMW’s signature. The classic grille is sleek and the short front overhang is a trademark of BMW. , is accompanied by a classic long bonnet and a segment-leading 116. 9-inch wheelbase.
The bonnet of the Gran Turismo coupe is even longer and its wheelbase is 120. 7 inches.
The cabin of the Series five sedan is quite rearward, giving the sedan’s profile a wedge-shaped, coupe-like forward thrust that, considering the vehicle’s performance, does not deceive in any way. The tires emphasize the car’s musculature and rear-wheel-drive setup. The characteristic crease of the rear edge of the rear window confirms that this is a genuine BMW.
In the nose, the Five Series is supplied with BMW adaptive xenon headlights for rugged and safe front lighting. And during the day, the front complex is illuminated by LED light rings. The turn signals are also illuminated by LEDs. The rear temples are illuminated with a BMW-exclusive LED pattern.
The cockpit of the BMW Five Series is in the hands of the driver. The dashboard is angled towards the driver, while the horizontal lines of the dashboard convey a sense of space to the two front occupants. The center console does not interfere with the driver. The controls are well placed, with the driver’s functions located to the left of the guide column or on the guide wheel itself. Climate controls and ventilation are excellent.
The charming leather-wrapped or wood-trimmed three-spoke steering wheel has 12 fingertip settings for audio, phone, and adaptive cruise control. A convenient tilt design for easy entry and exit.
Both front seats have 10-way force adjustment. Standard Dakota leather is good, optional Nappa leather is superb. The seats are softer than Mercedes’ and stiffer than Lexus’s. If you do a lot of tight turns, there may not be enough support, even with the sports seats and their 18-way adjustment, adding the lumbar. If you don’t drive your BMW this way, and few do, you probably won’t notice the limited boost. And rear gussets make it simple to get in and out.
We saw an opposite edge to the right knee in the corners. And we found that the A-pillar on the windshield made visibility difficult when we were trying to see ahead on a curve or when parking in a parking space.
The rear seats will offer side bolstering and the rear seat legroom is 36. 1 inches, which is about the middle of the class: 0. 3 inches larger than the Lexus LS, but 0. 7 inches shorter than the Hyundai Azera and 1. 3 inches shorter than the Audi A6. The sunroof is wide and can make the car look like a convertible. Rear passengers will love it.
Back in the driver’s seat, the instrumentation includes 4 vintage circular gauges placed on a black panel. We think BMW’s gauges are cool and perfect: thin silver rings and transparent graphic numbers, no nonsense to confuse your eyes. The tachometer comes in yellow from 6700 rpm to 7200 rpm and then red up to 8000 rpm, reminding you that you’re in for something special.
Navigation is rarely very popular, not to mention the fact that it’s a popular gadget in many cars that cost part of the BMW 528i’s worth. A 7-inch console screen is popular. The screen is transreflective: sunlight does not affect its readability.
The navigation formula is quite undeniable to use. It’s located in the center console, on a giant 10. 2-inch screen, in a beautiful three-dimensional demonstration. The sound steering is timely, though not without its guidance flaws, as we discovered while driving along the back roads around the lake. Tahoe. Thanks to the optional front demonstration, navigation directions can be read from the windshield, just above the idler; This is eminently safer, as the driver does not have to turn their head and decrypt data on the console, on a busy road. The head-to-head demonstration is crisp and clear; We like it a lot.
Six other two-tone interior colour palettes are available and the joinery is available in three shades, with Ash Anthracite and Fineline Matte as an option. Another optional trim, available on the 3-spoke steering wheel, is made of aluminium, with dimples like a golf ball.
The BMW 528i, 535i and 550i are all very capable and balanced, with exceptional balance and pace. The BMW 550i, with its V8 engine, is the heaviest, with a front-to-back weight distribution of 52. 5/47. 5%; the 535i with its I6 reaches 50. 9/49. 1%; And the 528i scores 49. 4/50. 6% with its lighter engine. So it’s no surprise that the 528i is the best performer.
We found the BMW 535i and 550i to be controllable at the highest levels of acceleration, prevention, and cornering on the race track. They would offer responsiveness in maneuvers to avoid unexpected turns. But the BMW 528i shows exemplary speed and agility, which are also remarkable. on the street.
What does maximum driving functionality have to do with driving?Any true emergency manoeuvre in general traffic requires almost maximum use of the vehicle’s balance and grip.
These BMWs use a very good 8-speed automatic transmission. Since the first two gears are overdriven, which helps keep revs low on the highway, fuel consumption is improved. In addition, aluminum doors, hood, front side panels, and suspension parts reduce weight.
The BMW 528i’s fuel economy is 23/34 mpg city/highway, according to the EPA, and that’s higher than the ActiveHybrid 5’s 23/30 mpg. The BMW 535i gets a city/highway fuel consumption of 19/28 mpg, while the BMW 550i is rated at 15/22 mpg.
The Five Series uses BMW’s Auto Stop/Start formula, which shuts off the engine when the car is not moving, saving fuel and avoiding all emissions. BMW’s formula is rarely very smooth. With a starter in motion, cars shudder and there are other opportunities for intrusion and nuisance. The Mercedes formula works much more smoothly. You can defeat BMW’s stop/start formula, but you have to do so by turning a transfer both over and over again when you get in and start the car, as it’s turned on by default. Stop/start is a whole concept of intelligent and potential intentions, but it exists primarily to please the U. S. federal government. U. S. Automakers: Automakers get EPA credits for the long-term CAFE criteria by adding this feature.
The 0-60 acceleration functionality for the fivefive0i, five3fivei, and five28i is 5. 0 seconds, 5. 7 seconds, and 6. 2 seconds, respectively. The ActiveHybrid five corresponds to the time from 0 to 60 of the five3fivei. While the fivefive0i is the obvious choice for real-world speed, the five28i’s solid handling, low fuel consumption, and acceleration will appeal to many, joining us.
While we admire the quick shifts and fuel efficiency of the new 8-speed transmission, its shifter is unnecessarily iconoclastic. It has a P button on the top for parking and an unlock button on the left side. To exit park, press the unlock button and move the shift lever forward or backward to reverse or drive. It is quite undeniable. You can only transfer from Drive to Reverse, and vice versa, by first pressing the unlock button. If you move the gear lever to the left, you get a manual variety of the 8 gears. To return to Park, press Park at the top of the lever. It takes a little practice and a lot of false starts. BMW believes it’s vital that you do things your way, even though there’s nothing extraordinary about a traditional PRNDL automatic shifter. If you’re James Bond running from bad guys and you get into your BMW, they’ll probably catch up with you while you’re sitting staring at the gear shift to make sure you’re selecting the right gear. On the plus side, the manually selected 8-speed gearbox did its best to give us the gear change we were looking for while we were on the move.
The front suspension on all five cars in the Series is electronic, variable ratio and feels sleek and precise. Breaking with BMW practices, the front suspension eschews struts in favor of multi-link arms.
To improve handling and provide the driving force with a forward platform, available Dynamic Damping Control constantly adjusts surprise rates based on the existing road surface. The formula is so fast that when a front wheel hits a pothole at high speed, the rear surprise is ready before the bump hits. In addition, Active Roll Stabilization reduces frame roll in tight corners, giving the driver greater control. BMW’s complex electronics work well.
All-wheel drive will be available on all versions of the Five Series.
BMW’s newest braking formula interacts with other electronic stability control formulas, presetting the brakes in the event of hard braking, drying them in rainy driving and compensating for brake fading in vigorous driving. The brakes also have a hybrid-type regenerative energy function; They capture the electrical energy generated when braking and send electrical energy to the battery. This reduces the net amount of time the engine has to drive the alternator that generates the load. This reduces the amount of time the engine has to actuate the alternator belt, expanding the fuel. efficiency.
BMW boasts that its ActiveHybrid five is the first time an inline six-cylinder turbocharged engine has been paired with an electric motor and an 8-speed automatic transmission. They say it can travel with its lithium-ion battery at 60 km/h for 4 km. which seems like a new record. Electric dwell power figures are increasing, but it’s still not that significant. What’s so wonderful about a BMW? The cinco28i is absolutely silent and still consumes fuel at 60 km/h.
The ActiveHybrid 5’s 23/30 mpg city/highway fuel economy is nothing to brag about. In fact, if you go over BMW’s online page and read all about the ActiveHybrid 5, you’ll see that BMW boasts of having a 0-60 force and acceleration in 5. 7 seconds, but never mentions fuel consumption.
On the road it’s exceptionally smooth, like the 535i. We most commonly drove it in its Eco Pro mode, and after a 20-mile uphill and downhill circuit, we got 18. 4 miles per gallon, which is impressive. If it’s fuel consumption that matters, this 528i will give you more fuel. Admission in almost the same car, for $13,000 less.
Back on track (Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca), we were given the high-performance M5. It makes 560 horsepower and 500 pound-feet of torque over an incredibly wide force range, from 1,500 to 5,750 rpm. It rushes from 0 to 60 in 4. 2 seconds, with an electronically limited top speed of 250 km/h. We drove an M5 with a 6-speed manual transmission and a 7-speed dual clutch with paddle shifters, and found that we liked the manual gearbox. Not because the dual clutch is bad, but because the manual gearbox is smooth.
The Mfive is completely different from the other five models in the Series. It starts with the 4. 4-liter twin-turbo V8 engine and the same chassis, but after that, the parts are anything else. Electronically controlled surprise shocks, M-specific Servotronic steering, Stability Formula with M Dynamic Mode, other active limited-slip accessories, high-performance composite brakes, suspension design and subframe modules, and much more.
The suspension, throttle and driving speed can be adjusted separately in Comfort, Sport and Sport Plus modes. And combinations can be set to M1 or M2, which are essentially memory slots. A driver can experiment and find whatever they want. The dashboard, exclusive to the M5, shows which modes you’re in. One thing we’ve found is that Sport Plus makes the suspension too stiff for just about everything, a comfortable pool track. It was too stiff for the Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. Professional Racing Driving forces Scott Pruett and Bill Auberlen agreed.
We’ve found that Comfort mode is enough for the M5 suspension for sporty street driving, and Sport mode is too stiff for a comfortable ride. Throttle orientation and reaction are too quick for urban driving in Sport Plus. There’s flexibility and scope in the modes, and that’s a smart thing to do.
We can also tell you that with the window open the sound of the exhaust is when you release the throttle at maximum revs. And that the rev limiter is abrupt. And there’s no such thing as turbo lag, at least when the car is in effective mode.
The M5 understeers when driving at the limit on the track, and that surprised us. We had to check the stability several times to prevent us from having to push the outer edge out of a spilled corner. The brakes, even with high-performance pads, aren’t up to the task, for a day on the track. That day we also drove an M6 with ceramic rotors and pads, and they were given the job done. BMW says ceramic brakes will be available on the M5 for the 2014 model year.
Another thing we can tell you is that the BMW M3, the inline 6 (for the last year before switching to the V8), felt by far the most productive on the track. Better balanced and more accurate with its lighter engine than the M5. or M6, which makes for maximum fun, unless your excitement comes from scaring you with power. Pruett and Auberlen agreed.
Some of the protection features available for the Series Five seem good, but we found them to be a nightmare of confusion and screaming wolf. We can simply fill this review with examples of accidental consequences, from rearview cameras and warnings that give you a small idea of what’s happening out there while yelling at you that you’re about to run into something; to lane departure warnings that treat you as if you were a driver simply because they don’t know the difference between an upcoming turn and a driver’s shift; to night vision, which helps to constantly warn you that a ghost is crossing the street in front of you (without being able to trip over a deer); to active cruise control that may not allow you to get close enough to a car you are approaching on the road to maintain a constant speed; to blind spot monitors who don’t know the difference between a car and a pole. We are not opposed to progressive protective technologies, when they work. We like the front demo and automatic headlights. Of course, we like the crushable chassis design and electronic stability control. But we believe that manufacturers, and not just BMW, are integrating many of these so-called intelligent electronic systems into their cars to show off them. The most productive suggestion we can make is to read online forums before purchasing.
The BMW Five Series offers other things with each model, so at least five last words are needed here. The five-cylinder four-cylinder 28i offers the most productive value for money, with the most productive fuel economy and handling, but it’s not. as a smart price compared to other mid-size luxury sedans. The inline five3fivei 6 smooths out the pot with its motor. The V8 fivefive0i claims to be in the field. The ActiveHybrid five doesn’t offer a convincing explanation for why to buy it. And the new Mfive has to compete with the M6 and M3.
Sam Moses filed this report after driving all five Series models near Monterey, California.
BMW five28i ($47,500), five3five ($53,100), fivefive0i ($62,400); five28i xDrive ($49,800), five3fivei xDrive ($cinco,400), fivefive0i xDrive ($64,700), five3fivei GT ($cinco 8,000), five3fivei xDrive GT ($60,300), fivefive0i GT ($67,five00), fivefive0i xDrive GT ($69,800), ActiveHybrid five ($61,100), Mcinco ($89,900).
Dingolf, Germany.
none.