Much more than mere eye candy

BMW 520i SE: When tasked with creating the next generation of the 5-series - arguably the best car in the BMW range at the time and the benchmark in the executive class - the (un)lucky project team must have felt the butterflies in their stomachs take flight.

Such a job involves an element of bravery, a smidgeon of insanity and a touch of daring-do. Succeed and you're heroes, fail and not only do you threaten your own livelihoods but those of several bosses as well.

Bavaria must have been cracking open the bubbly when it heard of the inclusion of the new 5-series in the European Car of the Year short-list, a league usually reserved for more mainstream models. The judges must have been mightily impressed to include an upper-end executive saloon with more traditional fare such as the Fiat Panda and Nissan Micra.

Perhaps the technology won them over. Perhaps the design. Or, just maybe it was the willingness to innovate at a time when competitors are opting for evolution rather than revolution.

BMW's chief designer, Chris Bangle, rarely treads the middle ground. Designers are now the "pop-icons" of the motor industry and, like leading designers in other fields, Bangle's work evokes emotion: be it love or hate. His 7-series styling caused shockwaves in 2001 and polarised opinion. He has dared to challenge the conventional wisdom of simply "tweaking and tucking" new versions of the same model.

While Bangle is the instigator of BMW's new style, the latest 5-series was actually designed by Italian Davida Arcangeli, who sadly died of leukaemia before he could see it on the road.

As for the end result: the new 5-series oozes style and presence. While it's more a brother of the 7-series than a remodelling of its predecessor, it would be unfair to call it a clone. It's cleaner, sleeker and sportier than its bigger sibling.

It features BMW's new convex and concave "flame surfacing" effect on the sides, a styling that looks best on the Z4. On the 5-series it's best when matched with a lighter colour than the black of our test car. It also shares a more rounded smoother V-shaped nose with the Z4, tapering off to the smarter kidney grille. This new look is aided by stylish curved headlamps, like scowling eyebrows, which give a unique night appearance.

Another difference from the flagship 7-series is the normal gear lever and handbrake - and a far more basic iDrive system that's really just an über-button. Even the most Luddite of drivers can grasp this technology.

The 5-series is so much more than mere eye candy and user-friendly technology. Its predecessor was the benchmark for the executive market. The key to its success was the range of sweet engines, and arguably some of the best ride and handling characteristics around. It managed to mix a sporty yet comfortable ride with dynamic yet undemanding handling. A joy on winding roads.

The new model retains its driver-orientated traits, even if it's a more closely run contest with the Mercedes E-Class than previously. The BMW's ride is firm and as a result is far more involved and enjoyable than its competitors. Some may find it a little jarring on bumpy back roads, but we never found it upsetting.

The new 5-series also benefits from a near perfect balance between front and rear, thanks in part to advances in the use of aluminium. The new body comprises a light aluminium from the front to the windscreen and A-pillars, and lightweight steel in the rest. The result is a car that's significantly bigger than its predecessor, yet 75kgs lighter, and in all the right areas.

Cornering ability is aided by a wealth of technology; some optional such as Dynamic Drive, BMW's roll-limiting system, and some standard such as the Dynamic Stability Control. It also benefits from basic adjustments - for example it now has a longer wheelbase and wider tracts, meaning added stability.

This car flows smoothly down the straights, and peels into corners with an unsurpassed eagerness, pushing to the slightest understeer, yet never feeling awkward or twitchy. Our test car didn't feature the much-hyped Active Steering System, which varies the steering ratios depending on speed and can even opposite lock for you in a skid, the closest to a steer-by-wire system in production. But we never missed it. The car handled chicane-like manoeuvres around mini-roundabouts with the progression and pace of a much smaller roadster without the active steering. So you may ask what's the point of spending the extra for the new system?

An area not entirely revolutionised is engine line-up. We tested the 170 bhp 2.2-litre six-cylinder, an engine carried forward from the previous model. The sweet sounding six-cylinders in the 520i and 530i are a joy to the ear. Top of the range will be the 545i, here in December, offers 333 bhp from a wonderful V8 taken from the 7-series. However, the 3-litre diesel is by all accounts the sharpest engine in the 5's quiver, with more torque than even the 545i. It would be our automatic choice. For the ultimate experience there will be a new M5 - the ageing boss of racing execs - powered by 500 thoroughbred horses.

Back to our test car, and the 2,171 cc unit offers competent power, though you do need to keep it at high revs in lower gears for peak performance. However, drop down a gear, say from third to second, at around 2,000 rpm and there's a noticeable kick as the car pushes forward. The six-speed manual gearbox seemed springier than in other BMWs and the ratios were well allotted. The extra sixth gear is really for motorway cruising, saving on fuel economy. Incidentally, we managed a respectable 26.4 mpg in our time with the car, surprisingly close to official figures - not something we usually manage.

All this praise doesn't mean the 5-series is glitch-free. The optional list is as long as your arm and can quickly add €5,000 onto the price and without the Communications package involving a carphone and/or Satellite navigation, there's only really a radio and heater on the system, along with an on-board computer offering data available on nearly all cars these days. But perhaps the most annoying feature, which had us colouring the air-conditioned interior with some choice words, is the indicator stalk. It's too spongy, reminiscent of those dreaded indicators on current Opels. And finally, the plastic cup holders are far too cheap for a car in this class.

Yet the overall interior effect is one of the cleanest and sharpest designs around. The driving position is spot on, with every item, particularly the stubby gear lever perfectly located. The dials keep their warm orange lighting, distinct to BMW, but they are slightly more individual, with a metal ring around each. The result is one of market's cleanest displays - and the new head-up display is on the way, offering driver eye-line information.

In the back, there's more room than the previous model. We were hard-pressed to find fault with either the seating or spaciousness.

The 5-series blocks out wind noise rather well, though there was some road noise from our 17-inch run-flat tyres. For a quieter run you may want standard tyres and a spare in the boot.

The new car has daring looks, cutting edge technology, all on a lighter chassis delivering sharper performance. That's some feat given that its predecessor ruled the executive class for six years, dethroned only by the new Mercedes E-Class in 2002. It's hard to decide who rules the roost now, with BMW perhaps edging it over the E-Class for driver enjoyment and responsiveness.

The team tasked with creating the latest 5-series has met the challenge and pushed the bar even higher. The only problem for BMW now is to find the team brave/mad enough to do the next generation of the 5-series.