Return of the classic

BMW's new 5-Series arrives a little late for the 2010 market, but will it be worth the wait? asks PADDY COMYN

The BMW 5-Series is without a doubt one of the most significant cars that will arrive in 2010. It may have been seen as a symbol of our Celtic Tiger wealth but, while there will be a move away from MS ready meals, holiday homes in Bulgaria and weekly Botox injections, the Irish public won’t be in a hurry to move away from their beloved 5-Series. And after our first look at the new model, revealed earlier this week in Munich, it will be difficult for existing 5-Series customers not to be drawn to the new version.

There was a period in the early part of the decade that we would await the arrival of a new BMW with a certain amount of trepidation. The current model 5-Series and previous generation 7-Series were launched amid great motoring controversy. Chris Bangle’s influence on BMW design was greeted with mixed feelings and although the current 5-Series model has aged well and still looks good, BMW is starting to play it a little safer with design.

Like the new 7-Series, there isn’t anything controversial about the design of the new-generation 5-Series model.

But that doesn’t mean it’s boring. Its design language is now like a modern interpretation of a classic BMW look. The initial impression is of a car that is quite beautiful. There are flavours of 7-Series, lots of elements of 5-Series GT, especially at the rear. But it is at the front where things have become more dramatic.

The wide, forward-sloping grille brings back memories of the old 6-Series coupé and cars such as the 3.0-litre CSL of days gone by. The look is intended to make the car appear sportier and it works. The car has a longer wheelbase yet has shorter overhangs so before we even turn a wheel we get the impression this will be good to drive.

BMW is promising a car that will be as sporty and agile as a 3-Series with the comfort of the 7-Series. The new car features a double-track arm front axle and the Integral-V rear axle which we are told will contribute to this improved agility. Options available on the new car include dynamic drive control available in conjunction with the sports automatic, dynamic damper control and integral active steering options.

The 5-Series is BMW’s most important car on a global level. It is a car the company needs to get right. And from a visual point of view it has. It edges closer towards 7-Series in terms of interior design and quality too. There is the more simplified version of the iDrive from the 7-Series.

The engine line-up will consist of one eight-cylinder and three six-cylinder petrol engines as well as two six-cylinder diesels, but the most overwhelmingly relevant engine to Irish buyers will be the 520d which is a four-cylinder diesel that comes with 184bhp and 380Nm of torque. With a manual transmission, it will have CO2 emissions of just 132g/km, but interestingly, even when fitted with an automatic transmission, it will still have emissions of less than 140g/km. This might see a return to buyers choosing automatic transmission for future 5-Series purchases in Ireland as it will be a band B car with road tax of just €156 per annum and a 16 per cent VRT rate.

The other engine choices include a 245bhp 530d, a 204bhp 525d and in the petrol line-up, a 535i with twin-turbos putting out 306bhp, a 258bhp 528i, a 204bhp 523i and a 407bhp V8 550i. BMW’s Efficient Dynamics technology features as you might expect, with stop/start technology, low friction tyres, brake energy regeneration, a gearshift indicator and an active air flap control among some of the measures employed to keep fuel consumption and emissions to a minimum.

BMW dealers in Ireland will be kicking themselves when they learn that this model doesn’t come here until March. Even more annoyingly, the big-selling 520d model isn’t likely until June, by which time the would-be customer may have an eye on a 2011 plate instead.

Factfile BMW 520d

Engine: 1995cc four-cylinder diesel putting out 184 bhp @ 4,000 rpm

Max torque: 380Nm @ 1,900 – 2,750 rpm

Acceleration: 0-100km/h in 8.1 seconds

Top speed: 227km/h (auto- matic transmission: 225 km/h)

Average fuel consumption to the EU standard: 5.0 l/100km (automatic transmission: 5.2 litres)

CO2 emissions to the EU standard: 132 g/km (automatic transmission 137g/km) (provisional), full compliance with the EU5 emission standard.

Price: To be confirmed –

it's likely to cost around €44,000

Arrival: 6- and 8-cylinder models