From advanced connectivity to drag coefficient and semi-autonomous driving technology, prepare for some vehicle benchmark recalibration when the BMW‘s seventh-generation 5 Series formally strikes the road in February next year.
Avoiding both the Paris and upcoming Los Angeles Show Reveals in favor of a standalone reveal event, the 5 Series is “The epitome of business sedan,” stated company chairman, Harald Krüger. “We see technological leadership, mentally rich products and digitalization as essential elements in achieving success.” And this is key. The car provides steering and lane control assists at speeds of up to 210 km/h. It can likewise assist the driver modification or remain in lane; take evasive action when a collision threat looms; look for traffic at junctions and crossroads; autonomously regard the speed limit; and, even boasts a voice control system that can react to natural language– i.e., this is an automobile that likes to have a discussion.
However with all that technology, it’s really easy to separate the owner from the driving experience.
Which’s why much of the new connectivity tech on board the BMW has to do with cutting stress and saving time, such as the ParkNow system that discovers and spends for parking spaces ahead of time. And, obviously, the remote parking system that debuted on the vehicle’s sibling, the 7-Series, where a push of the smart key button suffices for the car to manoeuvre immediately into even the tightest of areas.
Other highlights in this regard consist of a concierge service, gesture controls for the infotainment system and cordless mobile phone charging and connection. You won’t have to plug your iPhone into the automobile’s system to gain access to CarPlay. It’s automated.
All of which should free the motorist as much as enjoy the automobile’s brand-new engines which will at first include a 2-litre four cylinder 252 hp system (0-100 km/h in 6.2 seconds) and a three-litre straight 6 with 340 hp and 4.8-second 0-100 km/h time. Though faster and more effective than present engines, both are more fuel efficient and by mid-2017 motorists will likewise have the option of a hybrid and an all-wheel drive M550i xDrive model having a 462 hp V8 under the hood and a 4.0-second 0-100km/ h time. That need to be enough to keep eager drivers pleases until the next M5 comes along.
“The seventh generation of the BMW 5 Series points the way into the future, as we have specified it with our NUMBER ONE > NEXT strategy,” stated Krüger. “I’m in no doubt that the new BMW 5 Series will set new benchmarks technologically, but also have huge emotional appeal.”
