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June 14, 2010 - PRLog -- 2011 BMW 5 Series Review
There it is. BMW chief designer Adrian van Hooydonk is standing on stage near the 2011 BMW 5-series, looking self-confident. He believes that this time around BMW won't disappoint the aficionados. "I believe that we achieved the perfect business sedan, a tailored suit," says the Dutch designer, the longtime number two to departed design head Chris Bangle. Indeed, you can take comfort in the fact that the 2011 BMW 5-series looks like the latest 7-series, but it is more tight, dynamic, and alert. The oversized kidney grille is there, and so is the hard cut on the side, giving the 5-series a wedge shape. The famous and much-copied Hofmeister kink is more pronounced than ever. The new 5 does a nice job of masking its size and massafter all, the wheelbase has grown by three inches and total length by 1.5 inches. Compared with its predecessor, the excessive self-confidence is gone; the new car looks more sleek and, to be blunt, less nonsensical. Plus, to quote van Hooydonk once more: "The 5-series is designed to express autobahn speed even when standing still."

OPTIONS
The adjustable settings work well, and theyre just one example of the many electronic assistance systems available in the 5-series. Scan the options list, and you'll see just about everything an engineer could dream up to relieve you of the chore of driving: adaptive cruise control with a stop-and-go function, a collision-warning system, adaptive lighting, lane-departure warning, parking assist, and a 360-degree view system. We are impressed but would like to submit that putting functional layers between driver and car wasnt something BMW tried to be good at in the past. The 2011 5-series is also about 100 pounds heavier than its predecessor, which BMW justifies as a result of tightening crash requirements. The predecessor's aluminum front end is gone. "Our suppliers came up with lighter, stronger, and less costly steel grades," says project leader Josef Wst.

SUMMARY
The BMW 5-Series offers high-performance driving capabilities in a sedan that can carry five adults in comfort and luxury. The latest 5-Series will offer one eight-cylinder and three six-cylinder gas engine options. Two diesel six-cylinder models will also be available in certain Europe, with the most fuel efficient version being the 47 mpg (U.S.) 520d. The 258 horsepower 528i will be the entry-level model in the U.S. The range-topping 550i model comes packing a 407 hp version of BMW's turbocharged V8. As expected, BMW's 306 hp turbocharged inline-six will be available in the 535i model. A 530d model is also available -- featuring a 245 hp diesel engine.