The updated BMW 5 Series range has officially launched in Australia, offering refreshed styling, enhanced equipment levels, powertrain upgrades and a revised price list.
On sale since July, the facelfited BMW 5 Series range – comprising sedan, Touring wagon and Gran Turismo hatch body styles – introduces design tweaks first revealed in May.
Headlined by contour lines around the kidney grille and newly structured lower air intakes, the exterior update also includes slimmer, sharper tail-lights.
The entry-level BMW 520i (pictured above) and 520d sedans start at $79,900 and $82,400 respectively. Both come standard with bi-xenon headlights, LED foglights, cruise control with braking function, rear-view camera, and front and rear parking sensors. Interior features include electric front seats, leather upholstery, dual-zone climate control, steering wheel-mounted paddleshifters, a 12-speaker audio system, professional navigation system, iDrive touch controller and internet functionality.
For $90,900, the 520d Touring adds an automatic tailgate, rear side window sunblinds and automatic parking assistant.
New to the $97,400 528i are 19-inch alloys; adaptive LED headlights; interior and exterior anti-dazzle mirrors; ‘hands-free’ boot opening function; and lane departure, forward collision and pedestrian warning systems. A head-up display, multifunction instrument cluster and a Harmon Kardon audio system with digital radio round out the standard equipment list.
At $116,900 and $121,900 respectively, the 535i and 535d (pictured above) sedans mirror the 528i specification and add parking assistant and more powerful brakes, while the $122,900 535i Touring also scores an auto tailgate and rear sunblinds.
In addition to the 535i’s equipment list, the $119,900 BMW ActiveHybrid 5 offers a four-zone climate control system, expanded instrument cluster functionality and lightweight 18-inch alloy wheels.
Coming in just shy of $20k cheaper than before, the $159,900 550i flagship sedan’s twin-turbocharged 4.4-litre V8 rises 30kW and 50Nm to 330kW and 650Nm. Cutting its 0-100km/h sprint by four-tenths to 4.6 seconds, the uprated engine also claims a 17 per cent fuel consumption saving – now 8.6L/100km.
Joining the 550i with a new lower price are the ActiveHybrid 5 sedan (-$3000) and the 535i Touring (-$3045). All other grades have increased between $400 and $8255.
The $93,900 520d Gran Turismo (pictured below) shares a similar specification level to the sedan and Touring models, yet adds 19-inch alloys, a multifunction instrument panel, head-up display, and lane departure, forward collision and pedestrian warning systems. For an additional $15,000, the 530d Gran Turismo adds 20-inch light alloy wheels, four-zone climate control and adaptive LED headlights.
Topping the updated BMW 5 Series range, the $117,900 535i Gran Turismo introduces a surround view camera, anti-dazzle mirrors and the comfort access system with automatic tailgate.
All 5 Series models now receive either the Luxury line or Modern line styling packages as standard, bringing additional personalisation potential to the range. The sedan is now also available with the optional M Sports package, which brings a number of performance and styling enhancements including different wheels, M Sport suspension settings (not available for ActiveHybrid 5), sports seats (excludes 550i, which retains comfort seats) and an M leather steering wheel.
CarAdvice attended the launch of the BMW 5 Series this week. Stay tuned for our review.
BMW 5 Series manufacturer’s list prices:
520i sedan – $79,900 ($1400) 520d sedan – $82,400 (+$1100) 528i sedan – $97,400 ($1400) 535i sedan – $116,900 (+$1555) ActiveHybrid 5 sedan – $119,900 (-$3000) 535d sedan – $121,900 (+$400) 550i sedan – $159,900 (-$19,745) 520d Touring – $90,900 (+$400) 535i Touring – $122,900 (-$3045) 520d Gran Turismo – $93,900 (+$3400) 530d Gran Turismo – $108,900 (+$4800) 535i Gran Turismo – $117,900 (+$8255)
