A mid-life facelift normally constitutes something of a spot-the-difference or guess-which-parts-are-new competition.
A tweaked bumper here, or new headlight there, just something to renew interest in a middle-aged model being usurped by newer rivals. And you’d be forgiven for putting the revised BMW 5-series firmly in that camp.
On the face of it, the new headlamps, grille and rear number plate surround don’t amount to much that’s new, but it would be a major mistake for business drivers not to sit up and take notice of this latest executive option.
In a move that’s made such an impact on the 5-series’ CO2 figure that many would dismiss it as a misprint, BMW has introduced a range of new technologies that slice a large chunk from the emissions across most of the range. The entry-level petrol model, the 523i driven here in Touring form, plunges from benefit-in-kind tax group 29 to 23 thanks to the drop on CO2 from 210g/km to 183. That’s a massive drop compared with any of the car’s rivals and saves well over £400 a year in BIK for a 40% taxpayer. Fuel economy also improves by 13%, again impressively clear of competitors.
