BMW will leap ahead of the competition on CO2 with the next generation 5-series, officially revealed this week.
Going on sale in the UK in March 2010, the new BMW 5-series saloon range will be priced from £28,165 for the top-selling 520d model in SE trim. The range-topping 550i will cost £50,520.
While prices are up on the outgoing model, BMW claims the rise is offset by the increased level of equipment.
Standard kit on all cars now includes leather seats, Bluetooth phone connection and upgraded stereo, which were not standard on the previous, fifth generation range.
The fleet-favourite 520d sees an increase in power and performance as well as a decrease in CO2 emissions and an improvement in fuel economy.
The BMW 520d now comes with a 184PS 2.0-litre diesel giving it an 8.1 second 0-62mph time, plus a CO2 output of 132g/km for the six-speed manual and a combined fuel figure of 56.5mpg. These figures give the 520d a class-leading position. The BMW 520d with an automatic gearbox will be the first in its class to come with stop-start, enabling figures of 137g/km CO2 and 54.3mpg for the 520d auto.
The economy gains across the range have come from the introduction of a gear-change indicator, brake-energy regeneration and active aerodynamics on the car’s grille, which close at higher speeds.
However, while fleets will be able to order the 520d from March 2010 it will not be available for delivery until a few months later. An M-sport version will be available at the end of 2010.
BMW will launch with a six-cylinder engine line-up including a 525d and 530d.
The new BMW 5-series has been designed with an 80mm longer wheelbase, which gives an extra 13mm of legroom to rear-seat passengers as well as a 520-litre boot. The overall length is up 40mm on the current car.
BMW is also hoping to attract business buyers with a new online application. The German brand has developed a desktop widget, available at bmw.co.uk/live, that will feed information about the new 5-series to the buyer’s computer.
One piece of good news for those familiar with the current 5-series is that the windscreen wipers on UK cars for the new model will sweep in the correct direction, BusinessCar has been assured.
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