Among the more significant interior appointments is the latest generation of BMW’s iDrive infotainment system. It uses a new 10.3in touchscreen mounted on top of the dashboard and angled slightly towards the driver. As before, its redesigned menus can be operated via a rotary controller with a touch function. Alternatively, the new 5 Series offers standard touch as well as updated gesture and speech control systems from the 7 Series as an option.
Another noteworthy inclusion is BMW latest autonomous driving function, which allows you to perform lane changes between speeds of 44mph and 112mph at the simple application of the blinker without the need for steering input. It works well, accelerating, steering and, when necessary, braking the car on its own. However, it only allows brief periods of hands-off motoring before an alarm prompts you to take the wheel again.
Our test car came with adaptive dampers, which will be offered as a £985 option in the UK. So configured, the new 5 Series offers a noticeably more cosseting ride in Comfort mode than its predecessor, both around town and out on the open road.
Switch the 540i into Sport mode and it really comes alive. The Drive Experience function primes the throttle, engine, gearbox, steering and suspension to their most athletic settings, providing the 540i with pleasantly precise, engagingly willing and, in rear-wheel drive guise at least, entertaining traits. It’s rather quick, too. Official performance claims point to a 0-62mph time of just 5.1.sec, which makes the rear-drive 540i some 0.7sec quicker than the old 535i.

The key to this impressive turn of speed is a wonderfully harmonious combination between the engine and gearbox. The delivery is creamy smooth and, without any discernible turbocharger lag to talk of, extremely linear. There’s abundant torque throughout almost all of the rev range, and with it strong flexibility well into the business end of the dial. The shifts are satisfyingly rapid and terrifically smooth, both up and down the ZF-produced gearbox.
Predictably, the steering is quite weighty in the more sporting of the driving modes, but it is also satisfyingly direct. The added sharpness brought on by the integral rear steering system, as fitted to our test car, heightens the handling, adding a further touch of agility that helps to make the 540i truly engaging when pushed hard along a challenging back road.
The stiffening of dampers in Sport enhances body control, allowing you to carry considerably higher speeds with greater neutrality through open corners than in Comfort mode. This is further augmented by the adoption of faster-acting electronically controlled anti-roll bars in place of the older hydraulically operated units as part of an optional Dynamic Drive system.
Join the debate
winniethewoo
Looks damn good this 5 series
bomb
Autocar wrote:
Wrong. The 530i will use a 4-cyl engine, the B48. This replaces the 4-cyl N20 in the outgoing generation 520i/528i.
289
530i
In my day even a 520i was a 6 cylinder. beautifully smooth, great engine note, then there was the 525i, 530i, 535i and eventually the 540i which was a proper V8.
I hate this nebulous numbering system, it smacks of deception, and reminds me of chavs putting 325 badges on 316's etc....as does this ridiculous model number followed by an M, but not ACTUALLY a Motorsport model at all.
275not599
So why only 4 stars? And
mx5xm
Looks a bit same-same?
I think the new E Class MB seems to have it beat with its dual display led interior, with even the exterior looking a tad nicer and more executive in its execution.
abkq
Yet another instance of car
This one is heavy looking. Can't they at least give the headlamps a more definite shape or make them slimmer?
abkq
Yet another instance of car
This one is heavy looking. Can't they at least give the headlamps a more definite shape or make them slimmer?
jer
Like this engine and gearbox
JCarter
5 Series
pah68
Whatever happened to proof reading?
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