First look: BMW's new 5 Series revealed

YOU'RE looking at the new generation E60 BMW 5 Series, the replacement for the car widely rated as the best mid-size luxury sedan in the world.

Packed with technology and comfort features, and cloaked in a shape that is sure to trigger yet more controversy about BMW's styling direction, E60 is launched internationally in May and goes on sale in Europe in June.

The first version to land in Australia will be the in-line six-cylinder 530i, which is due in the last quarter of 2003. The 2.5-litre 525i and the 4.4-litre V8 545i should be here just before or after the new year to complete the launch line-up.

The E60 will initially be available in only one specification, as opposed to the current car which is sold here as an Executive or Sport.

A 535i with 3.6-litre V8 engine should come later and a 530i Touring (station wagon) is due 12 months after the sedan. But high performance fans will likely have to wait until 2005 for the fire-breathing M5 to appear.

It should be worth the wait as the car is tipped to have a 375kW 5.5-litre V10 powerplant, so it can compete with Benz's E55 AMG and the next generation Audi RS 6, which should have bi-turbo V10 power.

Down the track there is the possibility of turbo-diesel power for the 5 locally, although that is dependent on a variety of factors including acceptance of the new X5 3.0d turbo-diesel here.

And if you're wondering why BMW has not saved its key new player for a world launch at the Frankfurt motor show, it is because the September extravaganza should play host to the world debut of the reborn 6 Series and the X3 soft-roader.

The current E39 5 Series was launched in April 1996 and had ruled the roost almost unchallenged as the best car in class - and one of the best in the world - until the latest E-class went on sale in 2002. E39 has also been a huge sales success for BMW, selling 1.2 million worldwide including 11,429 in Australia.

BMW's ambition with E60 is quite simply to wrest back the class laurels from Benz.

"We are confident this car will underscore the 5 Series' position as being the trendsetter in this market sector," said BMW Australia spokesman John Kananghinis.

"That's the job of this car and we are confident it will do that." While full design details of the car will not be revealed until the launch, BMW has confirmed the following: * A combined steel and aluminium body which makes the E60 up to 75kg lighter than the E39, despite a bigger body with a wheelbase expected to be 50mm longer * All-aluminium chassis and suspension, expected to comprise MacPherson struts at the front and the multi-link Z-axle at the rear * All engines we get have the Valvetronic system that eliminates throttle butterflies for claimed improvements in performance and economy * 2.5-litre six produces 141kW/245Nm 3.0 170kW/300Nm and 4.4-litre V8 245kW/450Nm. The 530i is claimed to accelerate to 100km/h in 6.9 seconds. Fuel consumption is said to be reduced by as much as eight per cent * Six-speed manual and automatic transmissions, although we only get the ZF auto for the moment, which is already sold here in the 7 Series * More space at the rear and a bigger luggage compartment Overlaying that is a new generation of gadgetry and techno features, including world-first Active Front Steering, adaptive headlights, Brake Force Display, Active Cruise Control, the second generation iteration of the iDrive control system and a head up display. We've dealt with all that in a separate story below.

And then, of course, there's the styling, which Mr Kananghinis describes as "unmistakably a 5 series".

"It cannot be mistaken for a 3 or a 7 although it shares cues with both of them," he said. "It has very much its own personality, which is outwardly dynamic.

"It does not look like anything else in the marketplace and while it has a family resemblance to the rest of the BMW family, it does not look like another one of our models either, and that's intentional." Designed under the direction of American Chris Bangle, the new 5 is sure to continue the controversy over BMW's emerging styling philosophy, which has been fanned by the look of the latest 7 Series and the Z4 roadster.

Gone is the simple elegance of the old car, replaced by a much more complex design. The signature BMW kidney grille is no longer integrated into the bonnet, instead sitting in the bumper assembly. It is more steeply sloped than the old car as well.

The new clear lens headlights wrap around the front guards and the bonnet gets a distinctive double V shape. The glass house is noticeably more raked and coupe like. But the BMW hooked C-pillar is retained.

There are lightly flared wheel arches with squared off edges, a pronounced shoulder line running the length of the car and tail-lights which wrap around the rear guards.

While E60 was in development during the 7's hot and mostly negative worldwide reception, Mr Kanaghinis said its presentation had not been toned down as a result: "No, the car we saw years ago is the same car we see now." Unsurprisingly, BMW Australia expects to sell more 5s once E60 comes onboard, and expects you to pay more for it as well.

"We will be speccing the cars with some very high specification and new features as well," said Mr Kananghinis.

"But we do not expect to have a major uplift in price. They will be positioned very competitively in the same category as the current car.

"One has to be cognisant of the marketplace, but we will have a very high level of spec and new technology does come with a price, but don't expect it to be pushing out of the category."

Techno Treats

Here's some of the techno kit coming with the E60: Active Front Steering: Electronic system varies the steering transmission ratio, making steering more direct the lower the road speed. That means steering varies from around three turns lock to lock to under two turns.

Adaptive headlights: Bi-xenon headlights follow the curve of the road courtesy of sensor-measuring steering wheel angle, yaw rate and road speed. Currently BMW Australia is negotiating Australian Design Rule approval for this feature.

Brake force display: Enlarges the brake light area when the brake pedal is applied hard. Already homologated for US model 7 Series. This also requires ADR approval.

ACC Active Cruise Control: Radar-based system that controls distance to vehicle in front on freeways.

iDrive: Take two of BMW's cockpit system is not as in-depth as 7 Series, with essential functions and basic comfort functions dealt with separately to the mouse controller. The gear lever stays in the traditional place in the centre console, rather than mounted on the steering column.

Head up display: Nicks the jet fighter idea by presenting essential information in the driver's direct line of vision. Driver chooses what - if anything - to look at.