2017 G30 BMW 5-Series unveiled, 530e iPerformance among the crop



This year, BMW turns 100 years old. What better way to commemorate the occasion than to reveal the all-new, seventh generation BMW 5-Series?

The new G30 5-Series doesn’t quite deliver the visual impact we hoped it would, and more importantly it isn’t a “by leaps and bound” kind of an improvement over the outgoing F10. In fact, it’s more like a contemporary update in this new car, and borrows key design cues shared with the 3-Series and 7-Series. 2017-bmw-5series-g30-14

The larger kidney grille and deeper shoulder line are the key differences between the new and the outgoing car. Just like the current 7-Series, the headlights now feature connected LED DRLs, marking a departure from the corona rings they were once known for. The headlights are also joined to the kidney grille. The taillights meanwhile, are inspired from the 3-Series.

The G30’s DNA is shared with the 7-Series’ lightweight carbon fibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP) construction. Together with extensive usage of aluminium, up to 100kg of mass have been shaved off when compared to the F10. The drag coefficient is impressive, with a class-leading 0.22 Cd. This is achieved thanks to the active air stream kidney grille.2017-bmw-5series-g30-1

The new chassis facilitates a larger overall dimension, albeit slightly. Wheelbase is 7mm longer than the predecessor, whereas overall length is now up by 36mm to 4,935mm. In terms of boot volume, the G30 is capable of accommodating up to 530 litres of goods; 10 litre increase over the F10.

Inside, apart from the steering wheel, the G30’s dashboard is a dead ringer to the G11 7-Series. The new 5-Series gains a centrally-mounted touchscreen that supports air Gesture Control just like its bigger sibling. The Apple CarPlay in this 5-Series is fully wireless, the first for production cars.2017-bmw-5series-g30-18

The powertrain lineup is mostly a carryover from the F10. The petrol unit begins with the 530i’s B48 four-cylinder turbocharged 2.0-litre that makes 252 hp and 350 Nm of torque. The 540i will receive the all-familiar B58 six-cylinder 3.0-litre unit, that deploys 340 hp and 450 Nm.

BMW has not abandoned its diesel aspirations with the 520d EfficientDynamics which will spearhead the oil burner in the years to come. The 190 hp four-cylinder diesel engine has a claimed fuel consumption of 3.9L/100 km and a low CO2 emission of just 102 g/km.

This bit would excite aspiring owners. Also announced in this exercise is the 530e iPerformance. The system marries an internal combustion engine (petrol) with BMW eDrive electric drive, producing 252 hp with an astonishing claimed fuel consumption of 2.0 l/100 km! It can travel up to 45 km in pure electric mode alone.2017-bmw-5series-g30-23

Topping off the lineup is the BMW M550i xDrive. It is powered by a fire-breathing V8 that develops 462 hp and 650 Nm of torque, with power being sent to all four wheels. It has a claimed 0-100km/h sprint of 4 seconds and yet sips just 8.9 litres of fuel per 100 km. Entry-level variants will be offered with a six-speed manual transmission as standard, whereas the rest will get the same old eight-speed Steptronic transmission.

The self-driving tech in this Beemer has yet to reach full autonomy, but it’s more of a ‘Steering and Lane Control Assistant‘. This system allows the car to stay on the road and simultaneously detect speed limits. When enabled, the driver can, at his/her own risk, release both hands from the steering wheel and let the system keep the car in its lane at speeds up to 210 km/h. The good news is, this function can only be activated no longer than 30 seconds at a time, at least for now.

No prices have been unveiled at press time. Meanwhile, look out for the Malaysian debut of the new 5-Series, possibility with the EEV certification along with the 530e plug-in hybrid variant sometime next year.


IMAGE GALLERY