BMW has discontinued the 6 Series GT in India. This comes right after the launch of the 5 Series LWB in India. The 5 Series LWB, with its long wheelbase and features, would serve the purpose of both the 5 Series and the 6 Series GT. It will have a heavy responsibility on its shoulders as the 6 Series GT was one of the most successful BMW products in the country.
About the 6 Series GT
The 6 series GT was launched in India in 2018 to take on the likes of the Mercedes E-class. It was almost the same product as the 5 series but with a longer wheelbase for the chauffeur-driven customers. It passed the sales test with flying colours in India, with a yearly sales figure of 1428 units, making it one of the highest-selling luxury products in the country. Under the hood, you could have a petrol or diesel engine. The petrol was a 2.0-litre mill that produced 255 bhp and 400 Nm of torque. On the other hand, the diesel unit was a 2.0-litre engine that produced 188 bhp and 400 Nm of torque.
5 Series LWB
Replacing the 6 series is the 5 series LWB. This model was launched in India this month for a starting price of Rs 72.90 lakh (ex-showroom). This is all you need to know about it:
Design
It gets a "Sharknose" kidney grille with vertical LED DRLs that have also been carried over, along with a redesigned sporty front apron with titanium bronze or aluminium "satinated" accents. On the sides are 18-inch wheels, an M badge on each fender, flush pull-up door handles, and a new "5" embossed on the C pillar. The most significant change is the same as the name suggests: Long Wheelbase. This makes it the third long-wheelbase or Li offering from BMW in India. The dimensions of the 5 Series have grown by 212 millimetres to 5,175 millimetres in length and 130 millimetres to 3,105 millimetres in wheelbase.
Interiors
The 5 series LWB gets ample space in the rear. The seats are spacious and cushioned, with each one equipped with a headrest pillow for extra comfort. However, the rear seats do not have a reclining feature. The manufacturer hopes that the large dual-pane fixed sunroof, the biggest ever in a 5 Series, will make up for this. Coming to the front row of seats, we find features trickled down from the 7 Series again. You'll find features inspired by the 7 Series in the front row. The new curved display includes a 12.3-inch driver's screen behind the flat-bottom steering wheel and a 14.9-inch infotainment screen. Audio is provided by an 18-speaker, 655 watt Bowers & Wilkins surround sound system. These displays operate on BMW's iDrive 8.5 system, which uses intuitive large tiles called "QuickSelect." Notably, the system also supports the YouTube app. This setup, referred to by BMW as the Interaction Bar, has neatly hidden air conditioning vents behind it. Additionally, for the first time, BMW has made all the leather in the 5 Series, including the steering wheel, vegan.
Powertrain
The new 5 Series offers only a single petrol engine and does away with the diesel guzzler in the 6 series. This is a 2.0-litre 4-cylinder powerhouse that produces 256bhp and 400Nm of torque. It is paired with an 8-speed Automatic transmission that delivers its power to the rear wheels. Supporting this engine is a 48V mild hybrid system. The combined powertrain can accelerate the car from 0 to 100 kmph in 6.5 seconds.
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