BMW 5 Series, the “heart of the BMW brand,” has finally begun taking bookings for their first long-wheelbase 5 Series model in India through official dealers and online.
We drove the 2024 BMW 5 Series LWB for a very short stretch; the ‘Teaser Drive’ was held on a closed section of the road, only about 3 kilometres, and a straight section. So, there will be no conclusions made on driving dynamics today. First impressions suggest a mix of both sporty and comfortable nature. However, here's everything we know about the eighth-generation (G68) BMW 530i LWB.
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More Sporty Exteriors
The overall design is very modern BMW, yet not far off. At the front, a new design, the "Sharknose" kidney grille, is proportionate and doesn't overpower the front end. The updated vertical LED DRLs have also been carried over, along with a redesigned sporty front apron with titanium bronze or aluminium “satinated” accents.
Coming to the sides, the thick rubber and standard 18-inch wheels stick out a little like a sore thumb, although this might complement the ride quality. We spotted an M badge on each fender (because the displayed car was the M Sport variant), flush pull-up door handles, and a new "5" embossed on the C pillar. The latter trend might stay as the new design language for the iconic Hofmeister kink. However, the biggest 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.
Other models are the 3 Series Long Wheelbase and the 7 Series Long Wheelbase. Speaking of the 7 Series, the grille also lights up like the 7 Series, and the rear taillights look identical. The flat rear lights interpret the signature L-shape if you look very carefully. The new Matrix Lights include party tricks like welcome and goodbye animations, as well as useful features like glare-free high beam assist. The DRLs also function as indicators, like most recent cars.
More Comfy Interiors
Considering the undeniable fact that most 5 Series owners are chauffeured around, this generation of 5 Series has a generous amount of space in the rear. The seats are plush and wide. Every seat gets a headrest pillow for added comfort. However, the rear passengers don't get to recline their seats. The brand hopes the largest dual-pane fixed sunroof ever in a 5 Series might compensate for this. There is also an evident transmission tunnel, which is understandable since it's a rear-wheel-drive sedan. The rear passengers also miss out on the huge screen available in other markets. Further back, the luggage compartment has a capacity of 500 litres of storage. Unlike the competition, the ambient lights for the rear are placed on the back of the front seats.
Coming to the front row of seats, we can again find features trickled down from the 7 Series. The new curved display houses a 12.3-inch driver's display behind the new flat-bottom steering wheel and a 14.9-inch infotainment display. Audio duties are handled by an 18-speaker, 655-watt Bowers & Wilkins surround sound system. The displays run on the BMW iDrive 8.5 operating system with intuitive large tiles called "QuickSelect." Interestingly, the system also allows users to use the YouTube app on the screen. Other than that, crystal-like elements are used lavishly throughout the dash, the gear selector, and the rotary joystick (iDrive Controller). The crystal on the dash also extends to the front doors, with lighting effects and integrated touch buttons. BMW calls this the Interaction Bar and the air conditioning vents on the front are neatly hidden behind it. For the first time, BMW has made all the leather used in the 5 Series vegan, including the steering wheel, which the brand calls "Vegenza", and it is the only option in India.
BMW is still tight-lipped about the powertrain in use; however, we are sure about some mild hybridisation for the new 5 Series LWB.
