Design: Do I need to rate this Monalisa in Metal?
It’s an extreme car, not for everyone, but serious drivers need look no further.: One of the new-age BMW designs, the wild, swoopy Five has not been universally appreciated, but it looks amazing in the flesh. As with all new BMWs, the lights grab your attention first. Very aggressive and distinctive, the ‘eagle-eyed’ headlamps look great. The double-barrelled lamps also have the decorative, ultra-cool ‘rings’ of light. In between the new lamps sits a modern, inflated version of BMW's kidney grille, with the blue-and-white propeller badge atop.What gives the car a fresh look is the so-called ‘flame surfacing’. Underneath, there’s a super-stiff chassis, tuned for an involving driving experience. Using specially prepared sheets of steel and aluminium, its 1580kg kerb weight is relatively low for a 4.8-metre-long car. It’s a maelstrom of technology, including ‘active’ steering and a raft of safety features, and it’s tried hard to address its predecessor’s lack of passenger space.
Interiors: Utterly- Clutterless fabulous.
Open the light doors and you're greeted by a classy cabin; a blend of sporty themes and traditional wood-and-leather, it looks brilliant. A wide band of
wood spans the dash, the wheel is beautifully finished, the high-contrast white-on-black dials look as purposeful as those in an aircraft cockpit, and the buttons function beautifully.BMW's iDrive screen-based control dial may need you to stop before you select functions. It may not be as intuitive as a button, but it does make for a clean central console without the clutter of a myriad buttons. Unlike Merc's E, the 5-series shuns chrome on the inside, replacing it with slivers of sportier brushed aluminium.Comfort at the rear is also pretty impressive. There is generous legroom, and great support. The front seats are superb too, and the seat grips you once on the move, to provide better support while cornering.Engine and Gearbox: Makes you feel Schumi on wheels.
The 5-series, for now, uses only a 231bhp straight-six petrol, chosen for its incredible smoothness and linear power delivery. It’s happy to rev up and blast off, with plenty of torque at the bottom end, and a velvet-coated punch at the top. It works very well with the six-speed auto. Paddle shifting SMG is superb and slick, let me say you I almost felt like a Formula driver on the long straights.
Ride/Handling: Ayrton Senna is back in metal.
As good as the rest of the car was, its dynamics are the best bit. The Five is supremely agile, making any road a joy to drive. Its body control is impressive, and the steering is super-sharp and accurate.The brakes, boosted with ABS and EBD, are brilliant as well. The car rides on run-flat tyres, which make the ride very firm, but even so, you’ll be tempted to fire the chauffeur. The Five is, without doubt, one of the best luxury cars in the world, all the more so because it drives like a sports car.
Economy: Bending the Physics.
For it's performance and 1700 kg kerb weight, it gives an average of almost 9 kpl in combined driving condition. Thta's almost as good as the Honda Civic Auto with three times the performance and drive. That's what I like about the engineers of BMW- the Einsteins of Modern Automobiles.
Verdict: Import Car of The Year 2007. Need i say More guys?
Now it's made in India. And it's damn well priced too. More moolah than the nearest competitors for much less money.
I told my parents the other day that if any car happens to find room in my dream garage after the Honda Civic S Auto(yet to own it haha! :D), it has to be the 5 Series. Utter automobile revolutionary evolutions. Stories like these seldom happen in our market, and when they do, they send back rivals scurring for cover and some even back to drawing boards. You may argue on this fact, but you have to see it in real to believe it. I don't know about the recent controversy surrounding the flame surfacing and design signature of Chris Bangle's designs, but if this is the outcome, neither do i need to care. Nor will i care.
What I'll do is head straight to a BMW showroom and draw out a cheque book.
