The first new-age Bimmer that got all of our attentions was the Frankenstein’s trunk lid 7 Series in 2002. The extravagant new 5 Series sedan for 2004 with its Dame Edna headlights and overly indulgent sculpting later followed. Since then, the 7 Series has been slightly toned down and spy shots of the next-gen 7 promise an even less frigid exterior. But now we finally get the somewhat overdue toned-down 5 Series.
BMW '5 Series' - Page 2
The BMW 5 Series puts an emphasis on the driving part of life. This mid-size luxury sedan is a true sports sedan in any of its variations, including the 530ix wagon and other models that are equipped with all-wheel drive. Regardless of engine size or equipment level, the BMW 5 Series delivers lively acceleration, precise handling and outstanding brakes. It’s available with a conventional manual transmission, which is increasingly hard to find in this class.
All-wheel drive, a wagon body style, and more-powerful engines are some of the 2006 additions to BMW’s midsize car. AWD versions get an “x” suffix to distinguish them from rear-drive models. The line of vehicles is comprised of 525i and 525xi sedans, 530i sedans, and 530xi sedans and wagons.
These models have inline 6-cyl engines. For ‘06, 525 models swap a 184-hp 2.5-liter for a 215-hp 3.0. The 3.0 in 530 models gains 30 hp, to 255. The 550i has a 360-hp 4.8-liter V8; it replaces the 545i, which had a 325-hp 4.4 V8. The high-performance M5 has a 500-hp 5.0 V10. Transmission choices include manuals and automatics, depending on model, plus a sequential manual transmission (SMT), which is essentially a manual transmission without a clutch pedal; it can also be set to shift like an automatic.