Test drive the new BMW 5-Series
Half a century ago, BMW showed what the ideal business sedan for a driver should be. Since then, a lot has changed: robots sit behind the wheel, the world connects cars to the outlet, and the "five" is almost an android from Westworld
The problems began with a tall "speed bump" - BMW 5-Series, trembling, emitted a metallic clang, which after a moment turned into a ringing. But this did not affect the dynamics in any way: the carburetor "six" still easily spun up to more than five thousand revolutions, and the three-stage "automatic" slowly swallowed the torque along with the seconds of acceleration. And even with a faulty stabilizer, the sedan did not heel, prescribing unthinkable turns. Comfort in this 5-Series can only be dreamed of: a pair of speakers were installed in the front panel that sound worse than the first iPhone, and electric windows are, by the standards of half a century, the most expensive option in the Universe.
Against the background of this 1972 "five", the first in BMW history, the long-awaited new 5-Series model of 2016 under the G30 index looks like an android from Westworld next to a wooden dummy. But into this new, emasculated and technological world, the "five" stubbornly dragged the same character of the unfrozen Stallone - rude, strong and, by the standards of its prim segment, slightly wild.
The time of the previous 5-Series (F10) is hopelessly over, although it debuted six years ago - not that old. It's all about competitors who have updated their business sedans earlier. First, Audi carried out a fundamental restyling of the A6 with three sheets of additional options, then Mercedes released the reference E-Class, which is like two drops similar to the flagship S-Class. But BMW has something to answer - and if not in the literal sense so far, then it certainly won't be long before that.
“You can talk to her like a human,” Johan Kistler, head of the G30 project, promises me. The German, who has worked at BMW for more than 38 years, is convinced that the 5-Series has become so smart that it can "think with the driver." The intelligence of the sedan is not limited to the autopilot alone - it comes to the point that the “five” decides for itself when to turn off the engine and what to do if there is an insurmountable obstacle ahead.
With the 5-Series, you can always share your pain points. She will listen to several dozen voice commands, and if there is no desire to speak, then you can switch to sign language. An uncomplicated figure in the air - and the multimedia system will switch the track, the circle with the index finger will make it quieter. The sedan does not yet understand obscene gestures, but the developers have promised to "think about it."
Most of the options have migrated to the new "five" from the flagship 7-Series, which debuted exactly a year ago. The Germans, by the way, themselves hint that now the distance between the models has become almost indistinguishable. Both cars are built on the same platform, equipped with the same engines and gearboxes, their interiors are dramatically similar, and there is no longer a significant difference in dimensions. The main difference is in character. "Five" in the best Bavarian traditions knows how to accurately adjust to the driver's whims. Just one press of a button and the very measured G30 turns into a sports car, from the roar of which cormorants fly over the Atlantic coast.
On the serpentine in the vicinity of Lisbon, the BMW 540i first drove out with caution - this is not a dedicated lane for you on Kutuzovsky. Either I don’t trust a business sedan, albeit with an M Sport package, or I should turn off Comfort mode. The "five", like its predecessor, has several preset settings at once: Eco, Comfort, Sport and Sport +. The first ones should be activated only in two cases: when there is an abnormal snowfall in Moscow, or if the low fuel level "light" is on. With these sets of settings, the electronically controlled shock absorbers become as soft as possible, the steering wheel loses its pleasant weight, and the gas pedal, on the contrary, blues and slows down responses to pressing.
Amazingly, BMW has created one of the most comfortable cars in its class without air suspension. The 5-Series swallows rough road joints so delicately that you can forget about them altogether. The embossed noise markings, which Portuguese highways sin, can be skipped altogether. The Germans understood the danger of this manic silence, so all versions of the "five" without exception received a system for controlling the departure from the lane. If the car thinks that the driver has unknowingly crossed the solid lane markings, the electronics will activate vibration on the steering wheel.
In Sport and Sport +, the five transforms from a delicate and obedient clerk to an impetuous Wall Street businessman. Abyss-bump-oncoming lane - now I have received this injection of adrenaline and am ready for exploits together with the G30. Of course, even in the most combat mode, the 5-Series does not lose that filigree smoothness, but what an amazing margin of safety it has! A hairpin on the verge of a skid, the second, an arc, a bunch of three fast turns, another hairpin - the five-meter sedan seems to push the road markings, otherwise it is simply impossible to rush here within one lane. Phenomenal steering response and transparent feedback - just like 44 years ago, the 5-Series has once again shown the competition what a true driver's car is.
In most global markets, BMW relies on the 540i version. In this case, the rear-wheel drive sedan is equipped with a 3,0-liter supercharged "six", which produces 340 hp. and 450 Nm of torque. And if the power indicators of classmates are definitely not surprising, then in terms of acceleration dynamics the 540i is the best in the class. Such a G30 gains a "hundred" in 5,1 seconds - this is faster than the Mercedes E400 (5,2 seconds) and the three-liter Jaguar XF (5,4 seconds). The figure of the "five" is comparable to the 333-horsepower Audi A6, but with the only difference that the sedan from Ingolstadt is available exclusively in the Quattro version. However, the all-wheel drive 540i xDrive is faster and its 4,8 seconds.
At "urban" speeds, the engine runs almost silently, but when the tachometer needle crosses the 4000 rpm mark, the "six" begins to rumble recklessly. At the same time, the Bavarians deliberately abandoned artificial synthesizers. “A three-liter engine doesn't need a soundtrack,” Johan Kistler shrugged.
Against the backdrop of the magnificent 540i, the 530d xDrive turbo diesel seems thoughtful and very measured, but a few straight sections made him believe it. Even if the turbodiesel is in dynamics and slightly loses to the petrol sedan (5,4 s to 100 km / h), but due to the indecently large torque of 620 Nm, the "five" turns out to be even faster on steep climbs, although it weighs exactly 100 kg more.
BMW is not yet talking about modifications for Russia, but they clarify that the Russian Federation is one of the priority markets for them, so the line of engines will be presented almost without restrictions. In addition to the 540i and 530d, the "five" will be produced in less powerful versions - 520d and 530i. In addition, there will be a top-end 550i xDrive variant that will prove to be as fast as the current M5. Russian dealers have not yet received price lists, but have already started accepting pre-orders. And if you buy a "five" not with the last money, then there is a good chance to be among the first. It will be possible to see the cars live only by the end of February 2017, and on Moscow roads, the fives, which are more common with Hyundai Solaris, will appear in March.
Smooth as a hob, the highway from Lisbon towards the Spanish border, 150 km / h on the speedometer and an automatic control system - this is also the element of the new "five". But at some point, everything suddenly went wrong: the electronics first refused to rebuild at the turn signal, then for some reason rested on the Citroen Berlingo, slowing down to 90 km per hour. A minute later, the "robot" corrected itself and drove in an arc with the delicacy of the driver of Elizabeth II.
Electronics 5-Series today are able to replace the driver on the highway, but the Germans prohibit calling their development "autopilot" by law. The computer can drive a car at speeds up to 210 km / h - it changes the lane, keeps the distance, accelerates, brakes and presses the gas again. To prevent buyers from following the example of Tesla drivers who like to change seats in the back row while driving, BMW has developed a protection: you need to periodically touch the steering wheel.
Special sensors are built into the steering wheel that react to heat. Depending on the speed, the electronics at different intervals asks to put your hands on the steering wheel. If the driver does not do this, the "robot" warns that it will turn off soon. “One finger is not enough - you need to steer at least two,” jokes Johan Kistler. They all, of course, tried to conduct electronics, but it turned out to be not so easy.
The interior of the "five" has become even more comfortable, but it would be wrong to expect some kind of revolution from the G30 in this sense, because its predecessor was too good in ergonomics. The first thing you pay attention to is the multimedia system's tablet-screen. By the way, it became touch-sensitive, but retained the familiar washer-controller on the central tunnel. Unlike the Audi MMI, the 10,2-inch monitor doesn't hide in a niche. But there is no need to complain about this, as is the case with the Mercedes E-Class: the display does not obstruct the view and does not distract from the road at all.
Bad (actually good) news for hardcore BMW fans: the dashboard is completely electronic, like the i8 hybrid. Moreover, such a solution will be available in all trim levels, including the basic one. The fonts on the scales have changed for the first time in half a century, and the economizer is no longer on the dashboard. Those who even sleep on a pillow in the shape of a BMW logo will simply have to accept it - a "German" who has learned all the Azimov laws of robotics does not suit retro.
Finally, a few words about design: the main problem is that the new "five" looks no less cool than Emily Ratzkowski's Instagram. And it makes no sense to describe both with letters.
