The BMW 5 Series has always been the benchmark in the midsize luxury sedan segment. No other vehicle in its class manages to combine sportiness and long-distance comfort in one package as tastefully as the 5 Series. However, the current seventh generation (G30) 5 Series is already more than five years old, which means it's time to give it a complete and radical redesign. Thankfully, BMW is indeed doing just that because they've officially begun the teaser campaign for the next-generation 5 Series.
A Lot Of Changes Are Going To Happen
As shown through their first official teaser and the plethora of spy shots we have in our portfolio, the 2024 BMW 5 Series will probably look similar to the current model, but it doesn't mean it won't get a few radical design changes. One of those is going to be the grille. Yes, it will be bigger than ever before, but it thankfully won't be as big as the one in the 7 Series. Likewise, the LED headlights will feature two vertical lights for its LED daytime running lights, as confirmed through the teaser.
What was shown is a teaser of the first-ever electric i5, but the overall design will be similar across all models, from the internal combustion engine (ICE) to the mild hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and get this, a fully-electric M model as confirmed by Oliver Zipse, Chairman of the Board of Management of BMW AG.
That fully-electric M 5 Series probably won't be an electric M5, but more of an M Performance model called the i5 M50 like in the i4. Zipse says that the i4 M50 was “the best-selling BMW M model worldwide in 2022”, which is what probably motivated them to create an M Performance version of the i5. As for the full-blown M5, while it wasn't mentioned in BMW's official press announcement, the M5 is rumored to get a similar plug-in hybrid setup as the XM.
We Want The i5 Wagon To Come To The U.S., Please!
What was once a rumor has also now been confirmed. Zipse has officially announced that BMW's first electric wagon is coming out in 2024 in the form of the i5 Touring. That's essentially the wagon version of the i5, but unfortunately, that's most likely going to be a forbidden fruit again from the United States.
“The BMW 5 Series Touring is very popular, particularly in Europe,” he said. “From spring 2024 it will also come in an all-electric version, giving us a truly unique selling point in this segment.”
Aside from the fully-electric models, the ICE-powered 5 Series models will also get varying degrees of electrification. The electrification kicks off with the gas and diesel engine fitted with a 48-volt mild-hybrid system, along with plug-in hybrid models. In addition, BMW promises that this generation of the 5 Series will be the most dynamic, comfortable, and digital than ever before. The latter in particular will be possible with the upcoming iDrive 8.5 with two screens that are housed in a curved glass display, along with a host of new digital services.
The next-generation BMW 5 Series will make its debut in October 2023, which is actually a few months after the global unveiling of its chief rival, the next-generation Mercedes-Benz E-Class, and its gimmicky interior. Let a new battle of the German midsize luxury stalwarts begin.