Here’s what makes the new 5 Series better than its predecessor

By now, everyone’s seen the first official photos of the new, ‘G30’ generation of BMW 5 Series.

And, for the most part, the reception on how it moves the game on from its ‘F10’ predecessor has been pretty positive – you can tell a car is good at first glance when one of its only criticisms is that the interior’s quite similar to the more opulent 7 Series.

However, it’s only when you directly cross-examine the two most recent 5 Series iterations that you realise just how big a leap forward the G30 is.

READ MORE: Next BMW 5 Series offers more than its new look 

The design of the G30 5er is more refined, more premium, yet just as sporty, if not even sportier.

• The new 5 Series obtains much of its styling cues from the 7 Series.
• The 2017 model grows 3.05cm longer overall, and the wheelbase increases by just 5.08cm, resulting in much bigger space.
• The model comes with an optional Remote Parking system that was first introduced in the new BMW 7 Series. The system allows the car to be manoeuvred into tight parking spaces remotely using the car key.
• The lower weight and new chassis tech should improve the 5 Series’ handling, and fuel consumption, too.
• The company’s rear-wheel steering setup, which it calls Integral Active Steering, is available on all-wheel-drive models of the seventh-gen 5 Series.
• The combination of Active Lane Keeping Assistant and Traffic Jam Assistant gives the 5 Series semi-autonomous driving capability.
• The model comes equipped with iDrive 6.0 infotainment system that now features gesture control, a function introduced on the 7 Series sedan.

Overall, the new 5 Series looks better than the outgoing model on both the outside and on the inside. It’s a marked improvement in every aspect, whether that be design, luxury, technology or performance.

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The 2017 BMW 5 Series goes on sale in 2017, and we should find out more about pricing closer to its launch date.

–  ntsakom@citizen.co.za