First Look: 2011 BMW 5 Series

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If your vehicle is considered by many to be the benchmark of its segment, how do you improve upon it? If you're BMW and the vehicle in question is the 2011 BMW 5 Series, you add a bit of everything.


First, you start under the hood. At next June's launch, BMW will offer the 535i and 550i, the former with BMW's first-ever application of turbocharging, direct injection, and its Valvetronic throttle-less intake system on the latest version of its inline six-cylinder engine. The combination is good for 300 horsepower at 5800 rpm and 300 pound-feet all the way from 1200 rpm to 5000 rpm. The latter, meanwhile, will quench your thirst for speed with BMW's 4.4-liter direct-injected twin-turbocharged V-8 that makes 400 horses between 5500 and 6400 rpm and 450 pound-feet from 1800 to 4500 rpm.

BMW says the six-cylinder engine is good for a 0-to-60 time in the six-second range and 28 mpg on the combined Euro-cycle while the V-8 will do it in the five-second range. Cars equipped with the optional Sport Package will be limited to 150 mph while those without will stop at 130 mph. The Sport Package also adds larger 19-in wheels and stickier summer tires to replace the stock 17- or 18-in wheels and all-season rubber. A new M5 is coming somewhere down the line, but hints from BMW indicate the V-10 is gone in favor of a smaller engine with forced induction, likely the X6 M's 555-hp twin-turbo V-8.



Later on in 2010, BMW will introduce the 528i, which will be powered by a naturally aspirated version of the inline-six that'll punch out 240 horses. BMW has also indicated that while it doesn't have plans for a diesel powertrain in the U.S. yet, it's certainly possible if the market is there. In fact, the higher-ups at BMW see a big market for diesels in America if they catch on. Sources also indicate that a 5 Series ActiveHybrid is all but a done deal, but BMW is being coy with the details.


Both engines will be offered with either a six-speed manual transmission or BMW's new eight-speed automatic, which comes in a Sport version. Utilizing five clutch packs, the eight-speed is no slouch and can make direct gearshifts rather than cycling through intermediate gears for better performance and efficiency.

Efficiency really is the name of the game with the new 5 Series. The car has been designed to be more frugal while performing better at the same time. Witness, for example, the first-ever application of electric power steering in a BMW. As with other accessories, it engages itself only when needed, freeing up engine power. Meanwhile, a smart alternator charges only on deceleration and braking to recover power rather than run constantly and drag on the engine. Active cooling flaps behind the kidney grilles, meanwhile, keep temperature optimal and reduce drag whenever possible.