[Rob500]

Am I missing something or are the UK 5 series options very limited following the LCI? I've just tried building various models and found:

No 530i
No 540i

Mediterranean blue is gone as an option.

Very limited flexibility in options - in most cases you have to pick a complete package - e.g. if you want automatic boot opening then you must also have comfort access. If you want wireless charging you have to have gesture control.

It all seems a bit disappointing.

[AP]

I guess BMW UK decided to keep things simple.

Full Uk details here
https://www.press.bmwgroup.com/unite...w-bmw-5-series

545e I assume will come along later.

[mobilejo]

It looks like if you want a 'non-performance' branded petrol, its going to have to be an 'e' model - 530e/545e.

Probably kept the 520i purely because they sell bucket loads in fleets for company car use as they're cheap to make/buy and have low BIK without the expense of hybridisation. I doubt anyone buys those out of their own money.

Then there is the M550i is for anyone that wants high performance petrol but not an M5.

Just making guesses here though.

[admg]

Tbh I'm pretty gutted about that, been looking at the 540i for a few months and wanted to wait for the lci. The e just won't have the boot space for me and the 550i costs nearly £20K more than the 540i did.

Think I'll be sticking with my lowly 320i a bit longer.

[mobilejo]

Originally Posted by admg

Tbh I'm pretty gutted about that, been looking at the 540i for a few months and wanted to wait for the lci. The e just won't have the boot space for me and the 550i costs nearly £20K more than the 540i did.

Think I'll be sticking with my lowly 320i a bit longer.

Not keen on the 30d?

I had a 540i and is a great car, but if not available I think I could have been satisfied with the 30d. I test drove it and couldn't fault it when judged in isolation. If not for the existence of the 40i, I'm sure I would have had one. If there was no i, I doubt I could have found a better all round car than the 30d.

[nsa100]

It seems you can have the 540i as a Touring ....but just in one colour, although it has RED Brake Calipers !!!

I have just noticed it is for the M Sport EDITION version.

[admg]

I think I'll look into it but it doesn't pull me in the way the 40i did, I might even go have a look at a m340i instead. I'm going to get the Mrs a big boring (Cheapish - thinking a honda crv or the like) suv to ferry around kids easier but handy thing about looking at the 5 was it could be big enough to do everything if I needed it, fast, plenty of space and can fit a pram for when I didn't fancy driving the boring suv.

[admg]

Maybe the tourings worth a look - I always thought it was a bit too barge like in the past! Funnily I prefer the 3 as a touring but the 5 as a saloon!

[sjak92]

Configurator is very limited online. You can order a 540i saloon (not only estate). The 530i should be added onto there in the coming days too.

Another thing missing is the M550i in verde ermes green as an option but that will 100% be a thing in the UK.

Shame there's no word on a M550i estate. I would snap one up tbh!

[sjak92]

Oh another thing, they dropped the Night Blue Dakota Leather which in my option was great and a little different.

[kitster]

Originally Posted by admg

Maybe the tourings worth a look - I always thought it was a bit too barge like in the past! Funnily I prefer the 3 as a touring but the 5 as a saloon!

I actually prefer the look of the Tourings over the Saloons especially in M Sport. I was so close to getting the X3 because the missus said the G31 looks too much like our F31.

[Wivenhoe]

Originally Posted by AP

I guess BMW UK decided to keep things simple.

Full Uk details here
https://www.press.bmwgroup.com/unite...w-bmw-5-series

545e I assume will come along later.

The press release confirms the 545e will be available from November.

[Beemerguy530]

Disappointed that 530d only comes with XDrive only and not like pre-LCI with option of rear (SDrive) or XDrive.
Hopefully these are initial UK models and they bring other models later in the year or in 2021.

I got a 530d SE rear drive with a fair amount of options back in 2018 and the price then was about £52k before discount. Building equivalent 530d LCI now means MSport XDrive and with the same options is now £60k! Disappointed can't even spec Chrome or Aluminium trim on a MSport now too.

Also BMW seems to be phasing out runflat tyres apart from the 20" tyres. I know there's divided opinions but I've had runflats since the E60 days and quite like the safety aspect compared to a mobility kit as standard know. Why are BMW doing this? At least give option to chose runflats if people want them.

[AP]

I think compared to say the German market, the uk gets a slimmed down choice. Bmw uk no doubt have their reasons for specking them the way they have. At least they are generally well specced up to start with.

Prices do seem to have jumped at first glance but not looked in detail as to whether that's because more is included as standard now. Exchange rates also a possible factor?

The 550 is a welcome addition but wow is it expensive!

Interesting observation about runflats, hadn't noticed that but an interesting u turn by bmw if that's the way they are going. Mixed views about them myself .

[Wivenhoe]

Originally Posted by AP

I think compared to say the German market, the uk gets a slimmed down choice. Bmw uk no doubt have their reasons for specking them the way they have. At least they are generally well specced up to start with.

Prices do seem to have jumped at first glance but not looked in detail as to whether that's because more is included as standard now. Exchange rates also a possible factor?

The 550 is a welcome addition but wow is it expensive!

Interesting observation about runflats, hadn't noticed that but an interesting u turn by bmw if that's the way they are going. Mixed views about them myself .

I spec’d my car (bought Nov 19) and to get similar it was £ 5k more but due to the packages I would be getting more e.g. HK instead of Professional, heated seats in the rear etc.

Mercedes went down the narrowing of single options into bundling into expensive packages and was a major reason I switched to BMW. The Merc guys said it was to do with the new WLPT as every combination of options had to be tested, hence the bundling. I still think it is a cynical way of pushing buyers into paying more. It backfired with Merc as a lot of colleagues were buying up to the £ 40k threshold to avoid paying the much higher road tax so either bought a different car or didn’t take up the options.

[DBO]

Dropping the 540i might be a RHD market decision. Pricing is probably too close and sales too low to warrant building both variants. An Australian press release didn't mention the variant either .. it just goes straight to the M550 now as the top tier.

[AP]

Wow but the 550 is roughly £20k more give or take.
Even if there are good discounts , that's a lot of money.

For me I will always not want a 4 cylinder so a straight six is ideal. But a v8 now is looking to be too much now, at least for me.

I thought the 540 was selling ok, ok not the biggest seller like a 520d or 530e , but a reasonable amount, see quite a few around.

[ztx84]

I never thought we'd see an M550i here, but I must admit if that is the case and we do get it then I'd certainly consider one... But then again I am rather taken by the shape of the 8 series gran coupe... although that is a huge car!

[Wivenhoe]

Originally Posted by AP

Wow but the 550 is roughly £20k more give or take.
Even if there are good discounts , that's a lot of money.

For me I will always not want a 4 cylinder so a straight six is ideal. But a v8 now is looking to be too much now, at least for me.

I thought the 540 was selling ok, ok not the biggest seller like a 520d or 530e , but a reasonable amount, see quite a few around.

I think the new EU fine is causing this. They can take out 5% (clearly their most polluting cars) but all others form part of the calculation. Each gramme above 95g/Km of the overall average costs €95 / car manufactured. So the 540 at 167g/Km would effect the ‘fleet average’. Cars below 50g/Km get ‘super credits’ for the next 2 years. I think BMW’s average last year was 120g/Km and their aim this year is to get that down to 100g/Km - even that would cost them 5g/Km x € 95 x say 1 million European sales = € 475m.

[Rob500]

Originally Posted by sjak92

Configurator is very limited online. You can order a 540i saloon (not only estate). The 530i should be added onto there in the coming days too.

Another thing missing is the M550i in verde ermes green as an option but that will 100% be a thing in the UK.

Shame there's no word on a M550i estate. I would snap one up tbh!

That sounds like better news if correct - are you sure? Personally I like the 530i as it is quick enough to be enjoyable driving on most roads in the UK but not underpowered like the 520i. Having nothing between the 520i and 550i would seem like a very big gap. I wouldn't mind an e model but I wouldn't want to lose half my boot space. I'd prefer not to have a diesel for environmental reasons.

[ScottC25]

M340d and M340i available in the Uk, and a X3M40d but the engines are not available in a 5 series?

40d engine not available in the X5 either

is this because they are heavier and it pushes the emissions up to far?

[AP]

So it seems emissions regs driving the choice then.

A bit off topic but this is worth watching.

If you are not familiar with Harry's garage, he does some really good reviews of cars and trips. But this video is interesting because it exposes as we all are probably aware that electric vehicles are not zero emission.

Back to the new 5 I guess a review of the 545e when it's out I'm November may be worth a close look to see how it compares with outgoing 540i

Always thought that the 540i and 530d represented what might be considered the best 5 in the U.K. excluding the m5 of course as that's arguably a different beast.