[Xccelerate]

Originally Posted by RAK92

I'm going to show my ignorance, but what's with the weird paint scheme on these test cars? Why do they do that? I guess I could just Google it but I figured I'd ask...

Bmw camouflages them to hide body lines.

[RAK92]

Well, I've been edumucated!

http://www.autoblog.com/2014/11/07/h...ge-their-cars/

[Kabrich]

Originally Posted by tex2670

And here's the next M5:

http://www.bimmerfest.com/news/90470...spied-testing/

If you look at the rear deck and the angle of the rear, it looks more like the G30 m5 than the G20 Mule in your photo above.

[spuntyb]

Originally Posted by Kabrich

If you look at the rear deck and the angle of the rear, it looks more like the G30 m5 than the G20 Mule in your photo above.

Now I can't tell. A 5er would make more sense given the timeline, but it still looks big to me. Looks an awful lot like the M5 mule though, damn. :

[CalCarNut]

Originally Posted by Xccelerate

Bmw camouflages them to hide body lines.

EVERYONE camouflages them to hide the actual body lines of the car. makes them look like a 2 door when its a 4 or vice versa. Some just run current bodies with new car underpinnings to keep it all hush hush........

[tturedraider]

Originally Posted by Xccelerate

I'm thinking its a 5

Virtually certain to be a G30 5er. Way too soon for a G2x 3/4 to be stateside or to be that far along.

[Stlthnmrdrd]

Has to be a 5. Doing a size comparison to the white truck. Its too long for it to be a 3

[tturedraider]

Originally Posted by tex2670

I thought the G20 was expected for MY 18?

http://www.bmwblog.com/2016/01/11/20...-series-spied/

Originally Posted by tex2670

The LCI will last as long as BMW wants it to last. Everything I have read says the G20 is expected in MY '18--of course, I don't think any official word has come from BMW.

I can assure you the F30/31 LCI will last three model years.

[F30lolz]

IIRC the e39 5 series were out testing in early 1993 while they were available to the public sometime early 1996 so I wouldn't be surprised if this is a G20.

[tturedraider]

Originally Posted by F30lolz

IIRC the e39 5 series were out testing in early 1993 while they were available to the public sometime early 1996 so I wouldn't be surprised if this is a G20.

Were they testing in New Jersey? That's where this photo was taken.

[F30lolz]

Originally Posted by __

Were they testing in New Jersey? That's where this photo was taken.

Not sure as I saw a pic in a Roundal issue back in 1993. I just don't get why BMW decided to jump number/letters right after the e46 came out

[RichReg]

This is definitely the new 5 Series...and the "testing" that BMW is doing is loaning one (if not a few) of the first pre-production models to various employees of BMWNA for real world try-outs and feedback.

[hinckley]

Originally Posted by Xccelerate

When were they expecting a refresh 20? New f30 was 13 so 7 years correct? Maybe a MY19?

Originally Posted by adhrp

F30 was 2012. Most probably '18 or '19.

Originally Posted by tex2670

I thought the G20 was expected for MY 18?

BMW runs on very consistent seven model year cycles - four years for the original and three years for the LCI. Since the F30 was introduced as a MY12, and the LCI came out right on schedule as a MY16, the next all new 3er should be a MY19 and should be introduced sometime in CY18.