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BMW 5-Series (G30) Forum 2017+ BMW 5 Series (G30) General Discussions [AutoBlog Review]: The Ultimate Self-Driving Machine? | 2017 BMW 5 Series First Drive

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      01-22-2017, 08:28 PM   #1
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BMW 5 series first drive reviews.

Seems like the driving aids don't ruin the driving experience.

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If things keep progressing in this direction, it won't be long before BMW needs a new slogan. "The Ultimate Driving Machine" only makes sense when the ultimate vehicular achievement is a car tailored solely for driving enjoyment. These days, BMW is just as focused as any other automaker on building cars packed with technology to take control away from the driver, putting it into the hands of high-tech computers, sensors, and software code.

But the industry currently only has one foot into the autonomobile revolution pool. For now, all those fancy self-driving aids still have buttons, which means the driver must choose to turn them on (or at can at least turn them off). The challenge for car companies, then, is to be at the forefront of technological advancement while still building cars that appeal to driving enthusiasts. In many ways and with varying degrees of success, BMW's latest 5 Series sedan walks a fine line between engagement and, for lack of a better term, disengagement.

BMW didn't make this seventh-generation 5 Series any larger than the model it replaces. It's also up to (depending on trim) 137 pounds lighter than the sixth-generation car, thanks to the use of magnesium and aluminum in the structure. That chassis is covered in bodywork that makes the 5 Series look like a slightly shrunken 7 Series, except that the 5er's deeply creased shoulders attract our eyes up and away from the lower hockey stick, which is a good thing. The head- and taillights are discreetly designed, with eye-catching LED lighting elements.

From the driver's seat, the 2017 5 Series follows BMW's tradition of restraint. Simple round dials sit front and center. The inner quarter of those dials is part of an LCD cluster that mostly mimics the look of traditional gauges. Everything is canted slightly toward the driver, from the 10.25-inch screen atop the center stack to the buttons and dials that make up the climate and audio control interface. One demerit: all those buttons and dials are tiny and difficult to distinguish with a quick glance. Of course, the latest version of iDrive means anything you can do with a physical button can also be done using the car's electronic interface.

This sixth generation of iDrive is pretty straightforward in operation. Touchscreen controls trickle down from the 7 Series, offering pinch-to-zoom and swiping functionality in addition to the well-known circular control knob on the center console. BMW's latest head-up display and gesture control also filter from the 7 to the 5 for 2017. The HUD is useful, large, full color, and high-definition. The gesture controls are less so, allowing drivers to accept or reject phone calls with a flick of the wrist or adjust the audio volume by twirling a finger in the air. Apple CarPlay is a $300 option, but Android Auto isn't available. Check out the video below for a quick demonstration of iDrive 6.0, and stick around for virtual walkarounds of the 530i and 540i models.

For $52,195, the 2017 BMW 530i is powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder that puts out 248 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. An eight-speed automatic is geared to make the most out of those ponies, getting the engine into the meat of its power quickly from a dead stop. The run to 60 takes 6 seconds flat, which is quick enough. Passing power, on the other hand, can sometimes lag as the turbos spool up. Those wanting more grunt can step up to the 540i and its 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six for $57,445. That engine's 335 hp and 332 lb-ft push the 5 Series to 60 in 4.9 seconds, and its additional displacement over the 530i makes it feel more responsive at highway speeds.

Both the 530i and 540i can be ordered with xDrive all-wheel drive for an additional $2,300, which cuts two-tenths of a second off either model's 0-60 time. Also optional is an M Sport Package that lowers the suspension a bit and upgrades the wheels from 18 to 19 inches. Dynamic Damper Control allows the driver to choose softer or firmer settings, and either way automatically adjusts the suspension to the current road conditions. Active roll stabilization comes with the high-tech dampers, and it helps to keep body roll in check.

There's a marked difference between the Comfort, Sport, and Eco modes of the Driving Dynamics Control system. Steering feel and throttle response immediately tighten up in Sport mode, and that couples well with the transmission's own Sport mode that quickens shifts and holds onto gears nicely. Naturally, paddles on the steering wheel allow manual control of the transmission.


All of those electronic packages work, but they mean the driving experience always feels a bit artificial in both the 530i and 540i. We weren't able to test a 5 Series model that didn't have all those gizmos, leaving us to wonder if the most rewarding model might be the one without electronic aids. In any case, enthusiasts may be more interested in the upcoming M550i xDrive, which will be quicker than the previous M5 thanks to its twin-turbo 4.4-liter V8 engine with 456 hp and 480 lb-ft. Or even the M5 that's sure to follow shortly behind.

The 2017 BMW 5 Series also gets semi-autonomous drive modes. Active Cruise Control with Stop & Go (yes, that's actually what BMW calls it) does exactly what it sounds like, and it works from 0 to 130 miles per hour (thanks, Autobahn!). Lane Departure Warning, Active Lane Keeping Assistant, and Traffic Jam Assistant conspire to keep the car in its proper lane, unless the Side Collision Avoidance system detects a car merging into you, in which case it will try to steer you out of danger. Fortunately, we never had to test that feature. We also never experienced the so-called Evasion Aid, which will help steer you around an unexpected obstacle in your path at speeds up to 100 mph.

In practice, you definitely don't ever want to take your hands off the steering wheel no matter what semi-autonomous tech the 2017 BMW 5 Series you're driving may have. We tested these systems repeatedly and found that they'll keep you in your lane under most conditions, but allow the car to veer from one side to the other more than we'd like, even when the road is straight, and fail outright in challenging situations. A BMW spokesperson told us to think of steering assist as a driver aid, not as any sort of autonomy. Still, the Drive Pilot tech used by Mercedes-Benz in the latest E-Class feels much more robust in practice.

We prefer to drive ourselves, anyway, and it might not be fair to give BMW too big a demerit for a lackluster semi-autonomous driving experience because a BMW is supposed to be about the interaction between the driver and the car. But this is 2017, and a large swath of luxury car buyers are going to expect their brand-new premium sedan to offer driver-assistance aids, for better or for worse. And that's especially true when it doesn't come cheap – a fully loaded 5 Series with all the luxury and assistance packages can cost up near $100,000.

Here's hoping BMW can perfect its self-driving tech by 2021, which is when the German automaker plans to launch its first fully autonomous vehicle. But we also hope that all this gadgetry doesn't spoil the actual driving experience of mainstream models like the 5 Series. Because "The Ultimate Self-Driving Machine" just doesn't have the same ring to it, and, at least for now, the 5 Series still lives up to the brand's original tagline.
http://www.autoblog.com/2017/01/19/2...ive-540i-530i/
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      01-23-2017, 09:46 AM   #2
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Any idea which color is this car ?
Does not look like any color available for MSport in Europe.
Maybe colors for USA are different ?

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      01-23-2017, 09:56 AM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by karmakal View Post
Any idea which color is this car ?
Does not look like any color available for MSport in Europe.
Maybe colors for USA are different ?
I think it's the Mediterranean Blue on a cloudy day.
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      01-23-2017, 10:08 AM   #4
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A fair review. What was a bit disappointing is that the drivers aids were basically subpar. If bmw could put out the same 5 series with better drivers aids then mercedes it would be game. Set. Match.

But it sounds like mercedes will live to reign supreme for another generation sadly.

Bmw makes the 3 series bland to drive and doesn't make the 5 series more technologically superior to the e class. None of this makes any sense.

Luckily the tech can be salvaged if they were to wake up and realize the key to the 5 series success is to make it more autonomous then even the tesla model s.

Looks are a home run. Heritage is a home run. Engines sound like thy will be a home run.

To stand above in this segment you need autonomous driving or really really good semi autonomous driving (mercedes and tesla).

Will bmw wake up ?
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      01-23-2017, 10:32 AM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by karmakal View Post
Any idea which color is this car ?
Does not look like any color available for MSport in Europe.
Maybe colors for USA are different ?
Same colors in USA, and it must be Mediterranean blue. It's the only dark blue that you can get with the M-sport package.
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      01-23-2017, 12:30 PM   #6
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Originally Posted by Mariuss View Post
I think it's the Mediterranean Blue on a cloudy day.
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      01-23-2017, 02:02 PM   #7
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Another Review by WorldCarFans


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Perhaps the most telling bit of the 2017 BMW 5 Series launch program was the question set thrown out by journalists at the pre-drive presentation. No one ? and in my decade-plus career of attending these things, this might be a record ? asked about the availability of a manual transmission. We had about 30 seconds of discourse in total about suspension and steering. And the powertrain slide was roundly photographed by the room, and then promptly ignored.

Following that was a solid 40-minute Q&A session about technology. Autonomous driving, automatic parking, wireless charging for a touchscreen-key, and tangential conversation about various radars, lidars, camera systems, and innovative tech startups that I?ve never heard of. Like the man said, the times, they are a changin?.

BMW will no doubt attract 5 Series intenders based on the driving chops of the cars that came before it, but nothing short of a techy tour de force will close the deal in today?s midsize luxury segment. Competitors include the super-sharp new Mercedes-Benz E-Class, which boasts digital instrumentation that would have colored a nerdy fever dream just a few years ago. And, quite evident from the BMW technology center in Mountain View, even shoppers who don?t really want a Tesla Model S kind of want a few party tricks that might shut up their multitude of Tesla-driving friends.


Nothing short of a techy tour de force will close the deal in today?s midsize luxury segment.
Allow me to ignore the digital layer cake for the moment, however, and talk about going down the road. A skill that this 5 Series ? called ?G30? in the always-critical BMW internal nomenclature ? demonstrates in much the same fashion its predecessors always have.

BMW had two of four initial 5 Series variants on-hand for me to to sample: the 530i and 540i that will almost certainly combine to make up the bulk of sales volume for the model. The two no-shows ? a plug-in hybrid 530e and the massively quick M550i ? enter production and hit dealerships later, and will no-doubt be the subject of upcoming Motor1 reviews.

I spent the bulk of my time with the entry point to the model range, the turbocharged, four-cylinder-rocking 530i. The 530i effectively replaces the outgoing 528i, bringing 248 horsepower (an increase of 8) and 258 pound-feet of torque (a decrease of 2) with the new model designation. BMW estimates a 0-60 time of 6.0 seconds for the car, or 5.8 in xDrive all-wheel-drive form, and the real world experience is one of easy ability on ramps and during merging. I will admit that, in this larger-car luxury segment, a feeling of overwhelming power always makes me feel more comfortable with fast-scaling price tags, but most drivers will love this engine.


The car is clearly tuned for easy cruising in great comfort.
The new 2.0T is more frugal in the 530i than the outgoing 528i could manage, too. Ratings of 24 miles per gallon city, with 34 on the highway and 27 combined, are all pretty massive improvements over the older car?s 20/31/24 scores. Daily Bimmer driving just got a bit less expensive, with no dynamic downside.

The eight-speed automatic transmission ? no, there isn?t a manual option ? is well matched to the engine, as well. I found shifts to be smooth and quick on the few occasions I used the steering wheel-mounted paddles, and well managed in the fully automatic setting. My drive route traversed a full spate of Northern California driving situations ? from stop-and-go highway traffic to coastal switchbacks, and I rarely found the eight-speed in a gear I didn?t care for.

The twistier roads gave me ample opportunity to play with the available drive modes, too ? well, two of the three anyway, EcoPro wasn?t selected much. But the difference between Comfort and Sport seemed rather small to me. Ride compliance did feel marginally higher in the softer Comfort mode, though Sport was hardly brutalizing. And both modes were fine for quick cornering, where the 5er felt athletic but not so razor-edged as to undermine its laid-back character. Like all BMWs, there?s an underlying sense that, if I were to track this sedan with all of the electronics switched off, the chassis would prove balanced and the steering slightly dead. But the car is clearly tuned for easy cruising in great comfort.


That big display is also a touchscreen, and the fluid, fast response that if offered up quickly had me adjusting with my fingertips, rather than with BMW?s physical controller.
Cruising can be accompanied by relative silence (the 530i runs quiet) or rich sound, as the driver wishes, as long as they?ve dropped some serious cash on the optional Bowers & Wilkins audio system. The $4,200 option buys you 16 speakers, a 10-channel amplifier, and 1,400 watts of power. But impressive specs don?t speak to the clarity and richness of the sound; listening aficionados will no doubt find value in the high-priced hifi, with every track enjoyed.

But even the power of the optional audio pales in comparison to that found in BMW?s next-gen infotainment software, iDrive 6. The system is displayed by a very high-resolution, 10.2-inch screen that dominates the dashboard. Graphics are extraordinarily fine, very legible, and all seem to work equally well in bright sunlight (with no washout) as they do at night.

The interface is solid as well. I started the day using the BMW control dial that has been refined over each generation of iDrive, and found it?s still easy to operate. But that big display is also a touchscreen, and the fluid, fast response that if offered up quickly had me adjusting with my fingertips, rather than with BMW?s physical controller.


Even the most basic gestures ? clockwise and and anti-clockwise hand rotations to turn the stereo volume up and down ? proved finicky for me to execute with absolute regularity.
A tile-based layout allows for a multitude of information visible with just a glance at the screen. You?re able to configure which info tiles appear in your ?home? screen, so map/navi, weather, telematics info, or even news headlines can be grasped with minimal looking away from the road. That simple and clear top layer of information caps a very deep and broad suite of software below; you might take just minutes per drive actually using your favorite iDrive features, where configuration and exploration of the total experience could take hours. Certainly I?ll need to take a deeper dive into the system when I have more time and less driving to do, but the early returns are promising.

BMW has also integrated gesture controls into this 5er, as debuted on the current 7 Series. To be frank, I still don?t care for them. Even the most basic gestures ? clockwise and and anti-clockwise hand rotations to turn the stereo volume up and down ? proved finicky for me to execute with absolute regularity. Hand placement and gesticulation speed seemed critical for success, and the learning curve too steep to keep me from using the traditional controls. I believe this feature may help dealers sell a few cars to wide-eyed shoppers, but I don?t think it?ll improve lives.

The same can be said for the optional Display Key, another carryover from the 7 Series? bag of tricks. The touchscreen key can give you status info about your vehicle, but it?s fanciest application is as a controller for the Remote Control Parking system. You may have heard of this: With the swipe of a finger (and the active attention of a swathe of advanced sensors around the car), one can pilot the car into or out of a tight parking space, without having to squeeze behind the wheel. I don?t want to be a buzzkill here, and I do think there?s some practical application for being able to drive your car in and out of really narrow parking situations with the controller? but is this really a killer app, or just an impressive sideshow?

I do think there?s some practical application for being able to drive your car in and out of really narrow parking situations with the controller? but is this really a killer app, or just an impressive sideshow?
On the other hand, the 3D Surround View cameras seem like a practical solution to everyday parking headaches, like tight spots and close curbs. BMW has also linked the camera system to a smartphone app called Remote 3D View, which allows you to see what the cameras are seeing from your phone?s screen. The app could prove to be a nice ancillary safety feature, by letting you have a look around your car before walking out to it late at night, let?s say, or perhaps if you?ve parked in a less-than-savory corner of town.

Lest I leave it out, I?ll point out that there?s plenty of technology aimed at making driving quite safe, as well. BMW?s Active Cruise Control with what it calls ?Stop & Go? should keep tired commuters safe from dumb fender benders; the systems combine radar cruise with the ability to follow at a safe distance, all the way down to a full stop (and up to a max speed of 130 miles per hour). Further ?Active? features include lane-departure warning and lane-keep assist; there?s even an ?evasion aid? that is said to help in emergency steering situations (I didn?t encounter any).

Throw all of those smart sensors and accompanying software together, and you also get a BMW that?ll drive itself for a fair bit of time. Semi-automated steering is also said to aid with driver fatigue, and allows one to safely keep hands off the steering wheel for up to 50 seconds. I?ll be honest: I used the system in steady traffic and in the well-marked confines of the HOV lane, and despite flawless performance I grabbed the wheel before the indicator told me I needed to. Call that a failure of human belief, not German technology.

It can still entertain a driving enthusiast, even when its story is more Silicon Valley than The Transporter.
Very little of what I?ve outlined thus far comes cheaply. The 530i has a very competitive starting price of just $51,200 ? just about a thousand more than where the 528i kicked off. But the options make it easy for your configurator finger to balloon your monthly payment. My test car had, for instance, $4,900 wrapped up in driver assistance, which wasn?t even a thing a few years ago. The basic Driving Assistance Package (head-up display, active park distance control, rear-view camera) is $1,800; Driver Assistance Plus and Driver Assistance Plus II (for real), add the parking assistant, surround view cameras, and the active driving assistant, for $1,400 and $1,700, respectively. The premium pack is $2,600; the M Sport pack is $2,600 (plus $700 more for dynamic damper control); the lighting pack (adaptive full LED lights, and auto high beams) is $1,050. And the bottom line on my sample car was a staggering $74,160.

Damn.

Tread lightly here and you can have one heck of a nice machine for under $60K, of course. I?d probably throw down on the M Sport bits (love that thick-rimmed steering wheel) and the killer stereo, and call it a day. In any case, when the car goes on sale on February 11, there will be any number of ways to walk out of your friendly dealership, happy with the car you?ve just bought or ordered.

This G30 5 Series is a dramatically good car. I?m certainly not alone in wanting to drive it back-to-back with great new offerings like the E-Class and Volvo S90, to see just how well it competes with some of the finest machines in the luxury segment today. The fact that it can still entertain a driving enthusiast, even when its story is more Silicon Valley than The Transporter, doesn?t go amiss, either.
http://www.motor1.com/reviews/134199...n-first-drive/
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