[ishotmydog]

finally! been waiting a long while for the new 5 series. looks great in the pictures and cannot wait to see it on the road!

is the rear TV an option even on the 535i or does it already come with it?

[Rehaan]

Originally Posted by S350L-E240

...Truly speaking while I love the 7, I feel the new 5 really makes it pointless to go for the 7 unless it is for the extra space / features ..

A lot of tech has been moved into the 5. However, as you mentioned, space is also a concern. I found the space at the rear a little underwhelming, especially given that this car is 44mm longer than the previous generation.

Another thing that caught my attention on the rear bench was the awfully placed window switches. If your arm is on the door's armrest, the switch is placed below your wrist, and there isn't enough room behind your elbow to move your arm back if you wish to press the switch.

Originally Posted by S350L-E240

...any information on the alloys offered? ..

From what i can tell of the brochure, there are only three standard designs across the above mentioned variants. Slightly plane-jane eh.

On a similar topic - runflats are here to stay. BMW will continue to force them down our throats. No opt-out being given.

Originally Posted by designersf

Awesome car! An 8-speed gearbox is the first in India I think.

If you're not counting trucks and low ratio transfer cases

Originally Posted by ishotmydog

...is the rear TV an option even on the 535i or does it already come with it?

As per the brochure, rear screens are optional on the 535i & standard on the 530d!
The 530d slightly out-kits the 535i. It also comes with a 10" display screen at the front (+ TV function) instead of the standard 7" on the others.

HUD and other toys can also be ordered on the 535i, since its a CBU.

At the moment CKDs have about 10% localization, vs the CBUs.

Originally Posted by GTO

... Mr. Peter Kronschnabl (President) ....

FYI - This was his last public announcement in India. He will now be moving to another subsidary > Russia.


@S350L-E240 - How times have changed!

@hanmust - I did actually see you. Took me a while to place you (thanks to your youtube fame!), but then did not see you after that. I'm sure there will be a next time!

cya
R

[S350L-E240]

Rehaan,
Times indeed have changed ... I truly can't think of any other 4 door car that is so perfect besides perhaps the rear window switch you speak of. I mean Mercedes-Benz could have done so much more with the E class in all fronts while they made it a great car they did not realize the greatest is only a few months away....

Talking about 8 Speed gearbox I think that tag goes to the Mulsanne which was launched few weeks back.

And about this whole 535i being a CBU I think BMW India have played it very smart, the 535i will always sell in less numbers compared to the 530d so I guess it made more sense to just not bother have it assembled here and let the few niche people who must have a petrol pay extra for it. My assumption but the dealer here agrees to this theory.

Also I am pretty sure in the 2nd half of 2011 or early 2012 BMW will pull a 520i/20d similar to the 320d C.E or maybe they can do a 525d cut down on a few things and get it to about 30-34 ex showroom? But this segment is really about to get hot, if only AUDI does a good new A6, well another few months...

[FlyingSpur]

I think the 8-speed gearbox was pioneered on the LS460 / LS600h models. Not offically launched in India but a handful running around nonetheless.

It's wierd how BMW messes up with the rims early on though. The pre-LCI 3-series had awful rim designs, and the LCI didn't fix that much (except for the 325i's multi-spoke ones). I was pleasantly surprised and very happy on seeing the 320d CE's rims. Look a little aftermarket a la Samurai SC05's, but still they lend the car some awesome aggression.

[avishar]

Earlier if you wanted understated looks and elegance you went for the E and for naked agression it was the 5.Now its the opposite.W212 looks better overall IMO.

[Utopian]

avishar, couldn't have put it in a better fashion. The new 5series looks quite plane jane when compared to the E. However, the overall stance is pleasing, nevertheless.

[Scorcher]

Great coverage there, and absolutely stunning pics. Thanks guys.

- The front end looks very inspired from the Gina concept
- I dislike the Idea of sharing the steering wheel. The 525d gets the current 7 series steering, This is one department I completely agree with the Merc. For each, its own.
-Better Rims (?) Please !

[YSooSeriouss]

Looks okay in pictures but shall wait before further commenting until i see it in flesh..
One question: If the NEW 5 is going for 38-39 Ex showroom then how much would you experts suspect I can get a previous 5 series from the dealership for?

[AirbusA340]

with the inflow of so many mouth watering cars on Indian roads, we are all used to seeing the Bentleys, the Porsches, BMs, Audis etc., one thing which grabs my attention while spotting is the 'rims'. And BMW's have always attracted me with their awesome styling on the lights and the breathtaking road stance which they carry.

Rims will make or kill any model. BMW has always known their rims. The older 'E's are not in stores anymore and with the new 'F' coming in, the rims are pathetic IMO. The rims on the F02 look awesome though. On the F10 the rims are just not getting down my throat.

I am a serious BMW enthusiast and a couple of weeks ago i was on a company trip to London. I finally spotted the F10. It really disappointed me with its toned down exterior. It looked good in alpine white. That is about it! After all it was a new BMW delivered recently. It kept me wondering on the sideway as to what they were thinking. It might grow on people as far as general spotting is concerned but then if toning down was the priority, I would rather buy the three-pointer which is also evolving towards flame surfacing these days. The whole 'simpler looking design attitude' of the new design group in Germany is so contradictory and lost IMO. Yet, they do not stop saying that they have a better design now. This makes me believe that they are more bent on targeting the Chris Bangle design rather than accepting or improving on something which has made its presence felt.


IMHO the E60 styling will surely be missed. The F10 interior looked fabulous but i guess any luxury car maker, especially german, would not make their interiors any less juicy. Every time on the road, the E60 might be boring for people after having seen it for the last 3 years, but nevertheless it can be spotted from a distance and you can be sure that it is the U can spot other specific Bimmers only when they are close, especially in the night, as to which one it is. The LCI E60 is even better with the reworked head and taillights and the new generation iDrive. Its even got rear LED blinkers and fabulous 'never-getting-old' rims!

The radial-spoke 237 on the 535i which was shown in the Mumbai launch looks OK. The star-spoke 327 on the other models is horrendous for the pricing. The only decent designs IMO are the turbine styling 329 and V spoke 331 which are not offered. Excellent! Even the W spoke 332 shown off in the UK launch was good.

The tail looks rewritten and the tailights are pretty good. The flame look gives you the '7' feeling. But unlike the 7, the little taillight parts on the '5' that hang on the tailgate, rather than on the body, are the only downers. They are understated and look cut off. Either way, the tail is nicely done and is in no way an excuse for the horrible front. The hood lines and the sloping side lines are definitely borrowed from the '3' and give an impression of a '3' on steroids. The forward looking meaner grill is also digestible since we are used to the '7' already. But the headlights have been thrown back a few years.

All this reminds me of the horrendous looking 2nd generation Accord which Honda released and got rid of it at the earliest. What a blunder! The one running now is the best looking.

Anyways, I am on my way to the Sunday event and hopefully meet up a few more BHPians. I at least want to see what interior options they have up the sleeve for our holy country which I am sure has given them awesome business in such less time.

They better give some goodies

[AirbusA340]

Originally Posted by AirbusA340

But the headlights have been thrown back a few years.

Anyways, I am on my way to the Sunday event and hopefully meet up a few more BHPians.

It is a BMW after all and am as excited as any other BM lover to check it out on our soil.

I guess the press event went great yesterday!

Originally Posted by AirbusA340

The radial-spoke 237 on the 535i which was shown in the Mumbai launch looks OK. The star-spoke 327 on the other models is horrendous for the pricing. The only decent designs IMO are the turbine styling 329 and V spoke 331 which are not offered. Excellent! Even the W spoke 332 shown off in the UK launch was good.

I think the correct rims for the Indian versions are:

Petrol -> flagship 550i-not to be heard of, 535i-style 237, 523i-style 236
diesel -> 530d & 525d-style 327.

IMHO, none of the styles offered here are acceptable! As in the quote, the turbine style 329, v spoke 331 and w spoke 332 are the only decent ones for the F10. I saw the v spoke 331 in London and was really unique to what BMW is known for.

[AirbusA340]

Originally Posted by YSooSeriouss

Looks okay in pictures but shall wait before further commenting until i see it in flesh..
One question: If the NEW 5 is going for 38-39 Ex showroom then how much would you experts suspect I can get a previous 5 series from the dealership for?

The dealers are letting the beasts off with a 2-3L discount right now. Its only the 520d which is remaining in a very few numbers around the dealerships we heard and a few other variants in and around. Limited cars are available in the stockyard around the country since the production has stopped quite some time ago. U might catch in on more discount probably with less appealing colours like platinum bronze which they obviously want to sell off. But the exterior colour is purely a buyers opinion. You might like the colour more than someone else wherein the additional discount would be an added bonus

I recently heard of a 530d highline in Cochin's Platino Classic which was available in titanium silver and black dakota leather interior. The combination is very very dull IMO and is not the best for a '5'. Nevertheless, I'm sure it'll fit some noteworthy owner.

I cant believe Bangle designs are no more!

[IronH4WK]

Originally Posted by Rehaan

On a similar topic - runflats are here to stay. BMW will continue to force them down our throats. No opt-out being given.

i think BMW is making run-flats a standard. last year my sister got her new 3 series (318d) in Brussels and run-flats were standard on them.

[AirbusA340]

the 535i is announced as 58L ex sh Delhi. Which makes it about 63-65L onroad. In Hyderabad it would come to around 67-69L on road. wow that is steep! Its just 6 lakh short of a Z4 on road pricing in Hyd.

I think the other lower variants with the accessories added up would more than make up for it and still keep the price low. Even the 535i has a lot of goodies shown in pictures as optional. Now, that is wicked!

[petroguzzler]

The Goodies, Features, Eight speed gearbox aside the electrically assisted power steering is a disaster. Who would want a BMW that does not have a razor sharp steering bustling with feedback.

The looks seem toned down and make the E class look aggressive.

[S350L-E240]

I really recommend those who think it looks too plain jane, please check it out in person, but please also imagine it with different rims because I can't believe how bad rims BMW India have selected as the part of standard package.

Also about the electric steering, going by reviews it is as flawless as a BMW gets and knowing BMW and how important this car is for them, they will never mess up a thing on the 5.

Trust me this re-visit the thread a year from when the car is launched in India and you will see it outsell the competition by a big margin,

Regards,