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-   -   *New* BMW 5 Series (F10) Launched! (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/indian-car-scene/80564-new-bmw-5-series-f10-launched-3.html)

awesome stuff by bmw. sensing lose of market share to mercedes bring the new 5 to india in record time. i think to be fair the outgoing bmw india chief has to commended for his efforts to raise bmw in india in record 2-3 years. now to just save up 65 lakhs for the 535i. :P

Even with the apparently much hated Electric Steering, there seems to be no doubt that this will still be much more fun to drive than the new E-Class. Backseat space does seem to be a little less though, judging by the photos.

E-Class = Chauffeur Driven
5-Series = Self-Driven
Next Audi A6 = Best of both Worlds???? If Audi gets it right

535i is considered the best in the segment, similarly 530d is pretty refined. Thus BMW has proved that Indian market is of utmost importance to it in the battle of supremacy in the executive segment. To add on the polarizing headlight design of the outgoing 5-series has been dumped in favour of the staid looking one.
But, I have read that BMW are tuning the suspension in favour of comfort instead of sportiness, like in the latest 7-series. So this means that the the CEO can enjoy the car both while driving & been driven. This is definitely a factor that adds to the demand of the car.
The pricing will be play an important role initially, but the performance will justify the price over the long term.

If they are bending more towards comfort than sportiness, then the design group should be sent to take a hike! BM is lovely to be seen on the road and also to be driven. Should not be bothered about the balancing act just to attract more people to buy it. Suspension towards comfort & exterior from aggressive towards sedate is bridging the gap between the uncles car and 'sheer driving pleasure' please:

The F10 would eventually settle down into a crowd of a hundred different german luxos but to outsell the competition is anybody's guess!

Lets wait and see.

But for how long do you think BMW can keep persisting with runflats and still offer a sharp handling-oriented suspension setup? They are universally hated AFAIK. Somewhere, a compromise has to be made, because even if the quality of roads abroad is largely fantastic, there are still bad patches in all countries, in all big urban cities which bother the ride with RFTs.

The sharp handling with a stiffer ride is universally hated..yes! But again its only a percentage of people. Believe me, there are a wide variety of percentages out there. Some want a different exterior, some want the aggressive look, some want aggressive rims but fine with a toned down exterior, some want the sharp handling which cannot be achieved with an uncles setup and whilst catering to the rear seat owners & some want the smoothest ride possible so they can compare the BMs with the three pointer etc.,

This time on, BMW seems to be catering to a larger audience and thus ended up in this balancing act. A stiffer ride is the only compromise which has to be dealt with until better materials for the tyres and more lighter alloys for the chassis come into the scene with passing time. That is how cars have evolved. That would be heading in one direction and sticking to their tagline. But to balance it out early enough just because they are impatient and to spread out more commercially is not what is expected of a BM.

Anyways, it is just mY holy opinion and what i feel BMW should have done to keep their legacy going. Every BHPian is a car lover and has their own point of view and loves various cars for that matter. The true car loving spirit is what stays on :D

It is not that they have given up the taut ride for uncles car, but there there are various modes for driving the car. You can choose the best for yourself depending upon the situation (driving or driven around). I still vouch for 535i for sheer driving pleasure in the class.

Also, sometimes uncles matter the most to premium car makers as they are ones in the higher pay-bracket. Hence, have the capacity to buy cars this expensive.

agree: but the toned down exterior is a forward step backwards. I am sure it will slowly grow on some. Excellent job Mr.Adrian Van Hooydonk!

Great coverage Rehaan. The car looks very good in the flesh and the pictures somewhat hold the design back. I now have the urge to change my 325i for the 535i but i guess i shall settle in for the 530d. Being a little practicle here.

Call the design a bit bland, but I simply love those LED taillights. The diesel 525D is priced about 60,000-70,000 cheaper than the cheapest Merc E 250 CDI classic and should prove to be the most popular model in India.

BMW's with any sort of suspension setup can never hold a candle to MERCEDES in ride comfort and road isolation. Across the segments if you consider ride comfort to be of cardinal importance, the 3series loses to the C class, The 5series to the E class and the 7series to the S class.
Ride comfort and BMW's are oxymorons.

The current 5 Series is much better looking than this one. The current car has a character, you look at it and you instantly know that this is a 5 series. The new one is having an identity crisis, a scaled down 7 Series or a grown up 3 Series?

Having said that I will reserve my final judgement until I see the car in flesh.

I cannot agree more.

It clearly shows. The new design group head, Mr.Adrian started off things his own new way since he took office in the beginning of 2009. 'Why not?' is what is probably going through his mind and he could be right or otherwise!

They have given us a couple of BMW magazines for the invite at the hotel and he has given a different view at the new '5' in it. Went through the whole thing and he is unable to explain what his passion was towards the new lines and the bodywork. The paragraphs are seamlessly saying what is there and simply describing that the wood trim flows alongside and the plush leather etc., and not a single line saying why its there or why those specific changes have found their way inside. Anyways, the car in flesh is so disappointing, i have eventually set my eyes on the X6 or the Z4. After all, their price difference from the 535i is digestible.

Nevertheless, the grand pavilion setup at the hotel is quite impressive and the outside lineup of the X5, 7, 3, 6 AND GT all in white is just juicy rl:

Extra space & unmatched personality. The new 7 is a stunner like no other. In some ways, it reminds me of the classic W140. Large, yet proportionate with timeless lines.

Was nice meeting you, JayPrashanth.

You know, the steering (especially on the non-paddle shift 520d) felt surprisingly plain jane. Some rich wood panelling would add a touch of class. The E's steering wheel shouts occasion a lot more than the dull full-black one in the 5. Also, I found the steering wheel to be a tad larger than I'm used to in BMWs.

High-end petrols don't sell in India, thanks to the high-performance diesels. The 535i is only there as a halo car and to serve the needs of a select group of enthusiasts. Personally, the 530d makes a lot more sense in our driving conditions. Way more torque, about as quick, more fuel efficient and no worry of high octane fuel.

Personally, I love clean lines and am a huge fan of BMW's new designs. However, I will agree that the E Class (especially the front) feels more edgy / futuristic.

See, the thing is...the E60 wore love it or hate it clothes. I personally wouldn't ever buy one new, primarily because of the quirky bangle design (just like the previous gen 7 series). The new one is definitely a safer design...either, you'll find guys like me who love it, or guys like yourself who find it "neutral". But no one will hate the look of the new 5, as many did with the previous gen.

This I agree with fully. One thing's for sure, as usual this one will sell more than the last one, and the E60 sold a lot more than the earlier model, and so on. Because isn't that what always happens? These cars are so good that they may split sales among themselves but I doubt a clear winner can ever be drawn. I might harp as much as I want that the E60 whooped W211 butt but that's not going to be true, because a majority of those who bought a W211 would have never bought the E60 instead. Things in this segment are so subjective, and eventually both will sell well because not on their worst day can you call them bad cars / failures. Of course I'm talking about the global market here and not just India.