2017 5-series is BMW’s newest opportunity to skew its mid-size luxury sedan back toward the “sport” end of the spectrum. Competitors have begun to encroach on (and even exceed) the 5er’s once-untouchable dynamic excellence, and in a recent four-car comparison test, the current 535i placed dead last against the Cadillac CTS, Audi A6, and Mercedes-Benz E350. BMW’s quest for ever-higher sales volumes from the sorts of people who—gasp!—don’t even realize which wheels are driving their cars has caused the 5-series to embody a sort of confused mediocrity, as the car feels big and floaty in transitions but an ostensibly sporty suspension tune provides a flinty ride. As we aptly pointed out in our comparison-test verdict on the 535i: “There’s very little of the E39 [1997–2003] left in the 5-series.” With the 2017 5-series, the company will have to try harder to balance its insatiable thirst for sales with a need for regaining its soul.
We can safely predict the next 5-series will continue to offer BMW’s new modular turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six.
Powertrains will also follow BMW’s decree that all of its engines displace 500 cc (0.5 liter) per cylinder. This likely spells the end for the 550i model’s twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter V-8 while marking the beginning of a new 4.0-liter V-8. Otherwise, the 528i’s 2.0-liter four-cylinder should carry over, as will the 535d’s diesel six; both could get increased output. ZF’s excellent eight-speed automatic transmission remains standard across the lineup, and a six-speed manual could return to the options list, provided its minuscule take rate hasn’t already doomed it.
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