The basis for the new 5-series – which is also set to spawn a successor to the 5-series Touring in early 2024, is BMW’s Cluster Architecture (CLAR) platform.
The new model, which dons a more muscular look, is still dominated by BMW’s classic kidney grille, which, on internal combustion engine and plug-in hybrid models, receives 14 vertical louvres.
Inside, the new 5-series comes with a fully vegan interior as standard. This includes the seat upholstery, the dashboard and the door panels, as well as the steering wheel. Buyers can specify Merino leather upholstery for the seats as an option.
The steering wheel has been redesigned with simplified multi-function controls, as has the centre console, which houses a sliding gear selector and BMW’s rotary iDrive controller.
Among the options are BMW’s interaction bar that extends across the dashboard into the door panels and features touch-sensitive controls for various functions and a fixed panoramic glass roof for the first time.
Under its skin, the new BMW retains a double-wishbone and multi-link suspension, with either steel or air springs and single-stroke or dual-stroke dampers, depending on the model.