After watching the spy video of a BMW test-driver flogging a preproduction G30 BMW 5 Series around the Nürburgring's Nordschleife, we might develop a new theory: The harder the test-drivers drive a development car, the closer that model is to its real-world launch. If that theory holds, then the seventh-generation BMW 5 Series' public unveiling might be right around the corner—no pun intended.
The next big auto show at which BMW might reveal the new 5 Series is the Mondial de l’Automobile, otherwise known as the Paris Auto Show, which begins October 1, 2016. We're not saying a Paris reveal is certain, but the current 5 Series is nearing the end of its expected seven-year model life, and the car's mid-cycle facelift was introduced back in 2013, so if the next-generation 5 Series is going to show up in dealerships sometime in 2017, it probably will be unveiled to the public sometime this year, and there aren't that many big shows left.
If the new 5 follows the lead of the 7 Series launched last year—and the 5 Series always follows the lead of the 7 Series—it will be lighter than its predecessor due to more extensive use of carbon fiber reinforced plastic, aluminum, and high-tensile steel. We don’t expect any groundbreaking new powerplants, just the usual assortment of gasoline- and diesel-powered engines, but there should also be a plug-in hybrid version with a drivetrain that looks a lot like the one in the X5 40e.
From the sound of the sedan in the video, the car seen on the edge of control at the Nürburgring contains a turbocharged V8. It could be the twin-turbo 4.4-liter mill carried over from the current F10 5 Series, which might make this the new BMW 550i. In the F10, the 4.4 V8 produces 445 horsepower. If the new 5 indeed weighs less than the old one, its lighter weight should cause the car to perform better even if the engine isn’t tweaked to develop more power. It will almost certainly have better fuel mileage, since BMW is on the unescapable path toward meeting European Union fuel mileage mandates—or else.
The BMW 5 Series has always been a best-seller that provides comfort and performance in a roomy sedan. With technology and connectivity trickling down from the 7 Series and added lightness contributing to better performance, we expect the new 5 to be a comfortable cruiser that, as this video shows, can still be a handul of fun.—Scott Blazey
[Photo and video courtesy of cvdzijden - Supercar Videos.]
