The internet is currently buzzing about the new BMW 5 Series and it’s polarizing the majority of car enthusiasts. Many fans think the new 5 Series looks great (this one included) and there are many that feel it looks to similar to the previous F10-generation. However, despite its criticism of looking too similar to the previous car, the new G30-gen 5 Series is so drastically different than the car it replaces they might as well not even wear the same badge.

Project Director of the new 5 Series Johann Kistler is obviously a very big fan. But he’s not just a suit pushing a product. He’s very passionate about this new car and can visibly get excited when talking about it. He recently spoke with Automobile Magazine at the Detroit Auto Show to talk about the new 5er and his five favorite things about it.

5. Not Fully-Autonomous — So many car companies are looking at developing autonomous and semi-autonomous driving capabilities and, while BMW is doing so as well, the new 5 Series is still very much a driver’s car. While the new 5er does have some driver assistance system that work very well and can help ease the stress of driving in traffic, it’s not intrusive and it doesn’t feel like an autonomous car that doesn’t need a driver. “We started in 2015 with lane change assistance and so now we did the next step. It’s possible to drive this up to [130 mph] but you have to be connected to it. You can’t just let it [drive itself] — it’s not going to drive you,” said Kistler.

4. Acoustics — One thing we noted when driving the new 5 Series was how quiet it was. Inside the cabin, passengers can whisper at triple digit speeds. There’s surprisingly low wind noise and it really mutes any incoming noises from outside. If there was a complaint, it’s that there was a bit of intrusive tire noise, but that could likely be relieved without run flat tires. Our customers spend a lot of time in the car, so it’s really important to have silence,”.

3. Performance — Kistler is a big fan of the performance BMW was able to get from the engines in the new 5 Series. Each engine sold in America will provide far more than enough forward thrust. The BMW 530i’s turbo-four was far more than adequate, the 3.0 turbo-I6 in the 540i is downright fast and the upcoming 4.4 liter twin-turbo V8 M550i is a monster that’s faster than the current BMW M5. If I told you for us the target was to have the most sporty business sedan, for business [customers] it means for us, too,”

2. Safety Features — BMW is bigger on safety than the brand puts on. Most BMW commercial talk about technology and performance but safety tech is also a huge part of BMW’s repertoire. Kistler is very happy with what BMW’s been able to accomplish with the 5 Series. With advanced autonomous braking and now even “wrong way assist” that alerts drivers if they’re going the wrong way on a one-way road.

1. How it Drives — In the end, after all of the new 5 Series’ luxury and technology, it’s still the Ultimate Driving Machine. By giving the 5er a new chassis, reducing weight, completely changing the suspension and upgrading the steering, it now drives significantly better than the old car. While it’s also a fantastic luxury car and boasts impressive technology, it’s still a great car to actually drive. So the feeling of the driving experience of the car is my favorite. It is immediate. It’s magnificent,”

[Source: Automobile Mag]