Arguably the sweet spot in BMW’s sedan lineup, the 5 Series will enter its eighth generation in 2023. The G60’s arrival will also see the introduction of an electric i5 positioned between the i3 (China only) and i7. Ahead of its release, prototypes have been spotted hard at work testing around the challenging Nürburgring.
Some had combustion engines while others were fully electric, but you can’t immediately identify which is which since the ICE and EV models will look almost identical. By riding on the CLAR platform, the 5 Series and i5 are going to follow the same strategy BMW used for its two other main sedans. Those looking for a German electric luxury sedan that looks significantly different than its similarly sized counterpart will go with the Mercedes EQE since it has very little in common with the E-Class.
BMW stubbornly hides the 5 Series Sedan’s design in full camouflage attire to conceal what seemingly looks like a sharper overall exterior. A new door handle design is already noticeable, and it follows recent models that have flush door handles for better airflow. This decision will pay dividends in terms of efficiency, especially for the i5 by increasing its range between charging cycles.
Those headlights and taillights look rather basic, but that’s only because BMW uses them in the early stages of the testing phase. More evolved prototypes will have the final clusters, which we expect to have the exact same shape as these provisional lights. A subtle trunk lid spoiler is noticeable and the cars likely have the full production bodies since we can already spot a sunroof.
Since the cars were filmed during high-speed testing, the man with the camera couldn’t take a peek inside the cabin. However, we can safely assume there will be some drastic changes to the dashboard to accommodate the Operating System 8. That’ll erase the separate climate controls as these will be integrated into the touchscreen, presumably a 14.9-inch display to echo the 3 Series LCI and all-new 7 Series.
Aside from the zero-emissions i5, BMW will sell the G60 with a choice between gasoline, diesel, and plug-in hybrid powertrains. The latter is going to serve as the foundation for the new M5, which will get the twin-turbo 4.4-liter V8 “S68” engine from the upcoming XM. It should bump output to more than 700 horsepower provided we take the electric motor into the equation.
BMW is rumored to kick off the assembly of the new 5 Series in July 2023, so the wraps should come off early next year. The G61 Touring is bound to hit the assembly line in March 2024, but with a twist as the long-roof M5 is reportedly coming back and it even has a codename already – G99. The AMG E63 Estate rival is supposedly going into production in November 2024, after the G90 M5 Sedan (07/24).
China will once again get its long-wheelbase 5 Series, believed to carry the G68 internal code.
Source: CarSpyMedia / YouTube, Photos by wilcoblok / Instagram
