In 2022, BMW gave the 3 Series a Life Cycle Impulse and transitioned the 7 Series to the next generation. For this year, the German luxury brand is preparing to overhaul its other core sedan. Debuting in the following months, the eighth-gen 5 Series was spotted on the streets of Munich while undergoing final testing. Attached at the top and bottom of the page are new spy videos featuring different prototypes of what will be the first-ever i5.
BMW’s answer to the Mercedes EQE is showing a good chunk of its fairly large taillights. One of the test vehicles also happens to have the production headlights, which lend the front fascia a sharp look. From what we can tell so far, the G60 is shaping up to be an attractive sedan while sending some E60 vibes. That said, given BMW’s controversial design choices in recent years, it’s better to wait for the wraps to come off. What we do know with certainty is the 5 Series will not get the split headlights and gargantuan grille of its bigger brother, the flagship 7er.
A subtle trunk lid spoiler is noticeable on one of the prototypes, which likely means BMW built the electric sedan with an M Sport Package. As with other recent models from Bavaria, it’s easy to notice the new flush door handle design for better airflow. This improved efficiency should pay dividends in the case of the i5 to squeeze out a few extra miles of range.
While the spy videos show the zero-emission sedan, the regular 5 Series with gasoline, diesel, and plug-in hybrid powertrains will look nearly the same. Unlike Mercedes, which uses different platforms for the E-Class and EQE, BMW adapts the CLAR architecture for the combustion-engined and electric 5er models. When the G60 debuts later this year, it’ll be the first model to feature iDrive 8.5.
BMW does have an ace up its sleeve compared to the Mercedes and its EQE by working on a more practical i5 Touring. However, it’s not the only German luxury brand developing an electric wagon since Audi is expected to introduce an A6 E-Tron Avant in 2024, complete with a high-performance RS derivative. Speaking of hot estates, BMW intends to bring back the M5 Touring for a third iteration, with a plug-in hybrid V8 setup adopted from the XM.
The 5 Series / i5 is scheduled to go on sale as a sedan in the latter half of the year, with the G61 Touring to follow in 2024. The M5 Sedan (G90) and M5 Touring (G99) will arrive around 2025.
Source: DrGumoLunatic / YouTube
