Staying on top of the luxury car segment isn’t easy, as BMW constantly tweaks its impressively vast lineup. The current 5 Series has been around since 2023, so it’s obviously too early for a Life Cycle Impulse. However, the G60 is now arguably a better buy in Europe, where the midsize luxury sedan gets more standard equipment. The following goodies will also be included for the more practical G61 Touring.
Both flavors of the 5 Series sold in Europe now include ambient lighting with the BMW Interaction Bar without extra cost. To sweeten the pot, the Mercedes E-Class rival comes standard with a Harman Kardon sound system. The front seats also receive lumbar support, even on the base sedan and wagon.
BMW is also updating the doors by using a high-gloss black finish for the switchgear. For extra customization, the German luxury brand is introducing an optional Individual Merino Leather in Black/Dark Violet across the G60/G61 range.
Step up to the i5 M60 xDrive, and the M Sport Package Pro is now included as standard equipment. As previously reported, the fully electric versions of the 5 Series also receive extra range, with as many as 29 miles (47 kilometers) unlocked. It’s made possible by using silicon carbide semiconductor components and low-rolling-resistance tires with aerodynamically optimized wheels. The wheel bearings have also been tweaked to improve efficiency.
More substantial changes are planned for the cars produced from early 2027. The mid-cycle facelift, likely to be unveiled in the second half of next year, will include iDrive X. BMW is widely believed to switch the 5 Series to the next-generation infotainment system. In addition to a central screen and Panoramic Vision pillar-to-pillar projection, an optional passenger screen is reportedly planned. The new 3D head-up display debuting in the Neue Klasse iX3 is likely coming, too.
What the 5 Series lineup is missing isn’t more technology but an M Performance model with a combustion engine. BMW has refrained from giving us a new V8-powered M550i. That ship has probably sailed by now, but we wouldn’t mind seeing the long-rumored M560e as a plug-in hybrid based around an inline-six. Could it happen with the LCI? We’ll just have to wait and see.
Source: BMW
