There's no denying that the BMW 5 Series is a staple in the company's portfolio. Up until the introduction of the X5 and subsequent SUV ranges, the 5 Series was the go-to for the upwardly mobile businessman and the vehicle that could do it all. Blending luxury appointments with a sporty nature, the BMW 5 Series was all you could ever want in a car.
Related: Dialled up to 11: The BMW M5 Competition
The current G30 BMW 5 Series was launched locally in 2017 and underwent a facelift, or as BMW refers to it, the LCI or Life Cycle Impulse, in 2020. This introduced several styling updates, refinement to the engine offerings as well as updates to the interior and trims. Steady sales are ensuring that the 5 Series will be around for long time to come, but let's look at why it is as popular as it is.
Here are 3 things you need to know about the BMW 5 Series.
1. Steeped in history
The 5 Series story dates back to 1962 with the New Class which pre-dates the 02 Series of 1966. The New Class would bring rise to the E12 in 1972, the first official 5 Series to be sold en masse. Since then, more than 7.9 million 5 Series' have been sold and the model continues to sell well with the current generation selling over 600 000 examples before its 2020 LCI update.
The 5 Series is now in its 7th generation and continues to offer a fantastic blend of sportiness with upper-class luxury and quality appointments. The M5 model, which was first introduced in the second-generation E28 version, remains a firm favourite with performance car enthusiasts to this very day.
2. Driver assistance systems
The test iteration of the BMW 5 Series provides drivers with a host of assistance systems to help safeguard them and make their journeys more enjoyable. By using a stereo camera system, radar and ultrasonic sensors, the 5 Series can offer semi-autonomous driving at virtually all speeds and in a variety of traffic situations.
The optional Active Cruise Control on the current generation with steering and lane assist can automatically adjust the speed based on speed limit restrictions. It will also adjust the speed based on the traffic ahead of the vehicle and keep the 5 Series alined in its lane to prevent wandering when the driver is distracted or fatigued.
3. Engine and drivetrain options
Customers have a streamlined choice of engines and drivetrains to choose from, with BMW SA selecting only the most popular variants to offer, making the selection process simpler.
You'll get to choose from either a 2.0-litre turbo petrol or turbo diesel in the 530i and 520d models respectively, while the 550i model offers a 4.4-litre V8 engine with 390 kW on tap. The BMW M5 offers an impressive 460 kW from its 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 engine.
| Model | Engine | Power | Torque |
| BMW 520d | 2.0-litre i4 turbodiesel | 140 kW | 400 Nm |
| BMW 530i | 2.0-litre i4 turbo petrol | 185 kW | 350 Nm |
| BMW M550i xDrive | 4.4-litre V8 twin-turbo petrol | 390 kW | 750 Nm |
| BMW M5 Competition | 4.4-litre V8 twin-turbo petrol | 460 kW | 750 Nm |
Both the 2.0-litre offerings power the rear wheels while the V8 models are equipped with BMW's Drive all-wheel-drive system for unprecedented performance and physics defying grip levels. The BMW M5 allows the option of switching to rear-wheel drive for the more experienced hand that is looking for traditional rear-wheel-drive dynamics.
