2011 BMW 5 Series

Summary

Winter testing is in full swing and our spy photographers' latest catch is the 2011 BMW 5 Series. We've seen test mules on the streets of Germany before, so the prototypes caught in the Arctic Circle unsurprisingly look much the same. With such heavy camouflage, there isn't much to see, but we're not expecting big changes in the styling department anyway.

2011 Full Preview

The development 5 series, stealthily referred to as the F10 in BMW code language, will arrive as a 2011 model sometime in late 2010, we hope. And it will see BMW go very turbo, as it begins to rely on turbocharging to maintain or increase power while keeping the weight down. Although the car will also be slightly larger, BMW will be keeping the body mass down with the use of aluminum body panels in the roof, fenders and other body panels.

2011 Body Design

The 5's wheelbase will grow a couple of inches, but the aim is to maintain current mass through the use of smaller, turbocharged engines and extensive aluminum in the body's exterior panels, such as closing panels, fenders, and roof.

Control-arm front suspensions will replace the MacPherson struts. Options include the Integral Steering package just introduced on the 7, which adds electronically controlled rear steering to the familiar active front steering. Adaptive damping also will be available. Optional drivers' aids will include follow-to-stop adaptive cruise control, sideview cameras, head-up display, and night vision with pedestrian recognition.

BMW now talks of a "backbone" rather than a platform. The term refers to the firewall, suspension, and floor, in various wheelbases. The F10, and the next 6 Series, will share its backbone with the 2009 7 Series and the 2010 Progressive Activity Sedan. For a preview of the switchgear, instruments, iDrive, and seats of a 2010 PAS, 2011 5 Series, or 2013 6 Series, look at a 2009 7 Series.

Versatile as this backbone is, it has limits. It was deemed too small for the CS four-door coupe concept, which is why production was shelved for excessive cost and reaching, in these hard times, for too few potential buyers.

2011 Powertrain Design

The range of engines available for the 5 series will include a 3.0 liter, twin-turbo, straight six banger for the 540i. The 550i will come with a 4.4 liter twin-turbo boosted V8. There's also a twin-turbo clean diesel coming and the M5 will be knocked back to a turbo V8 from its current V10 excess.

There'll also be hybrid offerings for the new 5 series which BMW will be testing the market with first in the upcoming X6 and 7 series.

Options Available

For options packages, you can look at the current 7 series for a glimpse of the future, which includes adaptive damping, integral steering, side-view cameras, and a night vision aid for recognizing pedestrians in the dark.
The F10 will be sharing a platform with the 7 series and the next generation 6 series. BMW calls this a backbone rather than a platform and bases its backbone architecture on the firewall, suspension and floor in various wheelbase configurations. Which doesn't do much to dissuade us from believing that the BMW 5 series is just a 7 series shrunk down a couple of notches. Or maybe it's the other way around.

Most of the upgrades to this new midrange sedan will be hidden under the sheet metal. There's a good chance we'll see top-of-the-line versions of the 2011 BMW 5 Series that feature the same twin-turbo V8 introduced in the 2009 BMW X6. With 400 horsepower and 450 pound-feet of torque, the 4.4-liter V8 should give the 2011 550i more than enough power to hang with its German competition. Some rumors also suggest that an eight-speed automatic transmission will be introduced.

Internal FlexRay Control System

On the tech side, this 5 Series will be the third car in the BMW lineup to use FlexRay technology for the vehicle's internal control systems. The system is designed to allow much faster communications among all the various vehicle systems.

FlexRay was first introduced by the new-generation X5, although only the vehicle's electronic damping control system exploits the faster processing speed. The upcoming 2010 BMW 7 Series is expected to use FlexRay technology for at least a dozen systems, so the 5 Series will most likely go even further. Expect to see even more driver adjustability built into the car as well as additional integration among systems like Active Steering Control, Electronic Differential Control and the usual traction and stability control systems. Hopefully it will add up to a sedan that's more fun to drive instead of one that feels constrained by too many computer controls.
When the new 5-Series finally arrives at dealerships, it will be available with the same twin-turbo V8 found in the X6. Just as in X6-guise, the twin-turbo V8 will make about 400 horsepower in the 5-Series, which would put it in the same neighborhood as BMW's E39 M5.

It is also believed that the base 5-Series will be available with the same twin-turbo six found in the BMW 335i and 135i.

Early Conclusions

The next-generation 5-series is expected to feature an eight-speed automatic transmission with an all-wheel drive option being available. Check out the latest 2011 BMW 5 Series info at BMW.com Of the current model it is said "It is plush, the motorized equivalent of an exclusive condominium. It is prestigious." says Washington Post The new 5 will also have Park Distance Control and an around view monitor system, similar to Infiniti's Around View Monitor.