BMW 5 series

April 02, 2003 - For years German car brands have built up consistent design identities with each new model being an evolution of its predecessor. Good examples of this include the Volkswagen Golf which is soon to appear in its 5th generation bearing close resemblance to the existing 4th generation car, and the Mercedes E-class which was both new and familiar at launch a year ago.

The value of this consistent development of a brand’s design identity is that the brand will continue to appeal to the same audience profile that previous generations have done, and literally build a following of customers and aspiring customers who will ensure the success of the brand in the immediate and longer term future.

BMW has up until recently been a core proponent of this evolutionary design development over many generations of product, something which has been instrumental in ensuring a focused brand identity and loyal following. With the new 5 Series announced yesterday, BMW is stretching this philosophy to bring a replacement design to market more advanced and less traditional than even the E36 3 series was in 1990.

Code named E60, the new car is the 5th generation 5 Series and replaces a car widely perceived as the class benchmark with a marginally longer, wider and taller design that offers more space for passengers and particularly luggage.

In its core technical configuration it is typically BMW and close to that of its predecessor whilst carrying over no specific components other than powertrains. But in its aesthetic design the car is very different to the previous 5 Series.

Starting at the front, the ‘double kidney’ grille is more rounded, less upright and is framed by two feature lines that run down through the hood surface and push the grille forward. The outer of these two lines runs through the bumper surface to be picked up again by elements in the lower valance.

The characteristic pair of twin circular lamps are recessed further back than previously to accentuate the prominent grille and visually reduce the frontal overhang from a front three quarter view. They sit behind a clear cover that features a prominent dip at its lower edge similar to that of the Z9 concept car (shown at the 1999 Frankfurt Motor Show) that then sweeps up in two movements to bleed into the upper part of the front wing along the hood shut line. This gives the effect not dissimilar to that of recent European Toyota’s such as the Avensis, and is a stark move away from the forward looking, ‘predator’ lamp design typical of BMWs past.

Moving down the car, the 5 Series has no classic BMW body side grove (a feature that Audi seems keen to pick up – witness the new A3 and Nuvolari concept) to give a cleaner form. The bodyside surface starts at the base of the DLO with shoulders that are concave in section, runs down through the doors in a soft convex surface that transitions to concave and pulls out into a floating horizontal feature at the door lower. Below this the rocker pushes strongly under the car in the center, but pulls out to meet the wheel arches. Whilst not featuring the flame surfacing evident in the Z4, this surface treatment is very new, particularly in this sector of the market.

At the rear of the car, design features introduced on the 7 Series are evident, but the 5 Series introduces new variations on this. The rear lamps run a long way forward into the side of the car, with a bold line linking the lamp and decklid shutline. The concave shoulder of the car’s flanks extend rearwards into the vertical surface of the boot in a broad shallow swage.

Inside the car, much of the cabin architecture established in the 7 Series is employed and this centers around the prominent ‘I-drive’ center mounted IP display. Asymmetrical center console and flowing door inners are also notable interior design features.

Despite being arguably a more ‘comfortable’ design than the 7 Series, the new 5 Series from BMW is a big step from the previous design and further evidence of design director Chris Bangle’s design reinvention of BMW. It looks to be an exciting design but one so new and unusual that judgment should wait until it has been seen in the flesh, although ultimate judgment of the design will have to wait to see if it is bought by the many for whom a BMW 5 Series has long been the car they must have.

	New BMW 5 Series announced by Sam Livingstone
	Click for larger images	April 02, 2003 - For years German car brands have built up consistent design identities with each new model being an evolution of its predecessor. Good examples of this include the Volkswagen Golf which is soon to appear in its 5th generation bearing close resemblance to the existing 4th generation car, and the Mercedes E-class which was both new and familiar at launch a year ago. The value of this consistent development of a brand’s design identity is that the brand will continue to appeal to the same audience profile that previous generations have done, and literally build a following of customers and aspiring customers who will ensure the success of the brand in the immediate and longer term future. BMW has up until recently been a core proponent of this evolutionary design development over many generations of product, something which has been instrumental in ensuring a focused brand identity and loyal following. With the new 5 Series announced yesterday, BMW is stretching this philosophy to bring a replacement design to market more advanced and less traditional than even the E36 3 series was in 1990. Code named E60, the new car is the 5th generation 5 Series and replaces a car widely perceived as the class benchmark with a marginally longer, wider and taller design that offers more space for passengers and particularly luggage. In its core technical configuration it is typically BMW and close to that of its predecessor whilst carrying over no specific components other than powertrains. But in its aesthetic design the car is very different to the previous 5 Series. Starting at the front, the ‘double kidney’ grille is more rounded, less upright and is framed by two feature lines that run down through the hood surface and push the grille forward. The outer of these two lines runs through the bumper surface to be picked up again by elements in the lower valance. The characteristic pair of twin circular lamps are recessed further back than previously to accentuate the prominent grille and visually reduce the frontal overhang from a front three quarter view. They sit behind a clear cover that features a prominent dip at its lower edge similar to that of the Z9 concept car (shown at the 1999 Frankfurt Motor Show) that then sweeps up in two movements to bleed into the upper part of the front wing along the hood shut line. This gives the effect not dissimilar to that of recent European Toyota’s such as the Avensis, and is a stark move away from the forward looking, ‘predator’ lamp design typical of BMWs past. Moving down the car, the 5 Series has no classic BMW body side grove (a feature that Audi seems keen to pick up – witness the new A3 and Nuvolari concept) to give a cleaner form. The bodyside surface starts at the base of the DLO with shoulders that are concave in section, runs down through the doors in a soft convex surface that transitions to concave and pulls out into a floating horizontal feature at the door lower. Below this the rocker pushes strongly under the car in the center, but pulls out to meet the wheel arches. Whilst not featuring the flame surfacing evident in the Z4, this surface treatment is very new, particularly in this sector of the market. At the rear of the car, design features introduced on the 7 Series are evident, but the 5 Series introduces new variations on this. The rear lamps run a long way forward into the side of the car, with a bold line linking the lamp and decklid shutline. The concave shoulder of the car’s flanks extend rearwards into the vertical surface of the boot in a broad shallow swage. Inside the car, much of the cabin architecture established in the 7 Series is employed and this centers around the prominent ‘I-drive’ center mounted IP display. Asymmetrical center console and flowing door inners are also notable interior design features. Despite being arguably a more ‘comfortable’ design than the 7 Series, the new 5 Series from BMW is a big step from the previous design and further evidence of design director Chris Bangle’s design reinvention of BMW. It looks to be an exciting design but one so new and unusual that judgment should wait until it has been seen in the flesh, although ultimate judgment of the design will have to wait to see if it is bought by the many for whom a BMW 5 Series has long been the car they must have.