Arriving as early as October 2020, the updated 5 Series Sedan range is locked in and priced for Australia. Starting from $95,900 (driveaway pricing TBA) for the 520i, the Bavarians also offer a green option – the 530e PHEV.
The icing on the 5 Series cake will be the rocketship-fast M5 Competition with 460kW, 750Nm, though the M550i xDrive gets you pretty close for a lot less money.
Naturally, there is a whole range of engine choices for the updated 5 Series which boasts refreshed exterior styling, more technology, connectivity and an updated cabin.
A sharper exterior for the 2021 BMW 5 Series.
BMW has refined the headlight design for the refreshed 5, narrowing down the slightly bulbous design of before, while enlarging the kidney grilles. The front is complemented by a similar treatment at the rear, lending a more aggressive stance to the classically-proportioned 5 Series.
While Europe has received detailed information about the updated G31 5 Series Touring, BMW Australia has yet to confirm pricing for the more practical 5 Series.
Inside is a more generous 12.3-inch floating touchscreen in all variants along with wireless Apple CarPlay and, for the first time, untethered Android Auto capability. Otherwise, the 5’s interior remains mostly the same.
The interior has been tweaked, but it remains a familiar place.
Unfortunately, when put up against German competitors like the Mercedes-Benz E-Class and Audi A6 with their more advanced digital cockpits and minimal centre-stacks, the 5 Series is starting to show its age.
But the latest generation iDrive is a user-friendly operating system, and our experience in the 5 Series suggests that material and build quality should be up to scratch.
As predicted, BMW will offer a choice of two turbocharged four-cylinder engines to start the range, with the 135kW/290Nm 520i starts at $95,900 (driveaway pricing TBA) – $2,300 less than the current car. That cheaper price-of-entry is, remarkably, accompanied by more standard kit.
For 2021 its M Sport only.
The 520i now comes standard with the M Sport package, that means 19-inch alloy wheels, black exterior highlights instead of chrome, sports suspension, and an M leather steering wheel. It also means there are no luxury line models in Australia. Other notable inclusions are BMW’s driving assistant package with adaptive cruise control and adaptive LED headlights.
Sliding up to the more potent, 180kW/350Nm 530i shifts the price up to $115,900 (driveaway pricing TBA). The extra $20,000 nets M Sport brakes, power tailgate, adaptive suspension, 16-speaker harman/kardon sound system and wheel-mounted paddle shifters.
BMW will offer a sole diesel in Australia, the 530d. At $125,900 (driveaway pricing TBA) it commands quite a premium over the 530i with which it shares its specification, but the twin-scroll turbo packs meaningfully more wallop with 195kW and 620Nm on tap.
The electrified 530e gets 67km of EV range.
Mainly mirroring the specification of the conventional 530i, the PHEV 530e might be the pick of the range. At $118,900 (driveaway pricing TBA), the partially-electrified 5 offers even more punch, with 215kW/420Nm.
But you also get a fully-electric range of 67km – 5km more than the outgoing 530e – which should drastically reduce fuel costs when commuting in traffic.
Before jumping up to the manic M5, BMW has a classic executive express in the form of the M550i xDrive Pure for $137,900 (driveaway pricing TBA). That car’s 4.4-litre V8 promises 390kW/750Nm of punch, for a standard sprint of 3.8 seconds.
Fun colours will return for 2021.
The pure gets 20-inch wheels, M limited-slip differential, xDrive and M Sport adaptive sports suspension. There is also the non-pure M550i xDrive for $152,900 (driveaway pricing TBA) which gets a panoramic glass sunroof, active roll stabilisation, laser headlights and – luxe – soft-close doors.
Optionally, BMW’s excellent laser lights are available on all variants below the M550i xDrive, while BMW will offer the M Multifunction seats from the M5 as an option.
BMW Australia has promised an arrival date of October 2020, when we’ll have the chance to touch, poke and interrogate the updated 5 Series for a full review then.
2021 BMW 5 Series Sedan Pricing
All prices are before on-road costs
520i M Sport $95,900 (down $2,300)
530i M Sport $115,900 (up $3,000)
530e M Sport $118,900 (up $6,000)
530d M Sport $125,900 (up $2,600)
M550i xDrive Pure $137,900 (up $3,000)
M550i xDrive $152,900 (up $3,000)