Next BMW 5 Series Sedan and Wagon Spied Testing, again

Gotcha! 2010 BMW 5 Series in public

Shape only slightly different, borrows from 7 Series

By Thami Masemola
February 17, 2008 9:53 PM
Filed Under: BMW, German, Spy Photos

BMW is readying its mid-exec sedan and its derivatives which will be on sale in 2010. A new prototype was caught testing in Munich, Germany recently and its hidden shape suggests BMW is staying with the “flame surfacing” design style that has made them so much money over the past five years.

Codenamed F10, the new Fiver appears to have taken some design elements from the 7 Series as well, while probabilities point to a toned down Bangle/Hooydonk look like the current 3 Series. A slew of engines will appear as always, from petrol/ gasoline-powered naturally aspirated models to turbo petrols and diesels. We expect at least two new engines to make their debuts with 2010 5 Series, the one being a smaller petrol turbo and the other a more potent, bigger turbo.

M Division will also be working flat out to outdo Audi’s new RS 6 whose turbo charged V10 motor of 573 bhp (427kW) is currently top of the power charts as far as the three “usual suspect” Teutons are concerned. M5 will certainly match this, even surpass it. At least 600 bhp will be made, but the question is, can it all be organic or are we going to see the first turbo charged M car?

Such a solution is not out of the question, depending on developments in Formula One, environmental considerations etc. BMW has in the past produced 627 bhp/ 468kW out of a 6.1-litre engine; for the indomitable McLaren F1.

[UPDATE: 10 images added 18.02.2008]

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Comments

adri

February 18, 2008 1:19 AM

I doubt BMW will be using turbos in the M5.

At the local M3 launch last year, we had a live feed with some of the boys from M division and they were asked whether or not turbos will be used in M cars, they replied by saying that F1 will dictate the technology in M cars, so if the rules change in F1 and turbo cars are allowed, then they will make their way in to the M cars.

Along with this, BMW M is working on high precision injection for the new lot of M cars - this didnt make it into the current ones because they didn't have the technology at the time.

BMW has also hinted that lightweight construction is the key for all new M cars, so maybe BMW won't exceed the RS6's power output?

ck314

February 18, 2008 1:55 AM

It can only be sweet, more agressive and sleeker or the logic evolution but, please, no autopilot mode, BMW.

bernardo

February 18, 2008 2:06 AM

Too early to say something at all.Hoping for the best tho.

kevoluetion

February 18, 2008 8:39 AM

Is this a 2nd facelift? how many facelifts are there? As soon as Audi released their new models, BMW is back to their drawing boards...does that tell you something?

wolff

February 18, 2008 8:59 AM

its not a facelift!! its the next generation!! :O n so, all it says is that BMW wants a new n fresh car!! :P

kevoluetion

February 18, 2008 11:25 PM

my bad, misread

v1p3r

February 18, 2008 9:10 AM

kevoluetion, no it's not a 2nd facelift, it's a completely new model. so it tells me nothing

kevoluetion

February 18, 2008 11:26 PM

my bad, misread..

wisp

February 18, 2008 1:54 PM

Kevoluetion, how old is the current BMW 5 series? we started seeing this car probably in 2000/1. How old is the new A6? most likely 2005. That is 5 years younger than the current 5 series and if you take a closer look at Audi versus BMW, Audi usually release two models to 1 BMW model in the same class. Look at the A4, already they have released a new model and it's not too long ago the out going A4 was designed probably 2004. It's the only car company that has no confidennce in it's models coz it changes models like cheap tee shirts. This is obviously down to sales coz if you take a close look at their sales i.e in South Africa, man even the Chinese moving coffins outsale the Audi cars and yes all of them sale poorly. This 5 series will have 'clocked 8 - 9 serious years. Not even Merc manages to do that and that says something about the brand.

kevoluetion

February 18, 2008 2:27 PM

FYI, the current shaped 5 series started in 2004 and has already undergone surgery. The current A6 started in 2005 and only about to have a minor face lift and there wont be a new A6 until 2010. Thats 5 years for a new model, exactly the same as BMW. There are the same amount of different 3 series as there is for A4. The B7 is actually not a completely new model, but more of a facelift since it shares the same body chassis as the B6. Not to mention RS4 skips a generation before releasing a new model comparing it to the Ms and the new M3 only caught up with the previous generation RS4. Before you talk about brand, u also don't see much peanut shaped Z4s on the road either compared to TTs. Not to mention a lot more A3s compared to 1 series. S5 already kills the 3 coupe (unless u compare that with the M3, but then you've got the RS5 coming) And the R8, no competition.

DSC_OFF

February 18, 2008 6:16 PM

Actually, the last 4 models of 5ers have had an average run of eight years. I wouldn't expect the new one until 2011 at the earliest. We still have not seen the new 7 which will certainly come first.

5 Series Models Timeline E12 (1972-1981) E28 (1982-1988) E34 (1988-1996) E39 (1996-2004)

LL55AMG

February 18, 2008 7:50 PM

Audi finally pulled there head out there ass and came with a nice car, the r8 (which is basicly a Lamborgini Garllado)cool. But no matter how you look at it, Audi will always be trailing the pack, with Mercedes-Benz & BMW fighting for the #1 spot. And dare I say it? As much as a german car fan I am, Lexus might be #3 in that field. At the end of the day, I would rather have an E-Class or a 5-series rather than a platform sharing A6(Volkswagen Passat with a kit).

LL55AMG

February 18, 2008 7:58 PM

o.k.,o.k., I take it back, Lexus is behind Audi, I could'nt leave with a good consience saying that... But I still sand behind My statement saying that Audi will never #1, or #2 as long as Merc and Bmw is around.

joelynn

February 18, 2008 8:33 PM

Merc doesn't sell as well as Audi in England- last year we bought 100,000 Audis to 82,000 Mercs (FYI 121,000 BMWs and 15,000 Lexus')

kevoluetion

February 18, 2008 11:24 PM

There you go

ck314

February 19, 2008 1:38 AM

Those figures are not 100% reliable since massive business fleets contribute largely to them.

kevoluetion

February 18, 2008 11:24 PM

Thats how it was before, and people just followed the trend, Merc coming 1st, BMW 2nd and Audi 3rd. But no matter how much Audi improves, and no matter how ugly the designs Merc and BMW come up with, they will still have the rank in their heads. People still buy the 1 series, Z4 and the X5, i dont think they look good, but they just want to drive a beemer. And the up coming X6? gosh....

ck314

February 19, 2008 1:34 AM

It's not just about looks, and many BMW drivers have the driving skills to appreciate the fun factor of a 1 series over an A3, and the X5 over the Q7 respectively, and same applies to the whole range except maybe TT, new A4/A5 and A8.

kevoluetion

February 18, 2008 11:28 PM

I meant "people still buy the 1 series, Z4 and X3" not X5.

LL55AMG

February 19, 2008 8:02 AM

At the end of the day, its about quality. How many 1990 Audis do you see on the road compared to Benz's & Bimmers?...? I can see a 300E or a 535i every other day, Can't tell you the last time I saw a..what was it then...an Audi 1000?...AND DARE YOU SAY ANYTHING BAD ABOUT THE X6!! SHAME! you probaly did'nt like the CLS when it came out either.. Face it. Audi does not have the inovation that Merc and BMW has. Quattro? please, 4-matic and ix do the same thing, I did'nt want to go there, but I would get a 911 Turbo over an R8 all day.

The_woo_factor

February 19, 2008 10:43 AM

911 turbo over r8? Someone has issues.

The_woo_factor

February 19, 2008 10:46 AM

These are the BMWs I like in order. .....

The_woo_factor

February 19, 2008 10:49 AM

1 series...Butt ugly 3 series....gosh...cosmetic surgery went horribly wrong 5 series....ugly 7 series.....Very ugly Z4.....well..u know the drift.....VERY VERY ugly

The_woo_factor

February 19, 2008 10:55 AM

U dare mention quality in this context? U all know Audi has the superior quality over BMW and Merc. The latter brands always lose in the context when u talk about quality.

wisp

February 19, 2008 11:50 AM

Kevolution you are so wrong in alleginig that the S5 already kills the 3 coupe. Which Coupe is that, the 320 and 325i yes but certainly not the 335i. In South Africa on the reef, the 335i not only killed Your Stables pimped RS4 but also the new M3 over a Quater mile sprint. They tested these cars at Kyalami race track also and yet again it lapped the Kyalami race track (formerly on the F1 race calender during the Jody Schekter days)quicker than the RS4. Now this is a small 2.9 litre straight 6 turbo charged engined car against a 4.2 V8 Audi car. Need you be reminded that it took Audi ages (V8 turbo engined S4's) to beat the outgoing M3 which was not turbo charged but simply a 3.2 litre 6 cylinder car. Now that's engineeriing at best. Read Topgears assesment on the S5, you'll be disapointed.

kevoluetion

February 19, 2008 2:27 PM

The A5 has more presence than the 3 coupe, the S5 would be in competition with the M3 coupe since it shares the same engine as the RS4 but with added bi-turbo. As I said before, if you are after performance. And S5 is not even the top of the range. I wonder what the RS5 competes with? Yes you are right to say Audi took longer than BMW & Merc, but look whose improving heaps and look whose going backwards. BMW and Merc should look at the cars they made in the 90s and compare the reliability then to now.

wisp

February 19, 2008 11:59 AM

Gee talk about the old Audi's, one need specatcles to spot the difference between an old Audi and an old Passat. Look, Audi may have come up with the R8 which is good so to say but it would be absolute madness to compare an R8 a Mclaren Merc. The R8 is simple compered to Mercs super car and you know it. BMW have yet to show their own in this segment but trust them that they will coz a few other cars wheels to fall of when they enter... and i see Audi discontinuing their R8 then as is the trend when they get thumped.

wisp

February 19, 2008 12:08 PM

Woo factor , your facts are wrong. Audi quality is no where near BMW's i.e. X5 quality rating. Go on the streets and try to spot an old Audi, There's none coz all of them are rotting in some junk yard. The 7 series on the other hand chaned the face of exec cars when it was released. This car has been copied by Merc, Audi and a few other Jap cars like Lexus. As usual people always hate a winner and this mantle is certainly occupied by BMW. Talk of sales increase, BMW 2007 stats sit at 9.8% growth, what did Audi achieve the world over? probalby 2%. The UK i won'y even count as i can't just see how you can enjoy enjoy the drives on those country roads. BMW's give drivers unmatched "sheer driving pleasure".

kevoluetion

February 19, 2008 2:21 PM

What are you talking about here? U must b a fan of Chris Bangle. His designs were so contraversal they needed to be toned down. The fact that Audi has won awards and gained recognition to quality and attention to detail says it all. I dont think I need to reiterate that, you know it. Merc mechanics always break down and doesnt even come close to the top 5 reliability test. Why would you say 7 series is being copied? Who would copy such an ugly over sized car with gadgets that no one knows how to use? If you really want to talk sales as a mean to state which car is better, I think Toyota kills your humble little BMW.

joelynn

February 19, 2008 8:37 PM

wisp, are saying we can't enjoy driving on country roads- we have some of the best roads in the world- both for twisty fun and for quality. Audi is one of the fastest growing brands In UK the figure speak for themselves BMW is number 1, but Audi is definitely number 2, not Merc- and I'd say that reflects the quality of the cars.

LL55AMG

February 20, 2008 4:41 AM

Audi is #2 in the U.K. because of fleet purchases, they are cheaper to maintain as fleet cars! That says nothing about quality. I have an assortment of Merc's and Bmw's, they might catch an electric gremlin (no problems at all with my 07' E350)but never anything Mechcanical, Now, my friends A6, and another friends A8?...I have picked them both up from the side of the road..the a6 is a 06', and the a8 is an 05... When I do see them, they are usually driving an A3 or A4 loaner car! Now thats the quality I see first hand. I am not trying to knock audi, but my experiences they are not dependable cars..

kevoluetion

February 20, 2008 6:25 AM

Luckily you don't have any BMW friends, they are worst off.

kevoluetion

February 20, 2008 6:27 AM

The amount of times i hear my bmw friends complain about their mechanical failure and the amount of bmws i see on the side of the road with hazard blinkers on with the bonnet hood open amuses me.

LL55AMG

February 20, 2008 7:36 AM

Yeah... i have a couple 7451 friends, they complain and cry all the time, but My father owns a X5 3.0i he bought brand new in 01, hes never ad a mechanical problem..just wear items that hes had to replace, same with my cousins 528i..that car is bulletproof! It seems to be BMW v8s that tend to have the problems.

GALLARDO520

February 29, 2008 12:50 AM

ll55amg.. what u just said proves that bmw cant even make a v8 engine,and its funny how the s4 and rs4 both have v8's when the 2008 m3 barely was able to maintain that v8

michelin901

March 1, 2008 12:27 AM

all u guys seem to be jokin here. the audis have never taken over the bimmers. they bring out the s line which is nothin compared to the m's n amg's.the n then we have the rs models with their 'hey look at me' stylin n their heavy engines n end up bein so heavy. n stylin? look at the a5 side profile. theres bmw written all over it. theres only one audi i like n tats the a8 which still maintains a nice n quiet profile. not like the new a4 n a5 who need makeup with the leds to gain attention. sucks

wirelesscoyote

March 13, 2008 12:28 AM

The argument here about Audi and BMW is just kinda pointless I have to say. Audi, yes they have been quite successful in past years. They are making good press. But I will never get an Audi. First of all, their ride is rubbish. I rode in my friend's A6 before, it gave me a backache after a 10 minutes journey. I don't like the fact that Audi and Volkswagen shares platform. Audi feels like a pimped up VW. Audi's design is boring. Yes the TT & R8 are good looking, but they look the same just one bigger than the other. Don't start on the Sedan. The new A4 looks like the old A4, except that headlight. Audi has boring design. I am sure their design department is running out of steam.

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