2024 BMW 5 Series sedan unveiled as electric i5

The 2024 BMW 5 Series sedan has been unveiled, ahead of first Australian showroom arrivals late this year

The new 5 Series will launch in Europe with a choice of petrol, diesel and electric power – the latter featuring in an initial pair of i5 variants, the rear-wheel-drive eDrive 40 and all-wheel-drive M60 xDrive, conceived to take on the likes of the Mercedes-Benz EQE and Tesla Model S.

It is due in Australian showrooms later this year, BMW has confirmed. For more details on the engine range for Australia – and standard equipment – click here.

Confirmed German prices of €57,550 ($AU93,500) for the entry-level 520i and €70,200 ($AU114,000) for the i5 eDrive 40 – higher than the old model – suggest there may be moderate increases for the new large BMW in Australia.

The current BMW 5 Series is priced from $107,700 for the 520i, up to $169,000 for the M550i V8, and $273,600 for the flagship M5 Competition, all before on-road costs.

A new BMW M5 performance flagship is due to follow the standard range by about 12 months, with plug-in hybrid V8 power.

BMW also plans to begin offering plug-in hybrid versions of the new 5 Series sedan in Europe, in an expanded line-up that will also include a successor to the 5 Series Touring – though it is not expected to come to Australia.

The basis for the new 5 Series, known internally under the G60 codename, is a revised version of the outgoing model's CLAR architecture.

It has been heavily re-engineered to accomodate petrol, diesel, hybrid and electric power, and the housing of the battery on electric versions, with changes to its floorpan and other elements making it stiffer than the previous model.

The new 5 Series joins the change in styling direction at BMW first seen on the iX, with a more radical look than the model it replaces.

The front is still dominated by BMW's classic 'kidney' grilles, but they have grown, and similar to other BMW models, are available with illuminated surrounds.

On most models the new-look grille receives 14 vertical louvres, while on the electric i5, it sports a blanked-off look in high-gloss black plastic – and no louvres on the i5 M60 flagship.

The headlamps also take on a more angular appearance, offering the choice of either standard LED and optional matrix LED functionality. The bonnet is also more heavily contoured and receives a distinctive central indent, as on the iX.

The surfacing along the flanks is smoother than before, and traditional door handles have made way for flush-fitting units, joining other wind-cheating elements – including a flat under body – to allow the i5 eDrive 40 to achieve a drag co-efficient of 0.23.

The rear gets a shorter boot deck, and dispenses with traditional L-shaped tail lamps for thin horizontal LED units that extend well into the boot to accentuate the new car's added width.

Alongside the standard styling, BMW offers a choice of optional M Sport and M Sport Pro styling packages (pictured on the silver eDrive 40). Wheel sizes range from 18 to 21 inches in diameter.

Mirroring the latest 7 Series, with which it shares many critical components, the 5 Series has grown in size.

Length is up by 97mm to 5060mm, width has increased by 32mm to 1900mm and height is up by 36mm to 1515mm. The wheelbase has also gained 20mm, at 2995mm.

By comparison, the new sixth-generation Mercedes-Benz E-Class runs to 4949mm in length, 1880mm in width and 1468mm in height.

Inside, the new 5 Series and i5 follow the lead of the larger 7 Series and i7 with a new triple-layer dashboard supporting a single curved display panel.

It houses separate 12.3-inch instrument and 14.9-inch touchscreen infotainment displays – the latter running the latest BMW iDrive 8.5 operating system based on Linux software, and offering video game and movie streaming functions for the first time.

BMW has reduced the number of physical controls, with functions such as air conditioning now controlled through the central infotainment display.

The steering wheel has been redesigned with simplified multi-function controls, as has the centre console, which houses a slider-style gear selector and BMW's traditional rotary iDrive controller. Newly-designed sports seats and a six-speaker sound system with digital radio are standard.

Among the options is a so-called BMW 'Interaction Bar' that extends across the dashboard into the door panels and features touch-sensitive controls for various functions.

There's a fixed panoramic glass roof for the first time. The standard sound system can also be upgraded to a 205-watt, 12-speaker Harman Kardon system at extra cost in Europe.

As a first for BMW, the new 5 Series and i5 come with a fully 'vegan' interior as standard. This includes synthetic material for the seat upholstery, the dashboard and the door panels, as well as the steering wheel. Buyers can specify genuine Merino leather upholstery for the seats as an option.

Boot space has been reduced by 10 litres to 520 litres, with the i5 offering 490 litres due to the housing of the battery, and resulting higher boot floor.

The eighth-generation 5 Series line-up in Europe initially consists of three four-cylinder models, the rear-wheel drive 520i and 520d, as well as the all-wheel drive 520d xDrive.

All feature 48-volt mild-hybrid technology, which can provide a small boost under hard acceleration, and allow the engine to switch off and coast at high speeds and low accelerator-pedal load to save fuel.

The 520i runs the latest version of BMW's familiar turbocharged 2.0-litre petrol engine with 140kW and 310Nm. It's claimed to cover zero to 100km/h in 7.5 seconds and reach a top speed of 230km/h.

Fuel consumption according to WLTP testing is put at between 6.4 and 5.7L/100km, with overall CO2 emissions of between 144 and 130g/km.

While not expected to come to Australia, Europe is offered 520d and 520d xDrive diesel models with a turbocharged 2.0-litre engine, 145kW/400Nm, and claimed 0-100km/h times of 7.3 seconds for both models.

The initial four-cylinder petrol and diesel engines are mated to an eight-speed automatic gearbox as standard.

Other new 5 Series sedan models due in European showrooms by mid-2024 include the 220kW 530e and 360kW 550e xDrive plug-in hybrids – the former claiming fuel consumption in lab testing of between 0.8 and 0.6L/100km, and the between 1.1 and 0.6L/100km.

Both plug-in hybrid models benefit from a new gearbox-mounted electric motor developing up to 145kW and 280Nm, and a new 19.4kWh lithium-ion battery providing claimed electric driving range of 87km to 101km for the 530e, and 79km to 90km for the 550e xDrive.

BMW has also increased the AC charging capacity of its plug-in hybrid 5 Series models to 7.4kW for faster recharging.

The US will also receive a higher-output 530i petrol four-cylinder with 190kW, and a 540i petrol six-cylinder with 280kW.

Among the electric i5 sedan models, the rear-wheel-drive eDrive 40 receives a rear-mounted electric motor developing 250kW and 430Nm, giving it a claimed 0-100km/h time of 6.0 seconds and a 193km/h top speed.

The all-wheel-drive i5 M60 xDrive retains the same rear-mounted electric motor as the eDrive 40, in combination with a smaller front-mounted motor adding about 190kW and 360Nm.

The M60 develops a combined system output of 442kW and 820Nm in its sportiest mode, good for a claimed 0-100km/h time of 3.8 seconds – half a second slower than today's twin-turbo V8 BMW M5 – and an electronically-limited top speed of 230km/h.

Both i5 models receive an 81.2kWh lithium-ion battery as standard. The eDrive 40 claims between 477km and 582km of driving range in European WLTP testing, while the M60 quotes 455km to 516km of range, depending on the options selected.

Both i5 models come with 11kW AC charging functionality as standard, which can be increased to 22kW with an optional on-board charger.

Maximum DC fast-charging capability is put at 205kW, with BMW claiming a 10 to 80 per cent recharge can be completed in 30 minutes.

Kerb weights for the initial 5 Series line-up range from 1680kg for the 520i, to 2305kg for the i5 M60 xDrive.

Together with the eDrive 40 and M60 xDrive, BMW has also confirmed a third i5 model is planned to join the line-up in 2024.

The new BMW retains double-wishbone front and multi-link rear suspension, with either steel or air springs, and single-stroke or dual-stroke dampers, depending on the model.

It also offers rear-wheel steering with up to 2.5 degrees of rotation, active roll stabilisation (which adjusts the anti-roll bars to keep the car flatter in corners), and active roll comfort as part of an M adaptive suspension system that comes as standard on the i5 M60 xDrive.

Updated automatic parking and Reversing Assistant functions are standard, as part of a wide range of advanced safety systems.

The new 5 Series will also offer with a new optional Highway Assistant and Active Lane Change system, which allows the driver to complete a hands-free lane change when the system deems it is safe by simply glancing in the side mirror in the direction intended.

This system will be available in Europe. It is unclear if it will come to Australia.

As with all previous generations, the new 2024 BMW 5 Series and i5 for Australia will be produced at BMW's Dingolfing plant in Germany – the same site that produces the electric motors and battery for the i5 and other electric BMW models.