The electric i5 will almost look the same as the 5er because they share the same platform.
BMW recently adopted a new tagline, “The Power of Choice”. Although it may make you think of Kia’s “Power to Surprise” slogan, Bavaria’s message doesn’t seem as clear as such mottos. It is a vehicle that can be sold with any type of powertrain: gasoline, diesel or hybrid/plug in hybrid. The X3 / iX3 is one example. The new 7 Series will be available April 20 with a wide range of powertrains.
The story will be the same with the next-generation X1 arriving at the end of this year. But, we are here to discuss the new 5 Series. Our spy team has captured footage from different locations showing several prototypes. The pure electric i5, the 5er with a combustion engine, and the hybrid plug-in are all visible. The 5 Series and i5 share the same CLAR platform, so they all look almost identical. Mercedes took a different approach. The S-Class and EQS are built on different architectures. The latter has bespoke EV underpinnings.
Although these test vehicles are disguised with multiple layers to hide the production design, it is clear that the 5 Series/i5 won’t get the massive grille of the next7 Series or XM. These placeholders for the taillights and headlights are not final. However, since the body panels will not change, the provisional clusters will have the same shape as their final counterparts.
The flush handles on the doors are similar to those in the HTML4 and should improve airflow for greater efficiency. We are getting the impression that the new 5 Series has a more refined design. Although spy agents were not able to see inside, previous photos showed a revamped dashboard that accommodates the iDrive 8 setup and its side-by sides screens. BMW claims that this layout will be available on all models.
Yesterday, at the annual BMW Group conference, the company announced that pre-production will begin this year for the i5. The next 5 Series could be offered with all types of propulsion starting in 2023. Similar strategies are being developed for the 7Series / the i7, and the X1/ iX1 pairs.
The M5 is expected to arrive in 2024 or 2025. It will feature a V8 engine but an electric motor that can produce around 750 horsepower. The wild XM SUV will make production by the end this year, so we will have a better idea of the horsepower.