It appears that production headlights have been installed.
We don’t see many BMW i5 prototypes out there, so we are always interested in seeing one. One of our spy photographers captured a test vehicle in Germany recently and was in the right spot at the right moment. We now have crisp, detailed photos to share.
BMW hides design details using a full-body camouflage, but the headlights look different to those of previous prototypes. These lenses show bracketed daytime running lamps, which we believe to be the production units of the BMW i5. These up-close photos also reveal the amount of camouflage BMW uses to test these cars. False panels are visible with visible screws on the hood and along the sides. Although the front fascia is also hidden, close inspection allows us to see a variety of sensors that could be supporting early rumors about the i5 offering Level3autonomous functionality.
The new spy shots also take us inside, although not all of it is visible. No surprise that we see two screens digitally displaying the infotainment and driver displays. It is very similar to the new i7 arrangement, with the screens placed front on the dash and a slight curve in favor of the driver. The layout of the i7’s center console controls is similar to the one in the current a data-inline-widget=”internal-links” data–222023 bmw-7 series i7 debut/”> new. Although it is not production-spec, the steering wheel looks similar to the one in the 5Serie.
The all-electric i5 will have a similar design to its internal-combustion counterpart in the 5 Series. The next 5er shares its platform and the i5, giving buyers the option of electric, gasoline or diesel power in a familiar sedan package. This is a stark contrast with the EQ models of crosstown rival Mercedes-Benz which use different platforms and have a completely different appearance from their ICE siblings.
The i5’s power and range are not known at the moment. Rumours suggest that the M version with the most horsepower could use a three motor layout to produce over 700 horsepower. The i7’s recent launch with a dual-motor platform producing 536 horsepower, 700 horsepower in a performance-oriented version of the i5 seems like a significant step up.
We will likely be asking more questions for many months. According to sources, the i5 won’t be revealed until 2023. It will debut as a 2024 model.