In case you haven’t noticed, BMW’s official presentation of the new 5 Series has largely been about the i5. Specifically, the Munich-based automaker has primarily focused on the i5 M60, and this new ad from Germany is also about the electric M Performance version. As with the press images, the car is finished in Fire Red, an eye-catching shade inspired by the Forbidden Red color of the Concept 4 shown at the 2019 Frankfurt Motor Show.
By having the M Sport Pro Package, the i5 M60 has quite a few glossy black accents contrasting the red paint job. It also boasts carbon side mirror caps and a subtle trunk lid spoiler while the front grille with the double horizontal slats is exclusive to the M Performance version. However, BMW has said the kidney design will also be applied to the next-generation M5 expected to land around 2025 in both sedan and wagon body styles.
Speaking of future versions, the i5 M60 is unlikely to remain the sole M Performance version of the eighth-generation 5 Series. According to a recent report, an M560e will join the lineup by mid-2024 with an inline-six and an electric motor for a hybridized xDrive setup making somewhere in the region of 565 horsepower. Both M Lite flavors are believed to get the more practical Touring treatment.
Meanwhile, this 95-second ad highlights how much the 2024 5 Series has changed with the latest generation. We’re not talking about the luxury sedan’s purely electric setup, but rather about the design, especially on the inside. It’s also much larger than the G30 and does away with most of the conventional buttons inside where the sporty saloon is the second BMW to get the iDrive 8.5, after the i7 M70.
Sales figures will reveal whether people appreciate the new look or not, but in a world dominated by crossovers and SUVs, the 5 Series Sedan is unlikely to replicate the commercial success of past generations. Mercedes recently came out with its new-generation E-Class while Audi applied some updates to its A6 the other day, so the battle is on.
Source: BMW Deutschland / YouTube
