The 2017 BMW 5 Series is lighter, quicker and loaded with tech
BMW brings the fight back to the Mercedes E-Class with a tech-heavy 5 Series.
What you see here is not the old 7 Series, it's the new 5 Series, although I wouldn't fault you for mixing the two up.
BMW continues its tradition of making all its cars look the same by adopting many of the 7 Series' latest design elements.
The base model, 530i, comes with a 2.0-liter, turbocharged I4 engine, good for 248 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque.
The upper-level 540i packs a 3.0-liter I6, which puts out 335 horsepower and 332 pound-feet.
An eight-speed automatic is the only available transmission, with standard rear-wheel drive and optional all-wheel drive.
For the first time, the all-wheel drive system can be paired with BMW's lower M suspension and rear-wheel steering.
The interior is largely a mix of old 5 Series and new 7 Series, with a continued emphasis on horizontal lines.
Its iDrive infotainment system is all new for 2017, packing gesture control, Apple CarPlay and way more stuff than I can fit in an image caption.
There are boat loads of safety systems along for the ride, too, including semi-autonomous steering and full-speed adaptive cruise control.
The 2017 BMW 5 Series hits dealerships in February, and pricing is still TBD.