Billing them softly

Can the new BMW 5 Series LWB live up to the lore of its predecessor? Or has it gone too soft with its more practical, long wheelbase approach? We went out in the 530Li looking for some answers

- Abhinav Jakhar

For as long as I can remember, the 5 Series has been the ultimate sports saloon money can buy. It offered that typical 3-box silhouette with the ultimate combination of handling, power and supreme good looks. But as the Indian buyer matured, some other important aspects started taking precedence. As was the case with the long wheelbase version of the 3 Series, which by the way has been extremely popular in the Indian market, the new generation 5 Series comes to us in a long wheelbase version as well. The most obvious question most of us enthusiasts will have is whether this grown-up 5 Series has tampered with its ethos. To put it simply, has BMW gone too soft with the brand-new 5 Series LWB? We were out and about in the 530Li (petrol) variant to answer that very question for you.

In terms of design, the new 5 Series is a complete departure from the older models. This redesign has resulted in sharper cuts and a more 'rounded' approach to the overall design. Up front, there's BMW's 'shark-nose inspired signature kidney grille and the muscular-looking hood design, which is quite large. There are also 'Titanium Bronze' accents around the aforementioned grille, which look unique. The twin LED DRLs also give the 5 Series LWB that butch stance up front. Around the sides, the first thing I noticed were the 18-inch alloy wheels. Since most of us have gotten used to seeing at least 19-inch or even 20-inch wheels on such cars, it's a bit of a visual mismatch.