BMW 530d

61.30 lakh (ex-showroom, Mumbai) . We say: As 5-series that looks more slick and has rediscovered some of that driving pleasure too.

- Debabrata Sarkar

Let’s get it out of the way first up – thank you  BMW for replacing the last-gen 5-series, we are looking forward to this one. While the previous car was big, it was just too bloated and did not look nice and wasn’t much fun to drive. That seems to have been sorted out rather well by the designers at BMW this time around. From the time it turned a final corner to come to rest by my side, this 530d caught my eye thanks to its chiselled features. It is in no way small, in fact, it is longer, wider and even taller. More importantly, it also has a bigger wheelbase, which should translate to better space inside the cabin. But more on that later. For now, let’s just take a better look at the sleeker profile of this new car, especially here with the M-Sport package which adds various bits of skirting all around the car. In case you miss it, BMW has ensured you don’t miss the special blue ‘M’ brake callipers that sit behind the special ‘M’ design wheels. There are creases on the bonnet to make it look more aggressive, the headlamp cluster looks like it has been extended from the grille and there is a strong shoulder line that runs the length of the car. The effect is a lot of passersby taking note and some even being left gaping. It is indeed a compliment to the car, because not many four-door sedans get this kind of reaction.