EARLIER this year I argued one of BMW’s biggest sellers was as close as you’ll get to the perfect car, and with this latest model it’s business as usual.No matter whether you opt for the saloon, the Touring estate or the strangely-styled GT, BMW’s 5 Series has always been one of those cars that’s irritatingly good at just about everything - you just match your choice of engine with the level of management you’ve been promoted to.
Even the 520d Touring version I’ve just tested, one of the entry models in the executive saloon’s expansive range, does everything you could ever ask of it effortlessly; you’ll barely notice it breaking into barely-legal speeds on the motorway because it does it so quietly, comfortably and inconspicuously.
This whole car’s appeal is about doing everything subtly but there’s still plenty to get excited about, with the heads up display helping you to stay safe by beaming a digital readout of your speed into your line of sight, and the spacious Touring version gets a rear window which opens separately from the tailgate if ever you’re parked in a particularly tight spot when you’re loading up.
But step outside and it’s soon forgotten, because the styling isn’t nearly as aggressive or adventurous as its predecessor. BMW designer Chris Bangle might have been lambasted at the time for the challenging angles he gave to the last 5 and 7 Series models, but for me at least the new arrival has styling so subtle it runs the risk of simply being boring.
It’s a small gripe on a car that - hefty £30k price tag aside - is excellent in almost every way. If you’re looking to make a statement to show off your success you might want to look at Jaguar’s XF or the new SAAB 9-5, but if you don’t mind taking the obvious choice the BMW’s still the no-brainer buy.
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