Review: BMW 2013 5-Series
It is hard to find any reason not to love the 2013 5-Series of BMW. It has that pure Bimmerness aura, great looks, and feel. The best thing about the series though is the BMW M5.
The 2013 BMW M5 is powered by an aggressive 560HP 4.4L V-8 engine equipped with a twin turbo. The power is all transferred to the rear wheels. Step on the pedal and it can go from 0 to 60 mph in a matter of 4.3 seconds when equipped with a six-speed manual gearbox. Things are a blink faster with the dual-clutch M-DCT 7-speed gearbox that gets it to the 60mph-mark in just 4.2 seconds.
If you are going to get this bimmer, we recommend the dual-clutch setup. One, it makes things easy on the road even while in heavy traffic. Second, it makes things more exciting and the adrenaline pumping at the track. Purists will opt for the six-speed but you have been given the tip.
Whatever gearbox you opt for, the 2013 M5 is a fun ride to bring on the track. In case you decide to have fun in the race track, go for the ceramic brakes since the standard brakes can get pretty abused after a few laps around the circuit.
The handling and the balance of this BMW are quite good and this can be attributed to the chassis design, excellence, great suspension tuning, and matched tire specs of BMW. The front to rear weight distribution of this 4,300-lb car is 52:48. It may not be the fastest sedan you can get but it is one fun ride to get into.
If the car is set up for performance, does it do well on a daily driving basis? The M5 can be as comfortable as its non-M siblings. The BMW electronics allow you to adjust the suspension and driving mode to make sure you get what you want on the streets.
The car manufacturer also throws in a lot of extras for consumers. The only thing painful to think about the BMW 5-Series is its price tag that starts at $89,900 without the destination fees. If you have no issues with the sticker price, you can get this car that will be enjoyable both on the track and during family getaways.
Review of the 2012 BMW 520d GT
The 5 GT or the BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo has been traditionally offered with a gas-guzzling eight-cylinder and six-cylinder engines. The brand though has installed its more frugal four-cylinder under the hood of the 520d GT to complete its executive hatchback.
The new 2.0L engine helps the BMW 5 GT to return a fuel mileage of 53.3 miles per gallon while spewing 139 grams of carbon dioxide for every kilometer on the road. This is a good leap from the 43.5 mpg of the 530d, the second most efficient vehicle of the 5 GT lineup.
Performance
The BMW 5 GT tips the scale at around 200 kilos more than its Touring sibling so two-liter diesel engine needs to exert some extra effort. It never falls short of expectation though as the 5 GT accelerates very well and delivers the power need for any overtaking.
The bulkiness of the car is made obvious though when you brake or turn into corners. The refinement of the engine is commendable but BMW could have done better with regard to wind noise and noise of the suspension when you go over rough surfaces.
The steering is not as sharp as you will expect from the brand. The firm suspension also makes the ride a feel a bit unsettled.
Interior
Only high quality materials were used for the cabin of the 5 GT. The iDrive system is your primary control over most of the functions.
Space will never be an issue even for tall drivers and passengers. Rear visibility though is a bit restricted due to the sloping design of the rear glass. The boot space has a capacity of 440 liters with the rear seats up. This is less compared to the 560 liters of the 5 Series Touring. It is sufficient though for regular drives.
So far, the 2012 model year is the best variant of the 5 GT but the Touring is a lot cheaper, more practical, and fun to drive.
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BMW gives the 2013 5-Series models and 6-Series V-8s a power boost
In case you are considering a new BMW 5-Series or maybe a 6-Series with a V-8 powerplant in your garage, we have some interesting news for you. These cars will soon sport a more potent twin-turbo V8 engine that is the same one used for the 7-Series.
Recent reports say that the BMW 650i, 550i, and 550iGT plus their convertible variants will have a more potent engine under their hoods. BMW will be installing a 445 horsepower V-8 with a torque of 480 lb-ft. This means that the 2013 BMW 5- series and 6-Series will get a boost of 45 horses and additional torque of 30 lb-ft compared to their predecessors. The gained power comes from the Valvetronic VVT of BMW.
The new technology adds more horses but also improves the fuel economy of the vehicles. The new twin turbo V-8 with a 4.4-liter displacement is actually 25% more efficient than the previous engine, at least with the 750i BMW sedan.
The new engine also gets BMW a step closer in realizing a common V-8 engine for its whole range. This standardization across the range will spell maximum savings for the brand. We still cannot say though that the new engine will be used for all the V-8 BMWs since there will still be a few models that will get the old engine.
For now, the BMW X6 and X5 will still sport the 4.4-liter V-8 that has a lower output. The numbers are still respectable though with 400 horsepower and a torque of 450 pound-feet.
First batch of BMW vehicles for the Olympics reaches London
BMW is the official supplier of the support vehicles which will carry VIPs to their destinations and also help with the logistics. The car manufacturer will be sending in around 4,000 vehicles primarily composed of 5-Series and 3-Series sedans for the 2012 Olympic Games.
Critics raised issues about traffic and carbon dioxide emission but BMW was quick to respond clarifying that the fleet will meet the standards set by the Olympic organizing committee in London.
Aside from the BMW sedans, there will also be motorcycles and bikes according to BMW. Most of the sedans will also be hybrid vehicles or run on diesel, while around 200 units will be electric vehicles. The first batch of BMW vehicles, about forty of them, have been sent to London.
The vehicles will be using the unique lanes designated for Olympic participants to prevent major traffic jams. The BMW units also have a very unique finish designed for the Olympics. The local organizing committee said that the BMW will be a familiar sight near the venues of the games this summer plus the fleet will play a big role to make sure the games are running smoothly as planned.
The London Olympics will kick off by July 27 while the Paralympic Games will start on August 29. If you are one lucky soul like the VIPs of the Olympics, you will be going around in a BMW but if not, the best way to go around the city will be the public transport.
2013 BMW M5 sedan for North America to get 6-speed manual transmission.
If you still can’t believe your eyes, yes it is true, the M Division of BMW keeps its tradition of having as an option for their North American units to have a manual gearbox. It has been confirmed during the Detroit Auto Show that the upcoming 2013 BMW M5 sedan will have an engine linked to a manual gearbox.
According to a BMW representative, consumers in the United States love the manual shifting M5 as proven in their previous releases in the past years and so this option and unique offer will continue for the North American market.
For no additional cost, buyers can go for the six-speed manual transmission over the standard 7-speed M-DCT or double clutch gearbox. It will feature a short shifter wrapped in black leather with backlight for the knob.
Although the manual transmission is a gear short compared to the automatic gearbox counterpart, the engine will still have the same drive ratio and the special differential for this BMW M division creation.
The M-DCT variants and the manual 2013 M5 will be rolling out the US market by summer this year with BMW expected to announce the tag price close to the official release date.
The older sibling of the BMW M5, the M5 E60 powered by a V10, the 6-speed manual gearbox option had to be added by the car manufacturer after it received bad reviews for its SMG transmission from magazine editors and consumers. About 50% of the purchases in the US of the older generation M5 E60 was for the one with manual transmission.
BMW 2012 US lineup getting hybrid BMW 5-series
German car manufacturer BMW recently announced the expansion of their hybrid vehicle lineup including the ActiveHybrid 5 which is based on the BMW 5-series.
The ActiveHybrid 5 is basically a BMW535i that is designed to run with the help of an electric motor. The new BMW hybrid will be using in combo a 3.0L turbocharged 6 cylinder engine and an electric motor. The power of the engines will be transferred to wheels thru an automatic transmission with 8 speeds.
The numbers going around are still unofficial but suggests that the ActiveHybrid 5 will have an output of 335 horsepower with a torque of 447 Nm. This will make a 0-100 kilometer per hour acceleration possible in just 5.7 seconds.
The hybrid BMW 5-series running on electric power alone may go as far as four kilometers on a maximum speed of 60 kph. The electric motor is housed in the transmission itself to conserve space while the battery pack made of lithium ion cells are located in the space between wheel arches.
Charging of the lithium ion battery occurs as the car coasts or as the driver brakes. The electric motor is configured to serve as a generator too feeding energy into the BMW 5-series hybrid’s battery. The electric motor also has a boost function where the inline six engine gets an extra power which gives the sporty ride an edge.
Other features of the ActiveHybrid 5 include the EcoPro mode which adds to the overall efficiency of the vehicle, start-stop system, and a coasting mode that shuts off the combustion engine and decouples it from the car’s drive shaft for maximum efficiency and zero emission, and an improved iDrive interface.
The ActiveHybrid 5 is expected to reach the BMW showrooms in the United States by March 2012.
228mph Sedan: G-Power BMW M5 Hurricane RS
You read it right, two hundred and twenty-eight miles per hour. That’s one quick sedan, good for a new land speed record for sedans. I’m extremely impressed with BMW for the fact that they keep coming up with these extremely amazing vehicles during these tough economic times. Shows you that the german car maker is NOT stopping their innovation research.
Awesome pics below:
Source: G-Power BMW M5 Hurricane RS at Car News Blog.
Finding used BMW 5-Series Cars
The BMW 5 Series is a mid-sizw luxury car. This has been also classified as a executive car and it hit the roads as long back as in 1972. Today the car has grown into its fifth generation. The car is now a Sedan with a touring body style. Consumers choose today to purchase the used BMW 5 Series too for two reasons. The first being that a new 5 Series would mean a really heavy price tag. Not many could afford to buy it.
Secondly, buying a used BMW is as good as buying the new car. That is because the BMW is not subject to wear and tear and can stand its steel for a really long time. Pick the right one though — don’t just go to an online car auction. Choose the right make and model for yourself that suits your needs and taste before you buy the one that you really like. Also select which all features you need in your car and check out whether they all work fine in that car.
You can take some professional help for negotiating to get the best price from your sellers. They are sure to ask you a fortune for this beautiful car. After all it is a BMW 5 Series!
BMW 5 Series Car Insurance
The BMW 5 Series is one of the high end luxury cars with a very heavy price tag. Meant especially for the super-rich, only a person out of his senses would leave out insuring this mighty wonder car. No doubt any thief would like to drive away with a 5 Series.
So in your own best interests, get your your car insurance today. Automobile manufacturers and leading insurers meet up regularly to assign the group insurance rates for different cars and models. This decides the risk assessed for each model and thereby helps the insurance companies to determine the premium price to be fixed for each model. The factors that they consider for determining this group rating is the car make, model, series, type, cubic capacity and its manufacturing year.
BMW M5 – Luxurious and Fast
For almost a century, the Bavarian Motor company, better known as BMW, has been giving us a wonderful and superior product line with the best performance for years. The BMW M5 is one such more car launched by BMW. It is of no wonder then that so many people still vouch by this exquisite line of cars for driving on the roads. The continued public support also shows their commitment in bringing to us the best cars at the best prices.
This Sedan is considered as a high performance luxury car with some even claiming it to be the most powerful Sedan in the world today! Its quality and performance has surpassed many of the leading cars. The euphoria created by this high-end luxury vehicle brand has left many craving for one just ultimate ride in it. Till date, amongst all the cars produced by BMW, it is the M5 that has the fastest accelerating capacity. Thus the BMW M5 is much more than just another car from the mighty car company. Its V-10 engine, 10 cylinders with 500 horsepower machine can get you speeds at 8000 rpm. The BMW is undoubtedly one of the most high quality vehicles on our roads today that justifies its high price tag.
