BMW 5 Series (E60)

BMW 5 Series (E60/E61)
Overview
Manufacturer	BMW
Production	2003–2010
Assembly	Dingolfing, Germany Chennai, India Rayong, Thailand Toluca, Mexico[1] 6th of October City, Egypt[2][3] Shenyang, China (BMW Brilliance)[4] Kaliningrad, Russia (Avtotor)[5] Jakarta, Indonesia
Designer	Davide Arcangeli Chris Bangle
Body and chassis
Class	Mid-size luxury / Executive car (E)
Body style	4-door saloon 5-door estate
Layout	FR layout F4 layout (xi / xd models)
Related	BMW 6 Series (E63) BMW X5 (E70)
Powertrain
Engine	Petrol: 2.0 L N46 I4 2.2 - 3.0 L M54 I6 3.0 L N54 turbo I6 4.0 - 4.8 L N62 V8 5.0 L S85 V10 Diesel: 2.0 L M47 turbo I4 2.0 L N47 turbo I4 2.5 - 3.0 L M57 turbo I6
Dimensions
Wheelbase	2,888 mm (113.7 in)
Length	Saloon: 4,841 mm (190.6 in) Estate: 4,843 mm (190.7 in)
Width	1,846 mm (72.7 in)
Height	Saloon: 1,468 mm (57.8 in) Estate: 1,491 mm (58.7 in)
Curb weight	1,535–1,835 kg (3,384–4,045 lb)
Chronology
Predecessor	BMW 5 Series (E39)
Successor	BMW 5 Series (F10)

The BMW E60/E61 series is the fifth generation of the BMW 5 Series, which was sold from 2003 to 2010. The body styles of the range are:

• 4-door sedan/saloon (E60 model code)
• 5-door estate/wagon (E61 model code, marketed as "Touring")

The range was launched in 2003 in the sedan body style. In 2004, the estate body style was introduced. The E60/E61 was replaced by the F10/F11 5 Series in 2010.

The E60/E61 introduced various new electronic features to the 5 Series, including iDrive, head-up display, active cruise control, active steering and voice control. The E60/61 also was the first 5 Series to be available with a turbocharged petrol engine, a 6-speed automatic transmission and regenerative braking. New safety features for the E60/E61 included adaptive headlights, night vision, active headrests, Lane Departure Warning and high intensity emergency brake lights. Unlike the three previous generations of 5 Series^[6][7] and the F10 successor,^[8] the E60/E61 centre console is not angled towards the driver.

The M5 variant was released in 2005 and is powered by the S85 V10 engine. It was sold in the sedan and wagon body styles, with most cars using a 7-speed automated manual transmission ("SMG III").

Development

The development programme for the E60 began in 1997, concluding in 2003. The final design, penned by Davide Arcangeli under the directorship of Chris Bangle,^[9][10] was approved in 2000 and German design patents filed on April 16, 2002.^[11]

Body

The E60 body was made using aluminium for the front of the car, and steel for the passenger cabin and rear. This resulted in a 50:50 weight distribution.^[12]

Equipment

Features available in the E60 initially included iDrive (first introduced in the E65 7 Series), active cruise control, voice control,^[7] Bi-Xenon headlights, run-flat tyres, active width adjustment seats,^[6] active anti-roll bars^[13]and active steering.^[10] Safety-related items include Dynamic Stability Control (DSC), head-up display,^[14] adaptive headlights, night vision and active headrests.

Over the E60's lifespan, the following features were added: a simplified iDrive interface,^[15] Active Cruise Control with Stop & Go,^[16] LED rear lights,^[17] Lane Departure Warning^[7] and Brake Force Display.

Drivetrain

Available transmissions are:

• 6-speed ZF S6-37 manual (2004-2010)
• 6-speed ZF S6-53 manual (2004-2010)
• 6-speed ZF 6HP19 automatic (2003-2007)
• 6-speed ZF 6HP26 automatic (2003-2010)
• 7-speed SMG

All-wheel drive (called xDrive) was available for the 525xi, 528xi, 530xi, 535xi, 525xd and 530xd models.

Models

Sedan (pre-facelift)

Interior (pre-facelift)

Petrol engines

Diesel engines

M5

Front

Rear

The E60 M5 is powered by the BMW S85 4,999 cc (305 cu in) V10 engine. Revving to 8250 rpm, the engine produced 500 hp (373 kW) at 7750 rpm and 520Nm (383 lb-ft) at 6100 rpm.^[18] The official 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) time is 4.7 seconds.^[19]

Most cars were sold with a 7-speed automated manual transmission ("SMG III"), however a 6-speed manual was also available in some markets.

Alpina B5

B5 S

Introduced in February 2005 the petrol engined Alpina B5 and B5 S were built as sedans and wagons based on the E60 using the 4.4 L N62B44 V8 from the 545i With a centrifugal supercharger added bringing the power to 368 kW (500 PS; 493 hp).^[20] for the B5 and 390 kW (530 PS; 523 hp) for the B5 S respectively. The B5 was available exclusively with a Alpina tuned six-speed automatic transmission (6HP26) with "Switch-Tronic".

E63/E64 6 Series

BMW E64 645i

The second generation (2003-2010) 6 Series coupe and convertible models use a shortened version of the E60 platform.

Special models

BMW 5 Series Security

The 5 Series Security is an armoured version of the BMW 5 Series sedan with ballistic protection level B4. It included a choice of 367 PS (270 kW; 362 hp) V8 (from BMW 550i) and 258 PS (190 kW; 254 hp) I6 (from BMW 530i) engines, high-performance fibre composites (aramid, polyethylene) and special-purpose steel reinforced chassis, 21 millimetres thick glass with a polycarbonate layer for the windows.^[21]

The vehicle was unveiled in 2005 Frankfurt Motor Show.^[22] BMW 5 Series Security was manufactured alongside the series model at BMW's Dingolfing plant, with armouring prepared before being shipped to a specialist facility in Toluca, Mexico, where the vehicles complete the final assembly stage.^[21]

BMW 5 Series Security

The 5 Series Security is an armored version of the 5 Series sedan with a VR4 ballistic protection level. It included rust-proof chrome-nickel steel at the gaps and borders of the synthetic fibre mats, optional shatter protection element at underbody, aramid mats at roof, body columns, and front wall to the footwell and back wall, polyethylene protective mats in the areas of the doors, 22mm thick polycarbonate coating and multi-layered glass compound window, an electronics box in the engine compartment protected by aramid, optional xenon headlamps and Adaptive Headlight, optional Night Vision with 300 metres range, optional rear view camera, an intercom system and an attack alarm.

Earlier models include the BMW 530i Security and BMW 550i Security.^[23]

Long-wheelbase sedan (China only)

A factory-stretched long-wheelbase version of the E60 5 Series was offered in China, as a response to the Audi A6 L. It offered much of the rear legroom of a large executive saloon (e.g. BMW 7-Series or Mercedes-Benz S-Class), but in a cheaper, simpler model. As of 2009, trim levels included the 520Li, 523Li, 525Li, and 530Li.

BMW 5 Series Authority Vehicle

The 5 Series Authority Vehicle is designed for police forces, fire services, and emergency rescue services. It has a firearm bracket in the rear center armrest.^[24]

Safety

Initially the 5 Series received a three-star rating for adult occupants.^[25] However changes were made to the steering column, footrest, door trims, door latch, airbags and electronic software and the car was retested achieving its four-star rating. BMW claims the modifications improved the car's EuroNCAP score, not the vehicle's safety; consequently BMW chose not to recall the earlier-built cars.^[26]

The American Insurance Institute of Highways Safety (IIHS) gives the 5 Series a "Good" overall rating in frontal collisions but a "Marginal" overall rating for side impact collisions.^[27][28] The IIHS reported their side impact test would likely cause driver related rib fractures and/or internal organ injuries. The IIHS tests were conducted on models built after May 2007; these models had modifications to improve side impact safety.

Euro NCAP scores^[29]

Adult Occupant:
Child Occupant:
Pedestrian:

2008 sedan NHTSA scores^[30]

Frontal Driver:
Frontal Passenger:
Side Driver:
Side Rear Passenger:
Rollover:

Model year updates

2007 facelift

The LCI (Life Cycle impulse) model was released for the 2007 model year. Styling changes were relatively subtle, and included revised headlights, tail lights and front bumper.^[17] The interior was significantly revised. The iDrive system was upgraded with programmable "favourite" shortcut buttons (for late 2008 models), a revised menu system and the switch from DVD to hard disk based storage.^[31] Mechanically, the 5 Series gained the new engines and transmissions from the E70 X5.

The active cruise control was upgraded to bring the vehicle to a complete stop and accelerate from stationary (called" Stop & Go"). Other changes include adaptive headlights, LED rear lights, Lane Departure Warning,^[14] night vision,^[15] head-up display and Brake Force Display. The E60 LCI was the first BMW to feature regenerative braking.^[16]

On automatic transmission models, a shift by wire shifter replaced the mechanical version and shift paddles were available for the first time on a 5 Series model outside of the M5.^[17]

• 
  Facelift BMW 520d sedan (Australia)
• 
  Facelift BMW 528i sedan (USA)
• 
  Facelift BMW 530xi Touring (Sweden)

Production

Units sold according to BMW's annual reports.^[32]

BMW had produced 20,548 M5 with V10 engines, with 19,523 M5 Saloon and 1025 M5 Touring.^[33]

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to BMW E60.