BMW has silently updated the 5 Series Long Wheelbase in India. There is no price hike, no mechanical change and no dramatic announcement. Instead, BMW has concentrated on adding a few meaningful features that make it more comfortable and safer, particularly for buyers who spend most of their time in the rear seat.
The facelifted BMW 5 Series LWB still carries a price tag of Rs 73.35 lakh (ex-showroom). Cleverly slotted between the 3 Series and the 7 Series in BMW’s sedan portfolio, the 5 Series LWB takes on the likes of the Mercedes-Benz E-Class, Audi A6, and Lexus ES.
At first glance, this car is little more familiar. The big difference is inside.
Panorama Glassroof Sky Lounge: More Light, More Drama
Its biggest update is the addition of the Panorama Glassroof Sky Lounge. This isn’t just your normal panoramic roof.
BMW uses a printed pattern on the glass and built-in LED light. It works along with ambient lighting in the car, along with colors depending on the driving mode. Even in daylight, one is able to see that the lighting lends the cabin an extra bit of premiumness.
This also allows more natural light into the cabin, helping the already spacious LWB cabin feel more open and airy. For rear seat passengers, this is a noticeable step up.
Driving Assistant Plus: More Safety, Less Stress
In the 5 Series LWB, BMW has also fitted the Driving Assistant Plus. It features more active safety features and driver assistance systems.
The key functions it has are:
- Lane change warning
- Front collision warning
- The warning of the rear collision
- Cross-traffic warning
- Active Cruise Control With Stop & Go
The cruise control system can maintain the speed, keeps the safe distance from the vehicle ahead, and can even bring the car to an absolute halt in traffic if required. All controls are done via buttons mounted on the steering wheel to keep things simple and intuitive.
Engine and Variant: No Changes Here
Mechanically, the 5 Series LWB is no different. It sticks on with the 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine coupled with a 48V mild hybrid system and a Steptronic automatic transmission.
This setup produces:
- 258 hp
- 400 Nm of torque
- Mild-hybrid boost of 11 hp and 25 Nm
The rear-wheel-drive sedan accelerates from 0–100 km/h in about 6.5 seconds and has a top speed of 250 km/h.
Here, BMW follows a simple concept of comfort by offering only the sedan in the 530Li M Sport LWB variant
Interior and Features: Still Very BMW
Inside, the cabin still feels premium and well put together. You get:
- Dual tone upholstery with vegan
- Electrically-adjustable, ventilated front seats
- Four-zone climate control
- Dual display setup in the BMW Live Cockpit Plus
- Interaction Bar & ambient lighting
- Wireless charging for front and back
- Bowers & Wilkins 18-speaker sound system
- Digital Key Plus and ConnectedDrive Features
A longer wheelbase guarantees excellent rear legroom, still the biggest reason to buy this version.
A Little Update That Makes Sense
BMW never tried to reinvent the 5 Series LWB with this update; it instead introduced some features which buyers would actually notice and use, like the illuminated glass roof which provides better ambience, and Driving Assistant Plus takes care of the safety in daily driveability.
With both price and mechanicals remaining unchanged, BMW has basically played it safe and smart.
In simple words, the 5 Series LWB is now a bit more comfortable, a bit safer, and still very much the same luxury sedan that the buyers already like.
Sometimes, that’s all an update needs to be.