The BMW 5-Series will be reborn this year, and the arrival of an electric i5 means it will be the biggest change to the mid-size sedan in its 51-year history.
Of course, as these photos remind us, it’s not just the sedan that’s being reincarnated. Despite the popularity of SUVs, BMW is committed to producing another generation of 5-Series wagons, and the i5 will also be offered in the more practical body style.
Even if BMW hadn’t helpfully plastered “Electrified Vehicle” test stickers to both doors, we’d still be able to easily identify this test car as an i5 and not a regular 5-Series. While both will share the same basic body and ride on the same CLAR platform, much like the new 7-Series and i7 do, the electric i5 has no tailpipes at the rear, and a blanked-off grille because it has no need for cool air in the nose.
The picture below just gives us a little peek at the i5’s optional four-wheel steering, part of a package BMW calls Integral Active steering. That tech has been available on the 5-Series for years, but on the current version car wheels have a limited range of steering motion compared with rival systems. We know from patent information that BMW is working on a more advanced design that offers more rear-wheel articulation for better low-speed maneuverability, but it might not make its debut until BMW’s Neue Klasse electric platform launches in 2025.
Related: 2024 BMW i5 Shows Off Its Interior And Production Headlights In Latest Spy Photos
The brakes on this car suggest it might be a high-performance M60 model with a dual-motor drivetrain and all-wheel drive. Presuming it takes its drivetrain from the iX M60 SUV that’s already on sale, it could have 610 hp (619 PS) and be able to sprint to 60 mph (97 km/h) in less than 3.8 seconds.
The iX is also available as a 516 hp (523 PS) xDrive50 or as a 322 hp (326 PS) xDrive40, and we’d expect both of those options to be offered in the sedan and wagon to please buyers not obsessed with horsepower. And of course, for fans of mid-size BMWs not ready to make the switch to an EV, the regular 5-Series will offer the same basic package powered by mild-hybrid and PHEV engines, plus diesels in Europe and an M5 with over 700 hp (710 PS).
