The New BMW 5 Series National Media Test Drive in the Great Bay
Area: A Salute to Shenzhen’s Glorious Past in the “Time for us”

(Shenzhen) From November 9 to 15, the New BMW 5 Series National Media Test Drive was held in Shenzhen, a city of miracle. With brand-new aesthetic design, innovative digital technology, superior premium features and thrilling dynamics, the New BMW 5 Series perfectly interprets of the city’s spirit of enterprisingness. At this 40th anniversary of the establishment of the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone, the new model pays tribute to the city’s glorious past with countless elites of the times, echoing the theme of the event—“Time for Us”.

Within just four decades, Shenzhen completed its meteoric rise from a fishing village out of nowhere to an international metropolis: its GDP and resident population shot up to RMB 2.7 trillion and nearly 14 million from RMB 270 million and 310,000, respectively. Out of over 4,000 special economic zones worldwide, Shenzhen ranks the very top. The city is the brightest new star in the era, and a miracle around the globe.

As an indispensable BMW model and example of premium business sedan, the BMW 5 Series enjoys a total delivery volume of more than 9 million over seven product generations ever since its debut in 1972. During this test drive, the New BMW 5 Series accompanied every participant to get up close to the globally renowned Shenzhen Speed.

Explore the elegant design in a night visit to the city of miracle

The dimming horizon is lit up again in radiant city lights, exuding vitality typical of this modern metropolis. Towering buildings stand among the hustle and bustle of Shenzhen at night, when the extraordinary charm of the city unfolds. Against the dazzling night vista, the New BMW 5 Series Test Drive Event was kicked off.

The brand-new aesthetic design gives the New BMW 5 Series a modern, stylish touch, making it perfectly blend into the buzzing vibe of downtown Shenzhen. 20 years ago, the “Angel Eye” headlights made their debut on the BMW 5 Series, becoming one of BMW’s design icons ever since. Ten years later, they were redesigned with LED light source on the BMW 5 series. Today, the new headlights on the New BMW 5 Series feature a slimmer L-shaped structure, and a unique blue element in the innovative BMW Laser Light, distinguishing themselves as “Angel Wings” at the night in Shenzhen.

The kidney grille, another classic element of the BMW family, has also been upgraded. The enlarged grille in a one-piece design visually integrates with the headlights, giving the car a confident presence amid high-rise buildings. Black edging lends a slimmer, more focused twist to the three-dimensional LED rear lights. The new M Sport Package 18/19-inch rims add to the vehicle’s sporty identity. Passing the city’s landmark—Ping An International Finance Center, the ferris wheel “Shenzhen Glory” and through to Nantou Ancient Town, the origin of Shenzhen with over a-thousand-year history, the New BMW 5 Series leaves a fleeting silhouette.

Embrace times of change with innovative technology

Born into times of reform, Shenzhen is a city dedicated to innovation. With the average age of its resident population at 32.5 years old, the city attracts the best minds in the world. They make up Shenzhen’s most precious capital and the strongest innovation DNA. As a special program to experience the spirit of Shenzhen during the test drive, on-site visits were arranged to tech firm Royole Corporation and Shenzhen Energy Environment Engineering Co., Ltd, a company committed in sustainability.

In the digitally connected world, an automobile is no longer just a car; instead, it is already a mobile terminal in our daily life. The New BMW 5 Series is a product by relentless pursuit of innovation and excellence. Unlocking the car with an iPhone kick-starts a whole new experience of all its innovations. With the new-generation BMW Digital Key, physical keys are no longer needed. It is the first digital key launched by a carmaker under the Digital Key Release 2.0 Specification of Car Connectivity Consortium. With a compatible iPhone or Apple Watch, it enables customers to unlock/lock the car and easily get going by placing the iPhone in the smartphone tray and pushing the start button. Say “Hi BMW” and the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant (IPA) is up and ready to serve. Tell it “Please open half of the window” and the windows are immediately lowered, setting everything ready for the New BMW 5 Series to embark on its journey.

Voice-activated human-and-machine interaction is routine for the New BMW 5 Series. The fully upgraded IPA offers more functions, such as switching driving modes, booking restaurants, setting reminders and memos, and activating air circulation and purification. Each requires just a simple voice command. Moreover, the central touchscreen display is now enlarged from 10.25 to 12.3 inches to offer more comfortable visual effects. Thanks to the iDrive 7.0 Operation System, a larger number of third-party applications are now available, including QQ Music and Himalaya, enabling customers to play their favourite music and podcast. They can also enjoy the music via the Bowers & Wilkins Diamond Surround Sound system. In addition, iXigua short video helps customers to make the most of their fragmented time in the car. Flight Aid, which serves as a good companion on customer travels, also ensures they stay connected at all times.

The new BMW 5 Series Li also comes with advanced automated driving technology, creating a more intelligent driving experience. For example, Parking Assistant Plus includes 3D Remote View, Top View 360° as well as Reverse Tracking Assist, which allows the vehicle to reverse the last 50 meters travelled along its original path. Driving Assistant Professional offers Traffic Jam Assistant, by which the vehicle can automatically keep up with traffic under 60 km/h, while cameras, radars and ultrasonic sensors around the body monitor road conditions in real time to ensure easy driving in urban areas.

Discover the true self in the leisure of time

Say “Hi BMW, please help navigate me to Crosswaters Ecolodge” and the next destination for this test drive pops up instantly on the central central touchscreen. As the buzz of urban life dies down, the pastoral landscape unrolls into the sight. The New BMW 5 Series is hereby ready to take test drive participants out of the Greater Bay Area and onto a pleasant journey.

The new model is strong proof of the one-time catch phrase of “Drive BMW and Ride BMW.” Dedicated to “customer-centricity”, BMW uses Sensatec 2.0 Upholstery in the interior, which combines softness and support. The exquisite Contrast Stitching & Piping Luxurious Diamond Geometry, Perforation lift the luxurious ambience to a new level. All the variants of the New BMW 5 Series are equipped with a Galvanic Sound Cover as standard as well as diverse trims to accentuate the extraordinary luxury ambience.

Boasting the longest wheelbase in the segment, the New BMW 5 Series offers a realm of tranquility in its rear space, where customers can lay back and enjoy their time. All variants of this series come with luxury rear armrest as standard, thicker seat cushions and backrests for Chinese market, and comfortable headrests. The New BMW 530Li and 535Le models in this test drive, equipped with electrically adjustable rear seats and optional professional rear entertainment system, make the journey ever more premium and enjoyable.

During the short pastoral journey, the few New BMW 535Le models in the fleet became a sight of inspiration with their 95 km e-range. The fuel consumption as low as 1.5 L/100 km makes a unique electrified driving pleasure for the new model to be in harmony with nature, and live green.

Embark on a new adventure with an enterprising heart

Driving pleasure is in the DNA of BMW. As the test drive is coming to an end, the New BMW 5 Series finally has the stage to show its performance in a thrilling hill ride on the spectacular Nankunshan Mountain, an oasis on the Tropic of Cancer.

Say “Hi BMW, please switch to Sport mode”, and the speedometer pointer tips up inadvertently, sending a strong push in the back. The New BMW 530Li model is powered by the latest 2.0T four-cylinder turbocharged with an eight-speed Steptronic transmission, cranking out a maximum output of 185 kW and a peak torque of 350 Nm. The new BMW 530Li xDrive has a 0-100 km/h acceleration of 6.8 seconds. The New BMW 535Le model, powered by the latest eDrive technology, has a maximum output of 215 kW, up by 30 kW than the previous model. The variant reaches 420 Nm in combined torque and sprints to 100km/h from a standstill in just 6.7 seconds. The New BMW 5 Series is still a BMW in its purest sense.

Although the wheelbase is five-meter long, the New BMW 5 Series still maintains a smooth ride on the hill. The intelligent lightweight and highly rigid body significantly improves the horsepower-to-weight ratio, allowing the model to push its limits even further. Combining light weight and high strength, the suspension system enables a quicker and clearer dynamic response with a significantly reduced unsprung mass. The classic five-link rear suspension, precisely inhibiting wheel hopping with its unique structure, makes the ride on the mountain safe and stable. Air suspension springs, together with the Electronic Damper Control system, make sure that driving is impressively comfortable and stable. A brief yet passionate driving has not disturbed the peaceful Nankunshan Mountain. Instead, it snapshots the agility and maneuverability of the New BMW 5 Series, and accentuates the audacity to set out on a new adventure.