Comments on: Spy Video: 2011 BMW 5 Series

By: TBeam

TBeam — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 15:18:02 +0000

This might be a dumb question: why are they bothering to wash a test vehicle (1:28)? Checking to see if it’s water tight? or something more superficial – ensuring clean cars in spy shots?

By: Robby

Robby — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 15:07:55 +0000

Is it just an illusion or has it gotten quite a bit larger than the last? I really hope BMW isn’t going to keep trending larger.

By: ralf

ralf — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 11:44:11 +0000

@ Dan

It's a servicevehicle!!

By: Dan

Dan — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 04:55:59 +0000

What’s with the E61 with the thick zebra stripes flashing through the foreground at 1:24?

By: lava

lava — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 04:53:32 +0000

looks the size of a 7 series

By: bastula

bastula — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 04:16:08 +0000

Great, let us know what you are able to dig up.

Honestly though, I am not sure about DOT regs. BMW is basically back and forth on this: the new 7 series gets amber units in the US, but the 5 series won't (speculatively) yet uses similarly styled clusters. The LCI 5 series also received red units so maybe it's just a continuation on the same theme. I am curious about the 5 series GT, as from pictures, it has a more pinkish cluster which would mean amber signals like the 7.

All of this sounds so picky, but personally, why do they go to the trouble of changing the signals to amber if they already have a light cluster that should work in the US? The only exception I could see if all signals went to red due to some safety issue, however, it's not consistent across the BMW model range. The current LCI 6 series has amber LEDs, yet the LCI 5 series gets red LEDs.

By: Michael

Michael — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 03:53:56 +0000

Bastula- Thanks!

BTW the reason for the Red rear turn signals may be DOT regs I will check on this.

-M

By: bastula

bastula — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 03:47:58 +0000

Love the lines on this. I can't wait until it will be revealed.

In the 2nd clip they show a US model with it's red rear turn signals. Not sure why BMWNA wants to do this. Amber signals are obviously more distinctive and safer. It's such an obvious difference that can be seen with the European models in the rest of the video.

Anyways, good job on finding the video.