While this editorial has been in the works since late last year, I have refrained from publishing it until now- to better coincide with the official public unveiling of the the 2011 F10 BMW 5 Series.

BMW since the 1970′s has had separate classes of sedans based mainly on size and the level of luxury. This was even true through the late 80′s and 90′s when BMW was accused of producing “the same sausage at different lengths”. The 3 Series has always been the smaller sportier car with less luxury and available options while the flagship sedan was the posh 7 Series. The 7 exuded class and luxury. It was loaded with latest exclusive technologies and ultra premium materials while providing its clientele with copious quantities of space both in the passenger compartment and luggage area. The 5 Series has always been somewhere in the middle in terms of size, luxury and available technology.

Looking at the current 3 series (E90: 2005- current), the current 5 (E60: 2003- until this June), and the last generation 7 series (E65: 2002-2009) it is hard for most to discern the shared design language let alone shared components. Chris Bangle led the revolution to change the look of BMWs, “We were making sausages at different lengths and management at that time and especially Chairman Eberhard von Kuenheim and technical director Wolfgang Reitzle felt we needed to break away and chart a new course for the company and the brand,” Bangle said in David Kiley’s book Driven: Inside BMW, the Most Admired Car Company in the World. Under his leadership (he did not pen the designs) each model had its own style and enough exclusive bits and pieces to make each standout as an individual. Engines, transmissions and other mechanicals were shared throughout the lineup but for the most part things went their separate ways, especially once you openned the doors and gazed at the interior.

From the climate control, the iDrive controller and the gauge cluster, to the gear selector and the steering wheel; each car was unique. Technology was often different in each car and individual items made each special; the 7 with its love it or hate it compass direction controlled iDrive, the 5 Series with an optional Heads Up Display, and the 3 with a key fob rather than a true key are just a few.

This previous generation of models were all designed and mainly built during a period when BMW was pushing sales levels to the max as a way to reach economies of scale. Economies of scale is buying/making things in bulk to obtain a cheaper per unit price. Instead of buying 1 pound of chicken breast at Stop and Shop some opt to buy 10 at Sam’s Club so each pound is cheaper, cars are not that much different. The biggest issue for BMW in reaching scale, as an independent manufacturer, was that it did not have a less prestigious in house brand (selling sedans) to split costs with so they had to produce/sell more of their own products to reach volume. Many to this day believe this is why BMW artificially inflated lease residuals up until recently- to get more product out the door (that is for a different discussion) by offering a cheaper per month payment and therefore lessen the cost per unit to build. Over the course of time, this plan was proven to be less successful than BMW had hope for because the more cars that are in the market lessens the value of a used car (simple law of supply vs. demand) and the inflated residuals subsequently costed them an arm and a leg.

For BMW to remain viable and competitive something needed to change in order to reach economies of scale. There were varying proposals, such as buying another lesser competitor (in this case Volvo) and sharing more with MINI. In the end, what changed was how BMW would design future vehicles and the formation of buying agreements/co-development with other external marquees; a different means to the same end goal of producing great driving vehicles while remaining financially strong.

With the new 5 Series we see a distinct departure from BMWs more recent model individuality. The new 5 can be described from an exterior design as the front of the 7 series and back of the 3 with some more aggression and substance thrown in the hood and along the sides. The 5 is in the middle of these two so it is sort of apropos that that major difference is in the middle.

Some report that almost 80% of the 5 is shared with its high line sibling the 7. From to outside you would not know that, but once inside the similarities are a bit overwhelming. Much of the controls and electronics are identical. The black panel LCDs, the gauge cluster, the steering wheel, the shifter- the list goes on and on.

What once was sacred to the 7 has now been passed on to the mid-range 5 series. From a size perspective the newest 5 is as large as the 7 was two generations ago, granted technology has come a long way and there have been great improvements in build quality but does the 5 encroach into the 7 Series too much?

That is a question that I posed late last year to the 6 and 7 Series product manager from BMWNA, Alanna Bahri. As Ms. Bahri kindly explained to me, “there are a lot of shared items and technology between the cars but there are notable differences. The 7 Series will come with more standard features in base trim and offer higher quality materials throughout the cabin to improve the overall cabin ambience. Another difference between the two model lines will be the 7′s ability to be customized to the owner’s liking even further through BMW Individual.”

Something even more in the 7′s favor as being a step above is that there are exclusive versions of it such as the 760Li and Alpina B7. The 7 has a longer wheel base and greater rear leg room than the 5 which provides a more comfortable ride for passengers while they are being pampered in luxury.

To a man who unfortunately notices the smallest difference in things (a gift and a curse), there are significant differences in the fine details between these models. All of the surfaces in the 7 that look to be a fine leather are just that; the door panels, seat sides, backs and the arm rest. This can not be said for the 5. The 5 (and 5 GT) follow the likes of Audi and other brands in touting that a car has “leather seating surfaces”. Translation- whatever your body touches on the seat when seated is leather and everything else is a high grade leatherette, aka- plastic. Audi somehow has been winning critics over with this approach for years and BMW is now doing the same. Most will not even notice the difference, but I sure did and the fact the 5′s base leather is not the same grade as the 7 really stands out.

The trim and “aluminum” do not have the same visual depth as in the 7 nor do the door pulls and compartments have the same weight to them. The air vents are superior in the 7, offering up a diffuser mode so air does not blow on you like a gust of wind; to me the carpets even feel different (could be over analysis but I doubt it) as do the dash and tops of the door panels. Everything seems to be one material grade down once you enter the 5 when coming from the 7. This is not to say the 5 is not well built or use great materials, it is just that the 7 is a tick above and this is just as it should be.

Discerning buyers will get what they pay for in each model line. There are similarities between these two but there are also differences that are significant enough to separate each one from the other. While to some this new 5 may be encroaching on the 7 a bit more than in the past in my view it really is not.

Many BMW driver’s are also fans of fine watches so let me use this analogy- the 5 is a very nice and well respected Breitling or Omega while the 7 is the like the ultra exclusive offerings from Panerai or Vacheron Constantin. Either way you can not go wrong!

The first 7 Series followed the BMW design that was introduced in the 1977 6 Series coupe. It combined an elegant exterior along with new technical innovations. This original 7 (E23) was designed to provide the sporty handling of a BMW along with powerful refined engines in a package for the upper class of society. The initial flagship of this first 7 series was released in 1980 as the 745i. Interestingly enough the car’s designation did not indicate displacement (and many thought today’s models started that trend!) it was powered by a 3.2 litre turbo 6-cylinder engine. It was one of the performance leaders in the sedan segment at the time. Over the 9-year span it was built (1977-1986) about 280,000 of this model were produced. It was a huge success for BMW.

The second step in the 7 Series (E32) evolution was greeted to much fanfare when it was introduced in 1986. Car critics were pleased with the elegance, power, handling and use of technology. With this style came the worlds introduction to the long wheel base “L” which provided an increase of 4.5i inches in length and an increase in opulence as well. The first 7 Series models were equipped only with six-cylinder engines; this second generation would change that. In 1987, the first German produced twelve-cylinder sedan since the end of the 1930s was introduced as the BMW brands flagship model, the 750iL. At the time it utilized a 5.0l engine that produced 296 horsepower and almost as much torque. In 1992, BMW finally added 8 cylinder engines to the lineup (730i, 740i) bridging the gap between the 6 and 12 cylinder models. Over 300,000 of these cars were produced for customers during the production run.

The third installment of the 7er (E38) is one to marvel at. From the initial launch in 1994 to the end of production it was a car for the ages. Auto Motor und Sport described the car as “Slim and light on its feet”. It featured all of the amenities of a luxury sedan with the exhilarating drive characteristics of a smaller car. This car was the beginning of today’s luxury car, with modern technologies, comforts and exclusivity. It featured a wide range of engines and was the first luxury sedan to feature a diesel power plant (EU) since the 1980s Mercedes Benzes. The lineup ranged from 6 to 12 cylinder engine combinations world wide. After a total of 71/2 years around 327,000 cars were produced some of which you still see driving around today.

That brings us to the current model, known to as the E65/66. It has surpassed the sales records of the previous models in the 7 family and once again changed the face of the luxury car industry. With its release in late 2001 it was a car that grabbed people’s attention, for the good and the bad. It ushered in a new era in terms of BMW design thanks to the likes of Chris Bangle and his initially controversial “flame” surfacing as well as his take on the rear end of cars. Over time other brands have imitated the look and the public has realized they love it. Engines were vastly improved, suspension tuned and lightened (though the size of the car was increased along with overall weight) and oodles of technology was found throughout. Oh, the technology! That leads us to the wonders of iDrive. The car critics and press hated it (many still do or just choose not to understand/judge it in the latest form). This 7 series will long be remembered for the introduction of the do it all iDrive system. It revolutionized how we operate cars by removing countless buttons, knobs and sliders and placing all those controls in a menu guided computer-like interface. When released this car was the best driving, most opulent and technology-laden vehicle in its class.

BMW has also released two versions of this model that can be powered by hydrogen. One with a dual fuel setup that can also be run on traditional gasoline or a hydrogen only version.

While it has put up a good fight it has fallen off in the last few years but with the next generation to be released in the coming weeks you can rest assured the BMW 7 series will once again be the pinnacle of the class. For more information on the upcoming 7 please see here

Source: BMW Photos: BMW/After Midnight