Gimme a 5

MANILA, Philippines – When members of the local motoring press were first introduced to BMW’s new 5 Series (known at BMW as the F10) a few months back, we were given the express permission to abuse and push a couple of units – within reason, of course – at the Batangas Racing Circuit.

We made an abrupt lane change at 60 kph. We slammed on the brakes after accelerating hard – until the taillights went on emergency mode (to warn motorists behind) and blinked urgently. We coaxed the 530d variant between cones at high speed to feel the Gs. We threw caution to the wind, selected “Sport Plus” mode and made like maniacs – flooring the gas and throwing the car at sharp corners.

Through it all, the 5 was surefooted and, quite frankly, nonplussed. It suffered fools gladly, and almost made us forget what we were doing. Had we been on public roads, our stunts would have earn us a ticket – and probably an accident. But this was the 5 of course, not some faceless entrant to a demolition derby.

Truth to tell, what we had nary a second to do in Batangas was enjoy the 5’s sheer luxury.

After all, the newest progeny of the distinguished 5 Series had a lot to live up to. There were expectations to meet and, well, more expectations. Seven years is, indeed, too long a time to itch for the new edition, and 5 had better be up to scratch (tee-hee).

The 523i variant that I got to borrow for a few blessed days afforded me a better appreciation not just of the 5’s real-life performance but the accoutrements that come with the exquisite BMW brand.

The spanking new eight-speed auto Steptronic transmission took charge of the 2.5-liter engine smoothly, keeping the vehicle in “optimum rev range” which also promises fuel consumption and lower greenhouse gas emissions. After all, what is a proper car without a conscience? Speaking of which, you will notice a psychic reward meter on the dashboard, which the BMW folks call the Brake Energy Regeneration. Simply put, this technology converts “redundant kinetic energy” (when you ease off the gas pedal) into electricity that charges the battery for free. You thus save energy (i.e. fuel because you need less power to feed the battery).

Since its debuted in 2001 in the 7 series, the iDrive computer system of Bimmers has been a staple and expected feature. The new 5 also features the latest iteration of the technology, and additional direct menu control buttons.

The bewildering array of information and controls available to the driver includes doing oil, tire pressure, and other system checks. Critics of the iDrive lambast the overwhelming amount of information and controls, but no one can ever say a BMW – much less the new 5 – is a simple car. And to earn your BMW, you need to appropriately learn to use, and enjoy, it. Besides, information is power.

Not to be overlooked is the vehicle’s impressive climate control system. As with other premium rides, customization is king. Rear passengers can independently control how cold and how strong they want their A/C to be. A little piece of thoughtfulness, too: the front ducts may be adjusted from “focused air stream” to “diffuse.” What that means is that you can have your A/C draft-free, too. Choices, choices.

Owning a BMW is obviously a reward in itself, but you are constantly bombarded with attention as a perk to your fantabulous ride choice. People just seem overjoyed and fascinated to see you (more correctly, your ride). At a particularly congested parking area, the roving guard went out of his way to find a slot for us – with a smile, to boot.

On the road, the 5’s supple muscles, tasty design, and obvious pedigree never fail to turn heads. The aggressive fascia, with the milky eyebrowed-headlights and oh-so-yummy double kidney grills mean business – seemingly proclaiming to the world: “Hi! I’m a Bimmer, and you’re not!”

It’s not all posturing, either. The 5 is a robust, enabled performer – packing in a 2.5-liter six-pack under its hood that can generate 204 horses. For a solidly-built ride, the 5 feels nimble. BMW literature says it can reach a top speed of 234 kph (higher variants top 250), and I understandably went nowhere near that figure – not on someone else’s P5 million-peso vehicle. Gas consumption ranged from six to about eight kilometers to the liter – and that was because I frequently found myself crawling on EDSA.

All told, a lot is riding on the 5’s sinewy shoulders. Said Feisal Meeajun of the brand’s regional office in Singapore, the 5 is a crucial cog in BMW’s plan to stamp its mark as the most successful premium auto brand.

And justifiably so.

The 5 is back with its distinct BMW legend that has endeared it to us, just as there are enough changes all around that make it more than simply eye candy on the pages of newspaper motoring sections, car magazines, and brochures.

Go on, you know you want it.

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The 523i costs P5.39 million, while the 523i Executive is priced at P5.590 million.