The BMW 5 Series G60 brought the i5 electric saloon into the range

The BMW 5 Series G60 is the eighth generation of the German firm's executive saloon, and an electric sibling, the i5, arrived alongside it. It replaced the G30 and came as a saloon, a Touring estate and, for China alone, a long-wheelbase version. All three sit on an updated form of the rear-drive architecture that also underpins the larger 7 Series.

When did the G60 reach customers?

Production began in Dingolfing on 21 July 2023, and the i5 followed four days later. Sales opened in October 2023, and US dealerships received their first cars on 28 October. The estate started production in March 2024, while the China-only long-wheelbase car had been unveiled the previous August.

The i5 came off the same assembly line as the combustion and plug-in models, so one plant covered most of the family. Pricing for European cars was disclosed in October 2023, and four- and six-cylinder plug-in hybrids were slated to follow in 2024.

The G60 kept the executive saloon formula and added an electric i5 that shares its body, cabin and platform.

How much larger is the G60 than its predecessor?

Compared with the car it replaced, the saloon has grown by 97 mm (3.8 in) in length and gained 33 mm (1.3 in) of width. Height rose by 36 mm (1.4 in), and the wheelbase stretched by 20 mm (0.79 in). The result is a car longer than the 2001 E65 7 Series.

The Touring is 97 mm longer than the outgoing estate too, but only 32 mm wider and 17 mm taller. Its wheelbase of 2,995 mm (117.9 in) is the longest in its class.

Aerodynamics were a priority. The drag coefficient sits between 0.22 and 0.23 across the range. An air flap in the grille opens to improve airflow and adds up to 16 mi (26 km) of range, while an air curtain manages the flow past the front wheels. Flush-fitting handles, a sloping tailgate lid and a closed underbody finish the outline. Lightweight wheels with inserts add a little more efficiency.

How was the i5 tested before launch?

Engineers started i5 testing in February 2022, when prototypes set off from Munich for the test centre in Arjeplog in northern Sweden. Snow and frozen lakes exercised the motors, power electronics, high-voltage battery and climate systems. The trip alone covered roughly 2,980 km (1,850 miles).

Development chose Arjeplog because its snow-covered roads and frozen lakes give wide expanses of ice. Engineers used that setting to judge chassis, steering, braking and stability systems in harsh conditions.

Work continued through 2022 at BMW Group sites and on public roads around Munich and Dingolfing. Teams refined the chassis, steering, braking and noise. Winter running on icy Alpine roads followed, and the cars went north again for endurance runs the following February.

What suspension and steering does the G60 use?

The front axle uses double wishbones on coil springs, and the rear is a multilink arrangement on air springs. Torque vectoring works through a system BMW calls near-actuator wheel slip limitation. Optional Integral Active Steering turns the rear wheels by up to 2.5 degrees, and adaptive dampers and active anti-roll bars can also be specified.

The same structure underpins every BMW with a longitudinally mounted combustion engine or an electric drivetrain. That shared base is why the chassis work carries across the range.

What does the cabin offer?

The G60 is the first BMW to run iDrive 8.5, a Linux-based system. A BMW Curved Display places the instrument cluster and infotainment screen behind one panel with a touch interface. It is also the first 5 Series offered with a completely leather-free cabin.

The instrument display is 310 mm (12.3 in) across and the infotainment screen 380 mm (14.9 in). Streaming video and in-car games come through AirConsole, which uses a smartphone as its controller. The BMW Interaction Bar is optional on base models and standard on the i5, with touch controls for climate and hazard lights.

Alcantara covers the seats and steering wheel on the leather-free cars, and the M Sport pack keeps the same treatment. Multi-contour seats come as standard on the i5 M60.

Driving Assistant Professional pairs steering and lane control with distance control and Stop and Go. Its Active Lane Change Assistant suggests a lane change but waits for the driver to look at the mirror before acting. In the United States, Canada and Germany, where rules allow, Highway Assistant can take over steering on divided highways at speeds of up to 130 km/h (81 mph).

How much luggage room is there?

The saloon's boot holds 520 L (18 cu ft) in combustion and plug-in hybrid form, 10 L (0.35 cu ft) less than before. The Touring has 570 L (20 cu ft), and that grows to 1,700 L (60 cu ft) when the rear seats are folded flat. The i5 saloon manages 490 L (17 cu ft).

Wheel sizes stretch from 19 to 21 inches. The Touring gave up the independent rear glass opening of earlier estates, because a more forward D-pillar improved drag without losing load space.

Which engines and gearboxes are offered?

Most G60 cars use turbocharged petrol or diesel engines with a 48-volt mild hybrid system, while plug-in hybrids and the all-electric i5 make up the rest. Every model except the electric cars comes with the ZF 8HP eight-speed automatic. Rear-wheel drive is the base, with xDrive optional or standard depending on the car.

The core petrol unit is a 2.0-litre four-cylinder whose starter-generator sits inside the transmission. Plug-in hybrids pair a permanent-magnet synchronous motor with a 19.4 kWh lithium-ion battery. On the 530e the electric range is 87 to 101 km (54 to 63 mi), and on the 550e it is 79 to 90 km (49 to 56 mi). Both can cruise below 140 km/h (87 mph) in electric modes.

How much power does the i5 have?

The i5 eDrive40 is rated at 340 PS (250 kW; 335 hp) and sends 400 Nm to the rear wheels, rising to 430 Nm with Sport Boost or Launch Control. The M60 xDrive adds a front motor for 601 PS (442 kW; 593 hp) and 795 Nm, or 820 Nm when boost is active.

The electric motors sit in the axles, with one-speed transmissions and power electronics housed alongside. BMW's fifth-generation e-drive uses a current-excited synchronous machine, which avoids permanent magnets and rare earth materials. The M60 also brings standard adaptive suspension, a ride height 7.62 mm (0.300 in) lower than the base car, and upgraded brakes.

The onboard charger takes 11 kW AC as standard, with 22 kW available as an option. DC fast charging reaches 205 kW, and moving the battery from 10 to 80 percent takes about 30 minutes. Plug and Charge authenticates the car at compatible stations, and up to five provider accounts can be stored in iDrive.

Max Range mode restricts the car to 90 km/h (56 mph) and turns off climate control, heated and cooled seats and the heated wheel. It stretches the remaining charge by up to 25 percent. Batteries sit under the floor, along the centre tunnel and beneath the rear bench, with four modules of 72 cells and three of 12.

Where is the G60 sold, and in which trims?

Europe received six 5 Series trims in September 2023, among them the 520i, 530e and 550e xDrive. Diesel 520d models were sold in every European country except the UK. In the US, dealerships received the 530i, 530i xDrive, 540i xDrive and 550e xDrive from 28 October 2023, with the i5 eDrive40 and M60 xDrive alongside them.

BMW Group India launched a locally assembled i5 Long Wheelbase in September 2026, priced from 79.6 lakh rupees at introduction. Built at Chennai as an eDrive35L M Sport, it offers 268 hp, an 81.6 kWh battery and a 669 km MIDC range, plus 160 kW of DC fast charging.

What about the Touring and the G68?

The G61 Touring was unveiled in February 2024, and the i5 Touring arrived in the same month with M60 and eDrive40 variants. The xDrive40 joined the electric estate range in November 2024, giving buyers an all-wheel-drive option in the estate.

The long-wheelbase G68 was built for China only. It was unveiled in August 2023 and assembled at the Dadong plant, making it longer than the standard saloon.

Specifications at a glance