2023 BMW 5 Series transforms in looks & tech – Report [Update]

The seventh-gen BMW 5 Series turns five this October, but it will continue in the market until an all-new 5 Series arrives in mid-2023. The next-gen BMW 5 Series should be the last of the internal combustion engined-5 Series and will pack some big changes in all aspects.

Exterior

The BMW 5 Series adopted a sporty design with the previous full model change, and it will likely become sportier in the next one. Designers should preserve the familiar characteristics like a short front overhang, a long bonnet, a set-back passenger cell, a straight beltline, and the Hofmeister kink.

The front-end could become brawnier with a shark-like nose, courtesy of a new kidney grille with an aggressively protruding upper section and new strikingly contoured headlights with G42 2 Series inspiration. The low roofline would flow smoothly into the tail end, giving the car a familiar silhouette. The tail lamps may have a slimmer and sharper design, increasing the sportiness. The renderings in this story, the work of expert illustrator Sugarchow (Instagram: sugardesign_1), perfectly portray these speculations.

Interior

The interior should be an evolution of the seventh-gen 5 Series. Expect the 2023 BMW 5 Series to borrow some new equipment from the Bimmers revealed this year and coming next year. The biggest change for tech-savvy customers on the inside will likely be the adoption of the new-generation BMW iDrive that runs on the BMW Operation System 8. Unofficially called BMW iDrive 8, the new system reduces buttons and switches by almost half. It features a new GUI that makes it more attractive. An upgraded voice assistant with natural dialogue capability, user profiles (BMW ID), BMW Digital Key Plus with Ultra-wideband (UWB) radio technology, cloud-based BMW Maps, and OTA updates are also part of the iDrive 8.

In addition to the centre console’s fewer physical controls, the BMW Curved Display should contribute to the cockpit’s clean, minimalist theme. It’s a curving screen that merges the driver information display and control display into a single unit. These displays measure as big as 12.3 and 14.9 inches, respectively. First appearing in the BMW iX and then the BMW i4, the BMW Curved Display will integrate air-con controls in the future.

Specifications

The 2023 BMW 5 Series is likely to sit on an updated version of the CLAR platform. It will likely have a greater level of electrification. Expect more plug-in hybrid variants in the next-gen model. According to a report from Autocar UK, the new BMW M550i could pack an electrified 3.0-litre straight-six instead of a 4.4-litre V8. This first-ever M550i plug-in hybrid could offer around 525 bhp of combined power. At the top of the ladder, expect a circa-750 bhp M5 plug-in hybrid with upcoming BMW X8 M or BMW XM’s electrically assisted ‘S63’ twin-turbo V8.

The next-gen 5 Series’ plug-in hybrid selection may comprise the current-day 520e, 530e, and 530e xDrive models with a 2.0-litre petrol engine and 530e with a 3.0-litre petrol engine. The budget and efficiency-focused plug-in hybrid variants should offer more value with increased range and reduced fuel consumption and CO2 emissions.

BMW Group has said that it is trying to improve powertrains to offer a pure electric range of 100 km (62 miles) in its PHEVs. One of the 2023 BMW 5 Series’ plug-in hybrid variants should have a pure electric range of 100 km (62 miles) or at least somewhere close to it.

We are, of course, continuing to develop the drive system and will offer up to 100 kilometres (62 miles) of electric range in the future, depending on the segment.

Pieter Nota, BoM Member for Customer, Brands and Sales, BMW Group (BMW Group Media House interview, June 2020)

The 2023 BMW 5 Series will be available as an EV as well. Possibly the first-ever BMW i5, the electric variant will go against the Tesla Model S, Mercedes EQE and the (next-gen) Audi A6 e-tron.

2023 BMW 5 Series FAQs

Featured Image Source: Instagram/sugardesign_1