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Posted by: Anthony Lim

BMW Malaysia today previewed the sixth-generation 5 Series premium sedan in the country, making Malaysia the first in Asia to do so.

The F10 will make its market debut here on May 15, and the first of the type to be sold here will be two six-cylinder CBU models, the 535i and 523i.

The vehicle, designed by Adrian van Hooydonk, features a shape and styling that now falls in line as a bridge between the 3 Series and 7 Series in terms of progression, and in the flesh, is a very sleek looking car.

Styling-wise, the car features a long bonnet, short overhangs and the longest wheelbase in its segment, accentuated further by a coupe-like roofline. It does look smaller than the E60, but is actually a bigger vehicle.

The 523i is powered by a normally-aspirated N52B25 2.5l engine offering 204bhp at 6,300rpm and 250Nm of torque from 2,750-3,000rpm, which is good enough for a 0-100kmh time of 8.5secs and a top speed of 234kmh. As for the 535i, this one gets the N55B30 3.0l TwinPower Turbo block, which puts out 306bhp at 5,800rpm and 400Nm of torque at 1,200-5,000rpm. Performance figures include a 0-100kmh time of 6.1secs and a 250kmh top speed.

The new 5 Series is the first car in its segment to feature an 8-speed automatic transmission, in this case the ZF 8HP45, which features in both models, with the one on the 535i including steering wheel paddles and an M gearshift logic.

As expected, the car gets a host of intelligent driver assistance technologies, Integral Active Steering, Dynamic Stability Control and Cruise Control among them. new to the 5 Series is Dynamic Driving Control, which in conjunction with Dynamic Damping Control in the BMW 523i or Adaptive Drive in the BMW 535i, enables the driver to personalise the suspension set-up to taste, from comfortable to sporty.

Elsewhere, the EfficientDynamics crowd is represented by Brake Energy Regeneration and Electromechanical steering, which comes as standard. The latter operates only during the actual steering process; when the car is moving straight, or is at a constant cornering angle, the electric motor which powers the system is inactive, helping to reduce energy consumption.

Both models sit on 17-inch wheels and 225/55 series tyre combinations.Inside, the cabin gets a 4-zone automatic air conditioning system, electric glass roof and BMW’s Navigation Professional system as standard, and the car comes with a new multi-colour Head-Up Display system which transmits critical information such as vehicle speed, navigational directions and other control indicators directly into the drivers field of vision.

There's iDrive, of course, as well as BMW ConnectedDrive,which offers complete USB connectivity - and Bluetooth hands-free functions - to access a host of safety and infotainment functions such as BMW TeleServices and the optional BMW Telematics Platform Accessory (TPA), which includes an emergency Vehicle Recovery System as well as other BMW Assist remote services.

Later in the year, CKD versions and an expanded engine/variant line-up are slated to make their way into the market, but for now, the RM598,800 535i and RM398,800 523i lead the way for the sixth-generation 5er. The prices, of course, are on the road, without insurance, with BMW Service Inclusive + Repair included.