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Making A Dynamic Appearance in the Business Class: The New BMW 5 Series Saloon 04/04/2003 - Innovative lightweight construction with an aluminium/steel body - All-aluminium chassis and suspension, Active Front Steering, Dynamic Drive and run-flat tyres. - Straight-six spark ignition engines from 2.2 - 3.0 litres, 3.0-litre straight-six diesel engine with common rail, 4.4-litre V8 spark ignition engine with VALVETRONIC; manual and automatic six-speed transmission. - iDrive control concept, head-up display. - Adaptive headlights, Brake Force Display, bi-xenon headlights, Active Cruise Control. - More space at the rear and much bigger luggage compartment. Munich. This really is an impressive newcomer at first sight: The very first time you behold and admire the sporting, elegant and powerful-looking body of the new 5 Series, you will immediately appreciate this dynamic representative of the BMW business class. And you will experience this dynamism on the road through the sophisticated overall concept of innovative technologies including a brand-new, weight-saving aluminium/steel bodywork structure. So in a nutshell, the new 5 Series Saloon offers more space and comfort on less weight, with enhanced fuel economy and even better performance, as well as ideal axle load distribution. Only active driving systems are able to further enhance the safe and comfortable driving pleasure offered by the perfectly tuned all-aluminium suspension. And it is precisely here that the new 5 Series, featuring the world's first Active Front Steering as well as active Dynamic Drive stabilisation, gives the driver the option to enjoy an unprecedented synthesis of agility, handling, and driving comfort all in one. Providing a wide range of run-flat tyres for the new 5 Series, BMW is also enhancing the leadership of the marque in the introduction of such safety tyres with failsafe running characteristics. Entering the market with six-cylinder power units: The 520i, 530i, and 530d reaching customers in July 2003. To be launched in the European markets in July 2003, the new BMW 5 Series will be intially appearing in three variants featuring straight-six power units: The 520i developing maximum output of 125 kW/170 bhp and maximum torque of 210 Nm/ 155 lb-ft, the 530i with 170 kW/231 bhp and 300 Nm/221 lb-ft, both models featuring BMW's unique, silken-smooth bi-VANOS spark ignition engines, and the 530d developing maximum output of 160 kW/218 bhp and maximum torque of 500 Nm/369 lb-ft and powered by BMW's new diesel featuring second-generation common rail technology. All three variants come as standard with a new six-speed manual gearbox, with six-speed automatic being available as an option on all model variants. The BMW 520i / 530d / 530i accelerate from 0-100 km in 9.0 / 7.1 / 6.9 seconds and achieve a top speed of 230 / 245 / 250 km/h (143 / 152 /155 mph), with fuel consumption in the composite EU cycle of 9.0 / 6.9 / 9.5 litres/100 km (31.3 / 40.9 / 29.7 mpg Imp).Whilst larger and more spacious than its predecessor, the new saloon is not heavier, but even - depending on the model - up to 75 kg or 165 lb lighter. This is attributable inter alia to the lightweight aluminium front section combined with the rest of the body-in-white made of steel to take a trendsetting step into the future of bodywork construction. Despite its increase in size and the wider range of comfort features, the BMW 5 Series offers a standard of all-round performance setting new benchmarks in the Executives Express Segment on a relatively low level of fuel consumption. Design: sporting, refined, unmistakable. In its looks and appearance, the new 5 Series combines the dynamism and sporting flair of the 3 Series with the supremacy and presence of the BMW 7 Series. Through its design alone, the new Saloon thus forms the powerful centrepoint within the BMW model range. The muscular front end with its unmistakable, curved headlight clusters featuring dual headlights and the coup