The BMW 5-Series

I (and my best friend Laurent from LosCars) are huge fans from the BMW 5-series. We're definitely not alone, because BMW's second best selling models are those that belong to the Series 5 lineup. The series lineup is considered to be those in the mid size section of cars that included luxury settings, which is what the manufacturer was going for. The original models that were produced were styled by Marcello Gandini. And right from the beginning, these cars were considered some of the most luxurious cars that could be found anywhere. All of the cars in these series are going to start with the number '5' and then be followed by two more numbers, which was reference to the engine size, and they may follow with letters that represented the fuel type that the car ran on.

The first generation of the series 5 was the E12. There were several models produced with the E12 style:

• 518
• 520
• 520i
• 525
• 528i
• 530i
• 530 Motorsport Limited Edition
• M252i

This generation ran from 1972 to 1981. And it was clear from this generation that the car was going to be a hit among the public. These cars only had one body style and that was the four door sedan. From 1928 to 1988 the second generation of the Series 5 was in production with the E28. The styling was similar to the E12, however, they did do some improvements, such as making the rear end more boxy and adding a rubber layer on the bumper, with different headlights and taillights. The models in this lineup included:

• 518
• 518i
• 520i
• 524d
• 525i
• 525e
• *528i
• 530i
• 535i
• M535i
• 524td
• 528e
• 533i
• 535i
• 535is
• M5

Those cars that were included in this generation kept with the four door sedan styling that people had come to know as the significant defining characteristic of the Series 5.

With the third generation, starting in 1988 and going to 1996, the Series 5 took on a whole new look that was considered to be the most luxurious of its time. The cars in this generation were termed the E34. The square box shape became more rounded, giving off an elegant feel. In addition, this was the generation in which the automaker became noted for its safety features that were included on these vehicles.

The fourth generation lasted from 1995 to 2003. These were known as the E39. These were considered the most popular in all of the Series 5 thanks to a new look that gave off a crisp and luxurious feel. The car was available in a sedan model as well as a station wagon model. And these models earned many praises among the auto world, including a place in the top ten cars to own.

The E60 and E61 were produced from 2003 to 2010, and is considered the fifth generation of the Series 5. However, the new look that the car was sporting was not liked by all that are in the auto world, though that did not seem to stop the car from being one that the public embraced. Currently, the Series 5 is in its sixth generation with the F10 and F11. And compared to past generations, this car is a whole new approach to luxury and performance.