2012 BMW 535 Review by Joe Wiesenfelder
I don't walk away from every new model with a single overriding impression, but sometimes a car grabs me by the collar and shakes me. While that wasn't exactly the case with the redesigned 2011 BMW 5 Series, that car did consistently whisper in my ear.
If the new 5 Series is anything, it's quiet and comfortable.
This new level of comfort broadens the sport sedan's appeal, but at the same time the newly redesigned car gives up even more of its old visceral experience, which has been abating generation by generation.
The 5 Series sedan comes in three levels: the 528i, 535i and 550i. (The bizarre 5 Series Gran Turismo is reviewed separately.) Though there was a time when those numbers represented engine sizes, BMW's recent embrace of turbocharging has cast off any semblance of meaning. Suffice it to say the 528i has a six-cylinder, the 535i has a turbocharged six-cylinder and the 550i has a turbocharged V-8. See them compared here.
I tested the 535i and 550i with rear-wheel drive. All-wheel drive is available for both of these levels, designated "xDrive."
See also:
Trip computer
There are two types of computer.
▷ "Onboard info": the values can be reset as
often as necessary.
▷ "Trip computer": the values provide an overview
of the current ...
Precision chassis engineering sets new standards: sporty handling, high
agility and increased comfort
In the sixth model generation, too, dynamism and performance are among the
stand-out features of the BMW sports sedan. These qualities are underpinned by a
precision-engineered chassis that perfec ...
General information
The cargo area can be enlarged by folding down
the rear seat backrest.
The rear seat backrest is divided at a ratio of 40–
20–40.
Danger of pinching
Before folding down the rear seat backrests ...