Despite offering a more distinctive and piercing design, this generation of the Series 5 did not initially garner unanimous appeal. A few years later however, sales of the Series 5 E60 have signicantly increased, validating chief designer Chris Bangle’s work while demonstrating that this is a car which ages gracefully. The Series 5 remains the standard within its class, thanks to an almost perfect blend of luxury and sporty temperament.

The exterior design offers complex lines and surfaces giving the vehicle a strong presence. The distinctive and aggressive headlights are reminiscent of the falcon’s eyes. A few minor touchups were made halfway through the 2008 model year, namely the slight modification of the grille and the addition of two rear LED tail lights.

The general consensus is that the interior design is not as appealing as that of the exterior. The focus was to minimize the number of buttons and to balance the control for the various functions of the iDrive which is controlled by a joystick next to the gearshift. The overall feel of the interior is stark and even slightly cold. The changes made halfway through the 2008 model year have alleviated these concerns by adding several buttons, a more modern looking gearshift and a much improved, more practical interior design.

Variants and engines available in early generation (2004):

525i / 525xi: 6L, 3.0 L, 215 hp / 185 lb-ft

530i / 530xi / 530xi Touring: 6L, 3.0 L, 255 hp / 220 lb-ft

545i: V8, 4.4 L, 325 hp / 330 lb-ft



Variants and engines offered in late generation :

528i / 528xi: 6L, 3.0 L, 230 hp / 200 lb-ft

535i / 535xi / 535xi Touring: 6L twin-turbo, 3.0 L, 300 hp / 300 lb-ft

550i: V8, 4.8 L, 360 hp / 360 lb-ft



i: Rear-wheel drive

xi: Four-wheel drive

Touring: Station wagon