Lost in all the chatter regarding the looks of this new 2011 5 Series are some significant differences from the previous generation of 5 that you probably haven’t heard or read much about. Some affect your safety, some affect your driving feel, and others affect your driving efficiency.
But you need to know about all of them, because they could be a deciding factor in whether or not you choose to upgrade from the 2009 5 Series to this current 2011 version.
So, here are 5 things that you should compare before making your choice. (Note: The models compared are the 2011 535i and the 2009 535i. The 2011 model is referred to as the new 5, the 2009 is referred to as the old 5.)
The 2011 535i
Your Safety Changes Things
The brakes on the new 5 do their job better than do those on its’ older brother from 2009. The ventilated anti-locks on the 2011 need two less feet to completely stop from 70mph than its’ predecessor did. And if you don’t think two feet is anything to talk about, take out your measuring tape and imagine the difference it could make when driving your city’s favorite overly-crowded highway…at rush hour.
The F10's extra protection at work.
Is the additional airbag protection a “Pro” for this new 5 Series over the old? Of course it is, as is the improved performance of the brakes. So, check one in the Pro column for safety changes in the F10 over the E60.
The brake performance on the new 5 is more surprising given that the F10 weighs about 200 pounds more than the previous generation of 5 does. As with any weight gain that isn’t accompanied by a proportional increase in power, you’d be right to assume that the new 5 has less impressive performance numbers than the old 5.
Here’s the thing, though: it doesn’t feel that way.
