The upgrades under the skin, though, are set to be even more consequential, as the cabin is expected to adopt BMW’s Panoramic iDrive set-up. This will see the inclusion of a full-width head-up display across the base of the windscreen, paired with a large and fast-reacting centre touchscreen display. Tell-tale signs of both are visible through the windscreen of these prototypes.
These new elements will be part of a fresh cabin layout, in which BMW has presumably focused on enhancing the sense of quality, after some less-than-favourable feedback for the current generation.
It’s not yet known whether the passenger display or clever illuminated panelling from the new iX5 will be integrated. However, with a need to spread the development costs of these new features across as many model lines as possible, we suspect the new 5 Series will adopt at least some of them.
The third major change is the likely switch to the company’s latest battery technology on the all-electric i5. BMW’s decision to develop its executive saloon with a powertrain-flexible chassis has traditionally meant a limited battery capacity and, by extension, a range that’s off the pace against rivals from Audi and Mercedes. However, thanks to more energy-dense battery cells, this gap will be minimised, if not extinguished altogether.
The current 5 Series and i5’s considerable spread of powertrain variants will remain, but the UK’s focus will be on electric and plug-in hybrid options, with no diesel expected to be available, as is the case with the current generation.
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