The thought of a family road trip incites mixed emotions. On the one hand, it’s a great experience to get out and see the many faces of this great land. On the other hand, I’m reminded of torturous days spent sharing the back seat of my parents’ Camaro with my brother and an Igloo cooler, listening to Dolly Parton on 8-tracks while the sun beat down on the back of my head. To make matters worse, the air conditioning didn’t quite reach the back seat as the old man chain-smoked Bel-Airs (he is a Chevy guy through and through) for four-hour stints between gas/meal/bathroom stops. The fact that I am even able to take a road trip today is remarkable, but I can thank counseling for that.
When BMW invited me on a merry thousand-mile jaunt through California, I could feel the inevitable anxiety swelling within me. But they assured me that I could sit in the front seat, I would have control over the air conditioning, I could stop as often as I wanted and for whatever reason, and there would be no second-hand smoke floating about the cabin. Better yet, I would be taking the trip with their family, not my own.
The family, in this case, is the newly updated 5 Series. The exterior changes to BMW’s mid-size sedan are subtle, amounting to mildly retouched headlamps and taillights and reprofiled front and rear bumpers. You would be hard-pressed to discern a 2008 5 Series from a 2007 version at more than ten yards distance, but that’s not important. The big changes are hidden beneath the surface. For starters, the interior has been given a modest but significant restyling, adding interest and substance to the previously austere cabin.
But we still haven’t ventured deep enough to discover what truly sets the ‘08s apart. That happens under the hood, where BMW has fitted two new in-line sixes, one of them the much-lauded 3.0-liter twin-turbo unit.
For 2008, there will be a total of seven 5 Series variants offered to the American market: 528i Sedan, 528xi Sedan, 535i Sedan, 535xi Sedan, 535xi Wagon, 550i Sedan, and M5 Sedan. Over the course of three days I had a chance to experience all four engines and both drive configurations while traversing some of the most uniquely scenic roads in the western United States. Needless to say, this experience was nothing like the trips I took as a kid.
528i from Las Vegas to Death Valley
The 525i lives no more; it has been replaced by the 528i as the elementary 5 Series. Like its predecessor, the 528i uses the 3.0-liter inline six (known internally as the N52), but with an additional 15 horsepower. At 230 horsepower you might expect the 528i to be a sloth, but far from it. Clearly it is not the star athlete of the family, but it’s also no couch potato.
The drive through western Nevada into Death Valley is largely devoid of obstacles or roadside distractions, making it perfect for taking in the handsome new cockpit. The last iteration of the 5 featured an interior that was at once progressively modern and yet somehow starkly cold in its lack of interesting details. By simply replacing the molded plastic door cards with ones featuring stitched leather panels, the cabin gains an Eames-like quality, marrying modernity with the warmth of traditional materials.
The dashboard is carried over from the 2007 model, meaning the dual-cowl fascia with standard iDrive screen remains. Thankfully the wood veneer from the dash now carries onto the door panels as well, adding to the cozier feeling inside. Other feel-good touches are the perfect new three-spoke steering wheel, the passenger’s grab handle covered in leather, a leather-wrapped center console and metallic-finished radio and climate control buttons. The sum total of all these changes is a passenger compartment that feels more luxurious in every dimension and more appropriate for the price segment in which the 5 competes.
Automatic transmissions are the norm in this class, but the 528i I drove was manually shifted. BMWs are among the few cars in this class that actually feel right with a manual, and the 6-speed unit in the 528i is no exception. With a light clutch take-up and smooth, if somewhat vague, shift action, anyone who has spent a lifetime driving stickshift cars will be right at home. Of course, BMW expects most owners to opt for the 6-speed Steptronic automatic instead, and with its rapid, precise gear changes, it makes a compelling case for itself, especially considering it’s a no-cost option on the 5 Series.
Considering my proximity to Hell on Earth, the most important feature of the car may well have been its climate control system. Unlike models just a few generations back, the air conditioning is easily up to the task of shedding triple-digit heat from the passenger area. My arrival in Death Valley was greeted by 104-degree temps, but the car never let onto the miserable conditions outside.
In fact, conspicuously absent from the instrument cluster is a proper coolant temperature gauge. The N52 engine employs an electric water pump that runs independent of the engine. This allows the engine control unit to moderate coolant temps as conditions require. So for instance, at start-up the pump may not run at all, allowing temperatures to rise more quickly to comply with emissions requirements. In reality, an accurate coolant temp gauge would likely read all over the place under the direction of the ECU, causing potential panic among drivers used to seeing a needle parked in the middle position.
550i from Death Valley to Lake Isabella
Further up the 5 Series range is the 550i, powered by BMW’s impressive 360-horsepower 4.8-liter V8. Dressed in sport package trim, as mine was, the 550i is perhaps the best looking member of the 5 family. Sitting on massive 19-inch M wheels, it looks ready to attack from every angle. It also wears a modest suit of aero armor and is finished off with a dual-tipped sport exhaust system.
What’s so interesting about driving the 550i is how well it masks its ability to build steam. The 360 horses are the result of a torque curve that peaks at 360 lb-ft, building in such a way that you’re simply not aware that the car is suddenly hurtling down the road at such a swift pace. An inattentive driver, not glancing at the speedo periodically, will quickly find himself outpacing traffic at what feels like a leisurely pull.
Like all other 5 Series models, the 550i is available with a six-speed manual transmission. However, to bolster its position as the all-around touring champion of the lineup, BMW will offer a Sport version of the Steptronic automatic transmission. This option will go into production after the initial launch, and steering wheel-mounted shift paddles, a driver-selectable Sport mode for more engaging shift behavior, and the ability to match engine speed on downshifts will separate this unit from the tamer automatic.
You would expect this upper-echelon model to arrive at the party well dressed, and to this end the 550i delivers. Leather upholstery is standard issue, along with Park Distance Control and the clever Ambient Lighting Package, which showers the door panels and footwells with a warm and subtle glow. Other standard niceties that are optional on other 5’s are the auto-dimming mirrors and BMW’s universal transceiver for garage door openers and other such functions.
Sport trim is the way to go with the 550i. Nineteen-inch wheels with staggered width (8 inches in front, 9.5 inches in back) wrapped in W-rated performance rubber and dark window trim are the most visible evidence of this option, but 550i Sport also conveys a sense of confident performance with its subtle body kit. More restrained than the M5’s bodywork, the sport package’s aero bits include a revised front bumper with larger air inlets, a diffuser-style rear bumper, more sculpted side skirts and a low-profile trunk spoiler. The package also includes a suspension with active roll stabilization that has been fine-tuned for more aggressive driving and a sport-tuned exhaust system whose twin tips poke through the opening in the rear bumper.
Perhaps best of all are the front sports seats, with extending thigh bolsters and 4-way lumbar supports. BMW has long been recognized for making some of the best driving seats in the business, and these are exceptionally well suited to logging mile after mile, especially the kind of miles leading out of Death Valley, where the terrain resembles a far-off planet more than it does any part of America I’m familiar with.
Since no road trip is complete without jerky, the roadside stand promising “Really Good Fresh Jerky” seemed too good to pass up. I have to give credit to the purveyors of dried meat for honest advertising, as theirs was easily the best I’ve ever had. As I gnawed away on my mildly seasoned, dehydrated treat, I circled the 550i several times to take in its nuances. It is, dare I say, a more discreet and better-looking car than the M5, with enough fervor to satisfy my everyday appetite for performance. It will also return significantly greater fuel economy. Chew on that!
535xi from Lake Isabella to Yosemite
All-wheel-drive and sunny California may seem like an odd combination, but BMW pitches its xDrive technology as more of an active safety feature able to respond to quickly-changing road conditions than a mere winter driving aid. Surprisingly, or perhaps by design, many of the twisty sections of this drive included shoulders with loose debris and the occasional falling rock warning. Turns out having all-wheel-drive here is useful after all.
Connecting BMW’s award-winning twin-turbo 3.0-liter engine to its permanent all-wheel-drive system makes the 535xi a very capable sedan. It’s also the only combination that will be offered in wagon form, a wise decision given the limited appeal of premium wagons in America.
Taking the long way to Yosemite meant tackling some challenging roads. Not only did the route wind and twist, it also climbed dramatically in areas. Paired with an impressive six-speed Steptronic automatic transmission, the 535xi easily conquered the challenges presented by the rugged terrain. Working in Sport mode, this trans snapped off downshifts decisively and with precision. The benefit of pumping air into the engine revealed itself as the altitude increased- power losses in the rarer air were minimal.
As gifted as the 535xi is, it’s difficult to think of it as a true driver’s car. One setback is the total absence of an available sport suspension on cars with xDrive. The real factor though is that once the front wheels are pushing torque, the balance of the chassis is upset. When the throttle was down on those forest roads, the front wheels of the xi drifted like a Ritalin-deprived 10-year-old, pulling it off its instructed course and greatly diminishing the one quality for which BMW is perhaps best known.
Does this make the 535xi a bad car? Hardly! Power delivery from the mighty twin-turbo is as strong and silent as God himself. And for a lot of drivers, the added security (and division of the torque) of all-wheel-drive means they’ll be able to enjoy driving their BMW regardless of weather conditions, even if it means they’ll have to find another toy for the autocross.
535i from Yosemite to Fresno
The spectacular roadways of Yosemite National Park and the surrounding areas beg for a proper driver’s car, and within the new 5 Series range the 535i sedan is the best all-arounder. If BMW’s crystal ball is in tune, the 535i sedan will make up the bulk of 5 Series sales here in America.
Driving through Yosemite in a muscle-bound sport sedan is an exercise in restraint. The view of the often-narrow roads is reminiscent of a WRC special stage, with exposed slabs of unbroken rock on one side of the car and hundred-meter dropoffs on the other. Should one make a mistake here and misjudge his braking and/or turning ability, the margin for error is slim. Of course, this is a public park, not a deserted wagon trail, which means there is almost always a tour bus, rental car, bicycle or hiker around every corner. In short, there is no good reason (or opportunity, honestly) to fly through the park like Colin McRae. And then there’s the natural beauty of the park itself, constantly demanding the full attention of all in its presence.
Thankfully, much of the same awe-inspiring terrain and asphalt exists just outside of confines of the park, and the 535i was all-too eager to attack. Compared to its all-wheel-drive sibling, the rear-drive 535i feels appropriate taking a flogging in the countryside. The back tires do the pushing while the front ones deal with directional changes. The optional sport suspension is a must for the serious driving enthusiast, ideally suited to the demands of backroad workouts without punishing driver and passengers in regular driving. If you stay away from the active steering option, you’ll be rewarded with a very direct and natural experience. Otherwise, this feature that takes all of the work out of parking lot duty becomes a menace to serious driving with its video game-like response and feedback.
Away from the majesty of Yosemite, the middle part of California looks a lot like Iowa, but with mountains in the background. The chicanes eventually yield to flat farm roads laid out grid-style, with every imaginable kind of produce growing in every direction. And just like in the Midwest, farm country means lots of passing zones. Conditions like these showcase the technological marvel that is the N54 engine. Making its first appearance in the current 3 Series coupe, this engine is a reminder that when your middle name is Motoren, you have a lot to live up to.
Three-hundred horsepower and an equal pound-foot count from a turbo six-cylinder may not seem outrageous by today’s standards, but it’s the way the power is administered that is so truly awesome. For years automotive writers have proclaimed one turbo engine after another to be “virtually” free of lag, but none so far can come close to this BMW’s absence of delay in delivering the goods, regardless of where the needle is on the tach. Plainly stated, this engine feels like it possesses nearly twice its modest 3.0-liters of displacement. And it goes about its business with no commotion, taking smoothness to a new place all the while.
Paired with the quick-shifting Steptronic auto-box, the turbo engine slingshots the 535i around moving lettuce trucks and citrus haulers as though they were roadside monuments. Enthusiasts will likely prefer the standard 6-speed manual when it becomes available later in the year, but the Steptronic is good enough on its own to make the wait seem unnecessary.
I would have been completely satisfied driving the 535i for the rest of the trip to the coast. Its balance of power and handling and overall sense of light-footedness for a mid-size executive sedan are a rare combination.
M5 from Fresno to Monterey
There is no quick or easy way to drive to Monterey from Fresno. The roads closely follow the often-craggy geography, especially Monterey’s County Road G16, the legendary Carmel Valley Road that carves its way through the jagged, tree-lined mountainside and narrows in areas to barely a car’s width. The right car makes this drive a memorable experience. Luckily for me, I was at the wheel of a new M5.
The straight farm roads outside Fresno eventually return to twisted ribbons of tarmac as they meander west, and there are few towns to prevent all five-hundred of the M5’s horses from being turned loose for a run. Still considerably inland, the roads here dip and wind on a large scale, and there are often long sight lines through corners to safely explore the comfort zone of this fast traveler. The M5 is well suited to these conditions, and the optional six-speed manual transmission is more engaging in this kind of driving than the standard seven-speed sequential gearbox.
As good as the six-speed feels, it’s hard not to notice some of the 5.0-liter V10’s edges has been polished off by eliminating that extra ratio. This engine relies on revs to get the most of it, and the sweet spot in the powerband is fairly narrow. That extra gear makes the most of what the engine has to offer, at least for those who value outright performance over the intangible satisfaction of rowing gears manually.
Carmel Valley Road challenges the suspension of the M5. The surface of the pavement looks smooth, but out of nowhere it suddenly becomes jittery, and the 19-inch wheels and sport suspension conspire to nauseate both car and driver, even at a relatively low pace. These conditions are almost unsuitable for spirited driving, but to the credit of this almighty BMW, the road never got the better of the car. When a blind bend tightened halfway through, a swift correction of the steering wheel was all that was needed to keep it on line. The brakes always performed predictably, and the tail never stepped out suddenly. It’s difficult to imagine making faster progress on this segment in any other sedan.
Truth be told, the M5 is really an instrument for Autobahn consumption, not backroad antics. It belongs to the unrestricted, perfectly maintained and smartly traveled open roads of Germany. Its mission is to cover lots of ground in not a lot of time- in fact, at a pace so swift most Americans can’t even wrap their minds around it. The highest official speed limit on this section of the drive was just 65 mph. The M5 doesn’t even reach optimum heart rate at that speed. Rolling into Monterey with local rush-hour traffic, the M5 settled down and took in stride the more relaxed pace, its extroverted styling the only clue of its true intentions.
In the course of three days, I had not only survived a thousand-mile journey through the desert, but also rediscovered the joy of a family road trip. Of course, it helps to pick the right family for the trip.
First Drive: 2008 BMW 5 Series
