5 point swagger

BMW's new 5-Series is a serious challenger to the segment leader, the Mercedes-Benz E-Class. It is more powerful, has interiors that break the mould and sports innovative technology

As winter slowly settles in, you feel a change in the air. To add some heat to the chill, BMW recently launched the latest avatar of its most successful selling vehicle in India, the 5-Series. Everyone has raved about the 1-Series, which is now being touted as the German car maker's mass-selling luxury vehicle. But it is the 5-Series that shoulders the responsibility of taking the company back to the top the pecking order among luxury automobiles. For decades now, the top honours have been shared between the Mercedes-Benz E-Class and the 5-Series, and the feud continues. At the moment, the E-Class is firmly ensconced in the number one slot, but will it be able to see off the Bavarian challenge?

The age-old clash between the E's legendary comfort and the 5's unbeatable driving dynamics has enthralled auto enthusiasts. In all fairness, both have successfully gone beyond their traditional strengths. The new 5-Series, for a change, comes very close to beating the E-Class by providing more than ample leg space. It can actually let an adult over 6 feet 2 inches relax in the back seat. But you have to remember the car is strictly made for four passengers. The top-of-the-line 530d M Sport Package, which we tested, comes with state-of-the-art digital dials that change colours according to the driving mode. For instance, the appealing analogue speedometer becomes digital when the car is in sports mode.

Though the layout of the interiors is similar to that of the previous generation, its stand-out feature is the iDrive, with its 10.25-inch display screen and a responsive track pad. It recognises letters made by your fingers and responds to voice commands too. In comparison, the Mercedes-Benz's' Command System is a pale shadow of the iDrive. The 5-Series' beige-black interiors with wooden touches are top notch and feel spacious but lack the usual sporty feel of a Beemer. Now this is where the E surprises by its use of black and loads of chrome with dark wooden panels, which together exude a lot more youthful air. One gets the feeling that both companies have swapped their interior DNAs. The two vehicles have large comfortable seats, but the 5 provides better support as it is firmer.

In the luxury segment, comfort is an attribute that is a given. But if you don't have power to flaunt, then you will be considered a pretender. In this regard, the BMW flexes its muscles as it has class-leading 258 bhp under the bonnet. As a sports sedan, it never shies from hurling you back into the seat when you step on the accelerator. And yet you will not feel the speed until you take a peek at the speedometer. We completely fell in love with the paddle shift, which facilitates manual gear transmission, because it allowed us to push the RPM needle, especially in Sport Plus mode. But we do have a complaint, the older steering wheel was better as the new one in the 5-Series does not give any feedback.

Like the Beemer, the E-Class too kicks in at a high torque of 1500-1600 rpm, which means that the Merc too can effortlessly reach a high speed in a jiffy. But the Mercedes generates 54 bhp less than its competitor, and so will finish second in a sprint race. It has a linear pick up which can be a buzz kill for many drivers. But there is no doubt that the Mercedes has a smoother and a less audible engine.

The E-Class Sport package comes with coveted M badges on side fenders that state the vehicle is a specially modified model. It has sporty front and rear bumpers and black-matte twin exhausts, not to forget gorgeous 18-inch alloy wheels. The kidney grilles, the iconic BMW tradition, have become more prominent. The youthful appeal, up-to-date technology, the most powerful engine in the segment and stiffer suspensions overshadow the driving dynamics of the E-Class. The BMW is no doubt more expensive than the Merc, but it is small price to pay for what we feel is the potential segment topper.