2011 BMW 5-Series 535XI with 98000mi. The vehicle is in excellent condition. THe engine and transmission works great. No leaks, shakes, noises etc. Sport Package. Include: Sport rims, sport seats, sport steering wheel with buttons behind, modified transmission with sport mode. Well kept and fully serviced.
Overview
The middle child always seems to get ignored. But perhaps that’s a good thing. It can lead to understated elegance or even trying just a bit harder. Either way, BMW’s midsize 5 Series has always gotten the short end of the attention stick, overshadowed as it is by its iconic little brother, the 3 Series, and its flagship big brother, the 7 Series.
For the sixth-generation 5 Series – designated the F10 – Chris Bangle is out, and Adrian van Hooydonk has taken the design reins. This has resulted in an almost unanimous shout of joy and sigh of relief. I’ll leave it up to you to make the decision about whether the changes are an improvement or not, but here we have a redesigned 5 Series. More importantly, dimensions have shifted quite a bit, with a 116.9-inch wheelbase representing a 3.2-inch increase, making it the largest vehicle in the class. Overall, the 5 Series has been stretched 2.3 inches for a 192.9-inch total, and front and rear tracks have both been widened, by 1.7 and 1.8 inches respectively, putting them at 63 up front and 64.1 out back.
Ride & Handling
Just as the 3 Series sets the bar for handling in its class, the 5 Series manages to lead the pack in the midsize arena, with the 535i offering the most comfortable ride of the bunch. Any model equipped with the Sport Package’s sport suspension and Active Roll Stabilization will be slightly less comfortable over bumps, but that sacrifice will be made in order to fully eliminate any body lean in turns.
Borrowing tech from the 7 Series, the 5 Series is offered with Integral Active Steering, which counter-steers the rear wheels below 37 mph to improve turning radius, and turns them in tandem with the fronts above that speed to enhance handling prowess. BMW claims this will tighten the turning circle of the 5 Series by more than 2 feet and reduce perceived lateral forces on the rear passengers in lane-change situations. While certainly more necessary for the larger 7 Series to help with horrific parking situations, it’s definitely welcome on the 5 Series.