New BMW i5 And 8th-Gen 5 Series Gets Trick Suspension, L2+ Semi-Autonomous Tech

New BMW i5 will bow first before its ICE-powered 8th-gen 5 Series twin next month.

BMW is set to debut its new eight generation 5 Series executive saloon, as well as its electrified i5 twin, but the latter will bow first sometime next month (May). Ahead of which, the famed Bavarian automaker released new details for both models earlier this week, perhaps as a counter against the hype of the newly launched sixth-gen Mercedes-Benz E-Class (W214) rival.

As a brand that prides itself on delivering thrilling driving dynamics, the first key piece of information released by BMW comes as to no surprise: the all-electric i5 will harness an enhanced suspension setup. To be more specific, the i5 will feature a more sophisticated version of BMW’s adaptive damper suspension system that promises to maximise comfort and agility.

New BMW Adaptive Suspension Professional suite promises to maximise both comfort and agility in the new i5.

With it, the automaker claims that the i5 will have 7 Series levels of ride comfort, combined with 3 Series-like agility. Instead of hardware, what promises to impress is  how the shocks decide what kind of damping force to deliver and when.

While the dampers in current BMW models rely on math models to work things out, but the new system harnesses real-time data collected by sensors monitoring things like wheel speed, steering angle, yaw rate and acceleration instead before sending instructions to the suspension.

Christened as ‘Adaptive Suspension Professional’, it will be primed as standard equipment in the higher-specced i5 M60 that also boasts an all-wheel-drive (AWD) driveline, whilst the lower-specced and rear-wheel-drive (RWD) i5 eDrive40 will see the tech offered as a cost-option instead.

Crucially, Adaptive Suspension Professional will also be offered in the combustion powered new-generation 5 Series. BMW even acknowledges that such a variety of drivetrain combinations means wide varieties in weight between models, but the firm says each version will get its own chassis tune.

The i5 will come primed with a standard heat pump to maximise its driving range.

Besides this, BMW also confirmed that the i5 will come primed with a standard heat pump maximise the i5’s driving range. The other crucial tech mentioned is the EV’s adoption of Level 2+ autonomous driving abilities delivered as part of the Driving Assistant Professional and Highway Assistant packages – kit already primed in the new flagship i7 electric saloon.

Though not a more advanced Lidar-based Level 4 system, this  L2+ system means drivers are still required to pay attention to the road, and this will be ensured by a face-monitoring camera. Despite so, the suite will still allow drivers to fully remove their hands at speeds of 130 KM/H.

Specifically in the all-electric i5, this L2+ semi-autonomous driving tech will include a feature that allows for autonomous lane-changes triggered by simply tapping the signal stalk, or by simply looking into the rear-view mirror. This feature will also trickle its way into the combustion powered new 5 Series as well.

L2+ semi-autonomous driving tech will see the i5 and new 5 Series offer autonomous lane-changing ability just by tapping the signal stalk, or by looking into the rear-view mirror.

Besides dishing out these new details, BMW also released a series of new photos of the i5 from its final testing phase, albeit wearing heavy camouflage still. While there isn’t much to gauge, things do look promising.

By the way, BMW Group Malaysia has already opened up online Registration Of Interest (ROI) for the still not launched new i5 saloon via its official website. This is perhaps an indication that the model will make landfall in Malaysia sooner rather than later, perhaps part of its global launch effort that’s slated to commence in October this year.