Since unveiling the updated 2021 5-Series earlier this year, we’ve had to wait until this very autumn for BMW to start sending cars out for official media reviews, which means the latest 5er is still a pretty hot item.
In the United States, you can get one from $54,200, but that’s the entry-level 530i sedan with a 248 HP 2.0-liter inline-4 turbo and rear-wheel drive. If you want the flagship, meaning the M550i xDrive, that one kicks off from $76,800.
One such example found itself on display at the German carmaker’s showroom in Abu Dhabi, boasting an Alpine White exterior, the Shadowline design package with M Sport bumpers ($550), plus the optional $950 20-inch M Y-spoke bi-color jet black wheels.
Inside, we spot the optional Mocha upholstery ($1,000) with contrast stitching, plus what looks like Grey Poplar Wood trim spread around the cabin (dash, console, door panels). The car also boasts a head-up display, which in the U.S. can be had either with the $1,250 Premium package or the $2,150 Executive package.
Other visible options include the $650 Anthracite Alcantara headliner, $700 leather upper dash and $500 front ventilated seats. You can also get a heated steering wheel for just $190, but that’s something you consider only when you’re dealing with a harsher climate.
Short of an M5, this M550i xDrive model is pretty much as good a 5-Series as you can get. Its 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 engine produces 525 HP and 553 lb-ft (750 Nm) of torque, and with the help of an 8-speed Sport automatic gearbox with Launch Control, it’ll rocket to 60 mph (96 km/h) in just 3.6 seconds.
