BMW defends position with launch of 5 Series

The new 5 Series sedan and the electric i5, which hit the market on Thursday, are predicted to help German carmaker BMW defend its position and gain new ground in the electric vehicle segment.

What first impressed the event participants was the way the models were launched.

Unlike usual events for heavyweight business sedans, there were no business suits and rehearsed speeches.

Instead, it was a lighthearted outdoor party, where Chinese-speaking German executives played on popular internet slang, and although the event was livestreamed, participants were randomly asked to name things they don't like about the cars.

It shows the carmaker's confidence in its products, as well as its spirit of innovation and the brand's effort to woo young customers.

In terms of products, for the first time, the 5 is available in China with both highly efficient combustion engines and all-electric drive.

The i5 eDrive35L has a maximum output of 210 kilowatts and a top torque of 410 Newton meters. For the i5 M60, the two figures are 442 kW and 795 Nm.

BMW said the models have been tailored to the needs of Chinese customers.

Features include an extended wheelbase and different proportions compared to the versions offered worldwide, as well as market-specific paint finishes and digital services.

In the rear of the new 5 Series and the i5 for China is a 31-inch screen, the like of which is not even available in products from Chinese startups that have been clamoring to overthrow German premium brands.

Additionally, the semi-automatic driving and parking systems offered for the models are characterized by "exceptional functionality, availability and reliability", said the carmaker.

It added that these systems have been specially adapted to suit Chinese traffic conditions and driver behavior. The highlight of the range is the Active Lane Change Assistant with eye activation.

The new models are produced exclusively for the Chinese market at the Dadong plant in Shenyang, Liaoning province, by the joint venture BMW Brilliance Automotive.

Around 2 million units of the BMW 5 Series have been sold in China since the start of local production in 2003.

The BMW Group sold 824,932 BMW and MINI vehicles in China last year, up 4.2 percent year-on-year.

Notably, sales of all-electric BMW vehicles were the main driver of the carmaker's growth in the country, its largest market in the world. Their deliveries totaled 99,972 units last year, soaring 138 percent year-on-year, and accounted for 30 percent of the brand's global total EV sales.

With the arrival of the i5, BMW is now offering seven electric models in China.