( www.carmagazine.co.uk ) - Germany's big three premium manufacturers are readying their new executive saloons and CAR Online has spied the 2010 BMW 5-series on its first exploratory laps of the Nurburgring. Last week we had a world exclusive scoop on the next A6 and caught the AMG version of the new Mercedes E-class out testing.
The new BMW 5-series will feature Concept CS-inspired looks, BMW's acclaimed Efficient Dynamics technology and Munich's latest raft of high-tech gizmos designed to blitz the opposition. The 5-series will also spawn the Progressive Activity Sedan, BMW's very strange quasi-MPV.
So just what does the BMW 5-series look like under all that cladding?
Expect two very big kidney grilles that will give Audi's single frame Auto Union/Basking shark-inspired grille a run for its money. Either side of the twin grilles will sit narrow lights with LED 'eyebrows'.
The front face is expected to be very similar to the Concept CS unveiled at the Shanghai Motor Show in 2007. The rest of the looks will be subtly changed over the current 5-series, with the radical flame surfacing toned down and matured into a more cohesive package. However, it's underneath the skin that BMW has been hardest at work.
.