Why Buy? | 2017 BMW 540i xDrive Review

Motor1 Executive Editor Seyth Miersma finds out if the new BMW 5 Series can hold it’s own as a posterchild for the forward march of technology and remain worthy of the title “ultimate driving machine.”
For more BMW 5 Series:
As-tested price: $82,360
BMW circa 2017 is not the same kind of car company that you may have grown up adoring. Though still making successful driving machines, the German automaker has made its biggest strides with technologies that add to the in-cabin user experience, and those that aim towards a future where cars drive and people simply ride along.
The all-new 5 Series is the most recent poster child for this revision of priorities. In 540i trim, this is still an exhilarating sedan to drive when an enthusiast gets behind the wheel (thank god). But sheer weight of new technologies on the car can’t be ignored, and, frankly, it’s things like automatic parking and gesture controlled infotainment systems that are more likely to bring in new buyers.
In this week’s Why Buy? we cover the new 5ers driving chops, of course, but we also dig deep into the latest form of iDrive, autonomous driving features, and all the ones-and-zeros tech that makes the midsize BMW such a compelling luxury competitor. Enjoy the rundown in the video above.
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SPECIFICATIONS:
Engine: Biturbocharged 3.0-Liter I6
Output: 335 Horsepower / 332 Pound-Feet
Transmission: 8-Speed Automatic
EPA Fuel Economy: 20 City / 29 Highway / 23 Combined

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CREDITS
Host: Seyth Miersma
Video Producer: James Bradbury