BMW 530d SE

The trademark double grille has grown, and is flanked by a pair of double headlamp clusters that taper neatly into the bulge of the front arches. From any angle - especially the rear, with its 7-Series-inspired stepped bootlid and striking red and white lights - the newcomer has a huge road presence.

The wraparound dash has always been key to the 5-Series' image but, as in the flagship 7, BMW has turned its back on tradition. The convex centre panel creates a slightly bizarre feel from behind the wheel that isn't in keeping with the car's sporting heritage. Like its Mercedes E-Class rival, the 5 also inherits technology from its big brother - including the controversial iDrive system. The use of a new four-menu display simplifies the controls, but it's still fiddlier than the Audi A8's MMI.

Elsewhere, you'll find the usual blend of high-grade plastics, finely damped switchgear and tight-fitting panels. Our only gripe is a lack of thigh support during cornering - the driving position and seats are otherwise hard to fault. With a 520-litre boot and a wheelbase that's 62mm longer, rear occupants need no longer envy E-Class drivers.

The 218bhp 3.0-litre common-rail unit and six-speed ZF auto are from the 730d, and are tipped to be the most popular engine and transmission combination when the car arrives in July. After a few seconds behind the wheel, you can see why. The powerplant is refined, responsive and has masses of in-gear shove - 500Nm to be exact - making the car an ideal long-distance cruiser.

With smooth, rapid shifts in both fully automatic and manual override modes, the gearbox is a gem, too. CO2 emissions of 184g/km and fuel economy of 40.9mpg also compare favourably with equivalent Mercedes and Audi models.

The outgoing car had class-leading driver appeal, but the new 5 moves the game on with its uprated 7-Series chassis. Its theoretically perfect 50:50 front-to-rear weight distribution and front-engined, rear-drive layout generate superb grip and traction out of bends, while the Dynamic suspension (a ΂£1,200 option) eliminates body roll when cornering hard. The ride also has a fluid, supple feel that combines with the heavily insulated cabin to make for near-silent progress at motorway speeds. Only a slight tyre rumble spoils things.

Much of the credit for this dynamic prowess goes to the Active Front Steering system fitted to our SE test model - an ΂£880 option that varies the steering ratio according to the car's speed. It's light and direct when parking (less than two turns lock-to-lock), and weights up nicely as the pace increases. It also works with the sophisticated new DTC traction control, applying corrective lock in the event of a rear-end slide. Yet it's as communicative as a normal set-up.

Adaptive headlights, active cruise control and an iDrive-based head-up display also debut on the new 5-Series, which is expected to carry a premium of around ΂£500 over its predecessor.