Vehicle: 2005 BMW 545i with 6-speed Steptronic, Dynamic Handling Pkg, Sport pkg and park distance control
Price as tested: CDN$85100

Performance: With 325 ponies and 330 lb/ft of torque, this 4.5L V8 DOHC engine’s power is never an issue. It has excellent response and refinement at every speed. Its not only silky smooth, it also tuned with a nice Teutonic engine note that is a pure joy to listen. The flexability and trackability of this 4.5L is even more impressive than the outgoing 4.4L V8 in 540i, thanks to the advanced Valvetronic technology. Matched with this exceptional motor is the wonderful 6-speed Steptronic that is a gem to use. The shifts are clean, crisp and response. Its willing to up and downshifts. The tranny is also designed to allow enthuisastic drivers to upshift at redline before computer upshift by itself. The only trait that I don’t care about is the overly responsive throttle.

Handling: While it retains BMW trademarks of wonderfully stiff chassis and minimal body rolls. There are some dynamic traits that really turned me off in this generation of 5-Series. Although the Active Steering does enhance the ease of parking thanks to lower steering ratio in low speed, this system has taken away the precision and mechanical feedback that are hallmarks of BMW. During the transition from low to high or vise versa ratios, the inconsistant feedback through the steering doesn’t provide the sorta of confidence of a typical consistant steering ratio steering. What I meant by inconsistant feedback is the lack of linearity from low to high speed. When you are entering a corner, you usually lift-off the throttle or downshift. That’s when the Active Steering learns to provide a lower ratio. As you exit a corner, the Active Steering suddently boosted the ratio by providing an inconsistant heavy feel. Another problem is when the ratio is really low, the steering is featherweight. Once it increases its ratio, it becomes very heavy to almost dead feedback. The mechanical feel typical of BMW has become a thing of history in new 5-Series. On the other hand, the 545i still provides some favourable dynamic traits. The Dyanmic Stability Control remains uninstrusive until the driver gets really hot in the corners. The oversteer is easy to control and stable at or above the limits. Its 50/50 perfect balance also makes it tossable in corners. In terms of ride comfort, it remains comfortable and supple even on our tester with sports suspension. Judging by the fact that its predecessors; E28, E34 and E39, are considered as some of the finest handling cars in the world. The E60’s dynamic quality is a step backward compares to its remarkable forebears.

Brakes: With large 4-wheel discs and standard ABS, 545i’s braking performance is amazing. The stopping distance is short while the pedal feel is exceptional. Its also easy to control and modulate.

Interior: Just like Active Steering, 5-Series’s interior is a mixbag. The instrumentations are typical BMW. Clear, concise and easy-to-read. While the annoying fuel economy gauge remains, that’s not where the problem lies. The sports seats are superb with excellent back and side supports. Now, here are the drawbacks. The interior materials of E60 has seen some corners cutting against the excellent E39. There are plenty of hard plastic on the door panels. The particular tester also has mismatched panels on the ventliation. Next, i-Drive. Although BMW has improved 7-Series’s system by reducing the mouse to 4 directions instead of 8 for 5-Series. It remains a nightmare to use while driving. The i-Drive screen also tends to wash out during daylight. BMW should use buttons beside the mouse for easier navigation instead of relying on one single function.

The back seat space has been improved. There are plenty of head and legrooms.

Conclusion: Its hard to improve a car that doesn’t need improvements, that’s best describe the outgoing E39 5-Series. With the introduction of the E60 5-Series, BMW has taken a step backward with its awkward i-Drive and Active System grimmicks. Its no longer as driver-oriented as its predecessors, nor its a looker with its ugly looks. That’s how a company ruined a previous class leader and become an also-run.

OVERALL VERDICT FOR 2005 BMW 545i
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Performance: 5/5
Handling and ride/fun-to-drive: 3.5/5
Interior/ergonomics/user-friendliness: 2.25/5
Fit-and-finish/build quality: 3.75/5
Cargo/accessibility/layout: 4/5
Value-f0r-money: 3/5

Overall rating: 3.75/5