BMW 5 Series 2004 News

Almost a quarter of a century later he managed to buy one; an Alpina B10 replica. (Alpina is a German tuning, customising and motorsport company specialising in BMWs.) Kelly's car started life as a 1986 BMW M635 CSi. It was bought for $55,000 in 1993 by Martin Dibb of Melbourne who then spent $82,000 completely rebuilding it to Alpina B10 specifications.The first thing to go was the auto box which was replaced with a Getrag five-speed manual.  It also received a shorter drive shaft, engine remapping, Alpina-spec suspension, Bilstein dampers, stainless steel exhaust system, engine blueprint and balance, Alpina forged pistons, Alpina brake callipers, ventilated discs, Alpina wheels, a Stowes of Sydney paint job and exterior/interior fit-out with Alpina stickers, badges and decals, including a replica certification plate on the glovebox.The new owner fell in love when he saw it.  "My wife Gail and I love everything German," Kelly says.  The first car the Californian bought was an American 1955 Fordomatic V8 he paid $300 for when he was 16.  "I outgrew it and went to uni and sold it," he says.He then owned a Nissan 269Z, followed by an MG TD before he started his German love affair with a Porsche 924 which he took to Germany where he worked for a while.  "A bit silly to buy it in the States and then take it to Germany," he says  "That's when Gail started falling in love with BMWs. She had a 735i."The couple then moved to Australia where they owned a Toyota Camry, Honda CR-V, then a 2004 BMW X5 4.4-litre V8, a 1981 Porsche 928 auto and a 1984 928 GTS.  They still own the X5 and Porsches and belong to both the BMW and Porsche owner clubs.She says "German cars are reliable, comfortable and they feel safe."  He says, "I like the styling and power."  She says, "He used to rubbish me because I loved BMWs."Then he stumbled on the BMW Alpina replica and the friendly family feud over marques ended.  He bought it for $55,000 in December and plans to show it at various concourse events.  "I was looking for the perfect show car and this is it," he says."I didn't mind it being a replica.  "It was converted with Alpina's blessing, but they wouldn't give it a genuine coach badge."So how does it drive?  "Absolutely great," he says.  "It's got herb," she says. "But it's his baby. I don't drive it."  They haven't been driving it much at all lately as they don't take it out in the rain."The previous owner never drove it in the rain, either," Barry says.  "I spend a lot of time cleaning it, nourishing the leather, conditioning the trim."  He keeps his baby in his garage under a special tailored cover he had made in the US for $300.  "It fits like a glove," he says.  "And I always keep a chamois in our cars, just in case it rains."

A powerhouse V8 to complement the two straight sixes has been added to the BMW 5-Series range.It has big shoes to fill in the form of the previous 540i that was widely acclaimed as one of the best sports sedans in the world.Typically, BMW has pulled out all the stops to deliver a vehicle that outstrips its predecessor on almost every score.It has more luxury, more safety, better handling and more performance than the 540i but weighs less. It costs a bit more but the additional features outweigh the extra ask.At $157,000, the 545i is going to sell to a small but discerning market and these fortunate folk will be able to experience automotive travel at the highest level.The engine has been uprated to deliver a maximum 245kW of power with 450Nm of torque fed to the rear wheels via a six-speed automatic transmission. The engine has variable valve timing on the inlet and exhaust sides and a variable inlet manifold to optimise output.Standard equipment is extensive and there is a swag of electronic modulations to keep the big sedan on the straight and narrow regardless of the conditions or how it's driven.A particularly pleasing feature is the active steering that changes the mechanism's gearing to offer fast, light response at slow speeds through to slower response with more feel at high speed. It is not merely a variable power assistance system.On a brief introduction to the 545i last week I can report that it feels like the big luxury sedan it is. Performance is strong and the ride is smooth and quiet. You get the feeling that everything is taken care of and that pretty well sums up the driving experience. The active steering is excellent and overshadowed a BMW M3 sports coupe that was used for comparison purposes.Acceleration times are impressive at 5.9 seconds and response across the entire rev range is strong, aided by the superb auto.Styled with the new BMW DNA, the 545 looks handsome and imposing on the road and is arguably the best looking in the new range. Other models in the new 5-Series line-up include the 525i and 530i.