2005 BMW 530 Test Drives

The 5 Series: Mighty but Flawed

Get over the redesign already! This is a fantastic sports sedan.

It doesn't matter any more what you think of Chris Bangle 's designs. His legacy is already written.

Bangle, you'll recall, is the "pen" behind the latest revolution at BMW, and was recently "promoted" to director of BMW group design (some say he was kicked upstairs so that he'd have less control over day-to-day design decisions). But even if you interpret the promotion as a corporate spanking, the punishment comes very late in the game. Ever since the debut of the latest 7-series, Bangle has overseen the redesigned look of the Z3 (now Z4) convertible, reintroduced the 6-series with a combination of swoopy and hard-edged sheet metal, debuted the X3 crossover, also with the new Bangle post-modern riff on cubism, and let's not forget the subject of this review, the 5-series, which gets perhaps the most complete makeover ever.

HIGHS: Extraordinary suspension, handling LOWS: iDrive still needs sorting out

And Bangle's aesthetic is having a liberating effect throughout the world of car design, and is forcing many auto makers to become less conservative in their overall thinking. Look at concepts coming out from the likes of Toyota's Lexus, or from Volvo. Heck, even look at conservative Audi's new A6. All three preserve their own unique brand characteristics, but simultaneously push back the boundaries of where these car makers have already been.

How come?

Because Audi, Volvo, and especially Lexus, have no choice.

As Bangle has shown, to gain new customers you can't keep playing the same tune. And while the new BMW paradigm may have been radical when it was first introduced, it already looks smart, acceptable, even "handsome," in the words of one thirtysomething who got a ride in our 2004 BMW 530i tester.

Heck, if you want to see the impact of Banglethink, take a gander at the wild Infiniti FX45, all bulging hips and muscular wheels. No, this vehicle looks nothing like a BMW, and that's the point -- for car makers to come out with their own styles, so that you can actually tell the difference between a BMW and an Infiniti when it's bombing down the highway.

Meanwhile, what exactly is gained by taking these chances with the newest 5-series?

Arguably, everything. This latest 5 isn't just interesting to look at or to sit in. It's easily the best sedan BMW has ever made. Keep reading to understand why.