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We've seen test mules of the 2011 BMW 5 Series before, first on the streets of Germany and then in the snow of the Arctic Circle. Our latest spy video shows the next-generation 5 Series in the mountains of Austria and on the Nürburgring test track in Germany.
Like the prototypes seen earlier, these latest 5 Series mules are covered in heavy camouflage. It doesn't matter much, as this evolution isn't expected to change drastically from the current model. The overall size of this prototype doesn't appear substantially different, so we don't expect any major changes in terms of passenger room, either.
The real unknowns lie in the choices BMW will make when it comes time to put an engine under the new sheet metal. Given the somewhat higher sales volume of the 5 Series compared to the more expensive 7 Series, fuel economy will play a slightly more important role. The twin-turbo 4.4-liter V8 that's expected to power the 7 Series might prove too thirsty, so BMW could opt for a more efficient V8 to keep overall fuel consumption down. Meanwhile, expect to see the continued use of BMW's inline-6s for base and midrange models.
On the tech side, this 5 Series will be the third car in the BMW lineup to use FlexRay for the vehicle's internal control systems. The electronic technology system is designed to allow much faster communications among all the various vehicle systems.
BMW first introduced FlexRay for the new-generation X5, although only the vehicle's electronic damping control system exploits the system's faster processing speed. The upcoming 2009 BMW 7 Series is expected to use FlexRay technology for at least a dozen systems, so the 5 Series will most likely go even further. Expect to see even more driver adjustability built into the car as well as additional integration among systems like Active Steering Control, Electronic Differential Control and the usual traction and stability control systems.
You can expect to see the official debut of the 2011 BMW 5 Series at the 2009 Frankfurt Auto Show, with U.S. sales beginning a year or so after.
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