New-gen BMW 5-Series: Production begins at Chennai plant

BMW has announced the commencement of production of the seventh-generation 5-Series at its manufacturing facility in Chennai. The car is assembled at the Chennai plant from imported completely knocked down (CKD) kits. The mid-size luxury sedan will be launched in India on June 29, 2017.

The new 5-Series is built on BMW's Cluster Architecture (CLAR) platform, which the company claims, uses light weight, high strength materials in its construction. With this platform, BMW claims to have achieved a weight reduction of around Rs. 100 kg in the 5-series, despite its increased proportions, as compared to its predecessor.

The India-spec 5-Series is expected to come with a choice of three engines - a 2.0-litre petrol rated at 249 BHP and 350 Nm in the 520i, a 2.0-litre diesel that puts out 187 BHP and 400 Nm in the 520d and a top-end 3.0-litre diesel with 262 BHP and 620 Nm in the 530d. An 8-speed automatic gearbox will be standard across all variants and engine options.