The 2004 5 Series has been so thoroughly redesigned that much of it is unfamiliar even to BMW enthusiasts. The most apparent change is its exterior styling, but we'll start with what isn't so obvious to the eye.The new 5 is 2.6 inches longer, 1.8 inches wider and 1.3 inches taller than the 2003 model, and its wheelbase has increased 2.6 inches. Nonetheless, all that aluminum keeps a lid on the car's weight. Depending on equipment, some 2004 models are up to 55 pounds lighter than their predecessors. A new aluminum driveshaft saves 13 pounds compared to the previous steel part. The hood, front fenders and frame in front of the windshield pillars are also aluminum, glued and riveted to the rest of the car to avoid the corrosion typical of aluminum-steel contact points. The lighter front clip also helps in BMW's never-ending quest for perfect weight distribution, and all three 5 Series sedans come within one percent of the ideal 50/50 balance, front to rear.
What gets everyone's attention, of course, is the 5 Series' swoopy exterior design, and in this instance, attention may or may not be a good thing. The 5 adopts BMW's new brand-wide design theme, launched on the flagship 7 Series in 2002. At no time in recent memory has automobile styling generated such controversy. With the release of the 7, rogue members of the BMW Club of America launched a web site to generate momentum to fire BMW's design chief. The new 5 is definitely cast in the 7 Series mold, with a curvy front end, flat flanks with minimal embellishment and a high, flat rear deck with wraparound taillights. On the 5 Series the look seems a bit more cohesive, perhaps a less radical departure, but that may be because we've gotten used to the 7.