EXEC SHOWDOWN
The executive segment is to cars what Italy once was to football. You see, Serie A was for a time the pinnacle of the sport and the Milan derby one of the most viewed fixtures in Europe. Despite a sharp decline in the league’s popularity, the Derby della Madonnina remains a fan favourite – just like the war between the BMW 5 Series and the Mercedes-Benz E-Class. And this year, a whole new generation will come to play…
Time for a bounce-back, we think.
BMW 5 SERIES
Whereas Mercedes has split its executive models into the forward-looking, electric EQE and the fossil-fuelled E-Class, BMW’s rival 5 Series will offer petrol, diesel, plug-in hybrid and electric derivatives – all in one bodyshell.
The pure-combustion 5 Series models (including the snarling V8-powered M5) will adopt some form of electrical assistance to meet the latest emissions standards, while the PHEV options are likely to receive bigger batteries (and thus longer electric ranges) – good news for eco-conscious suburban drivers and cash-savvy company fleet managers.