Barely a few days after the start of 2026, BMW is already working intensively on preparing future products. With around 40 new or updated models hitting the market by the end of next year, there’s no time to waste. While the next 12 months will focus on the 3 Series, i3, X5 and redesigned 7 Series, 2027 is already shaping up to be another busy year. One of the most important market launches planned then is the facelift of the 5 Series.
Long before the mid-cycle update becomes official, the rival Mercedes E-Class and Audi A6 have been spotted on public roads. Car paparazzi caught the more practical Touring variant testing in full camouflage. However, most of the changes seem to be concentrated on the front. It is, after all, a facelift. The LCI doesn’t seem to be as drastic as the first test vehicles suggested almost a year ago.
Less New Class, but still new
BMW may have changed its mind as the 5 Series appears to be skipping a full Neue Klasse makeover. The design language introduced by the new iX3 and the upcoming i3 will not be carried over across the board to the 5 Series. Traditional kidney grilles are easy to spot and replace the flatter, wider design of earlier prototypes. As a result, the car now looks more like a traditional facelift than the radical transformation that BMW originally hinted at last year.
However, some of these differences could be due to how the camouflage is applied. BMW is known for using clever camouflage to give observers the impression that they are seeing something else. The front bumper design appears to be unchanged from the first prototypes. The horizontal bar above the license plate gives us an M Sport Package vibe. The split lower air inlets also indicate a higher quality version. However, the lack of visible tailpipes at the rear confirms that this is a non-M model.
Speaking of the rear: The design seems to be largely adopted from the current 5 Series Touring. However, the taillights feature some new graphics that aren’t too far removed from those of the next-generation 3 Series and i3. Unfortunately, the tailgate still features fixed glass, as BMW dropped the ability to access the cargo area without opening the entire panel when the G61 debuted last year.
Major changes inside
All signs point to BMW playing it safe when it comes to the exterior. The original facelift proposal may have been deemed too risky for a Life Cycle Impulse, although the full story may never come to light. However, the evolutionary approach ends inside. The interior will show the full impact of the Neue Klasse and reflect the strategy prepared for this year’s 7 Series LCI. We believe the updated 5 Series undergoes one of the most radical interior redesigns ever undertaken in a facelift.
Beyond the iDrive An optional passenger display is expected to debut, debuting on the 7 Series LCI in the coming months. Beyond the screen extravagance, the 5 Series facelift will also reportedly get optional massage seats; An upgrade that fits the positioning of the model, especially since the previous generation offered this feature.
Expect more prototypes throughout 2026 and the first half of next year. Production is rumored to begin in July 2027, suggesting a world premiere in about a year and a half.
