5 Series [Spyshots] BMW 5 Series F10 Facelift Spy Information

[Milanno]

Here is my render for future BMW Series 5 F10 Facelift.


I`ve tried to make improvements on front part with small visual changes.
Also my idea was to connect front unit.


I hope you guys like it. Comments are highly appreciated.


Facelifted model



Current model (for comparison)

Preview of lines scheme

 

[klier]

They indeed are small visual changes.
Way too small for a proper facelift in fact, but I guess you're a big fan of the 5er front if you change this little to it.

Personally, I'd like to see a 3D grille in the facelift, sort of like how it's done on the F30

 

[Tarek]

I think BMW will give the FL F10 the full LED treatment like the 6er GC and no 3D grill for it,i think they'll keep it for the next generation.

 

[klier]

I think you're right....
But you never know, sometimes a facelift is more radical than the other (though the 1er is the one that needs a radical facelift, not exactly the 5er)

 

[K-A]

Yeah, it'll be a lot more radical than that. To me, the F10's face looks almost unfinished/not thought out, and some of the future BMW front renderings look very promising, so I wouldn't be surprised if the F10 see's a dramatic front end treatment. To me, if would be a very well rounded design with some subtle but effective spices up front.

To really capitalize on the F10's current front, with the flat look and all the empty plastic spaces, an M-Pack with a pure color like white, and a black grille has a pretty strong effect and gives it some necessary dynamism. That's how I'd outfit an F10 if I had one.

 

[Milanno]

F10 is perfectly designed & only front bumper was problematic, because it looked (like K-A said) almost unfinished.

I was very careful when I redesigned front end, because I was leaded by organic design philosophy of F10. Putting too aggressive front bumper, sharp LED led lights & grille would disconnect front end from rest of (organic styled) car.

Those are my thoughts as an artist who have respect for original designer ideas.

 

[K-A]

You know your stuff, and your work is very good.

I agree about your take on the F10's styling and how the front end needs to keep with the rest of the cars theme. What upsets me most about the front is that it looks almost disconnected from the organic and flow-y body, due to how blunt and unfinished I think it looks.

This pic always surprised me, as I really dislike the E60, but IMO the front looks a lot more flowing and dynamic, at least from this angle.

 

[Gianclaudio]

Don't forget buddy about the damm european pedestrian regulations that are influencing car design (making them uglier) That's a good reason why the F10's front is bulkier.

 

[K-A]

Yes, indeed! I have no doubts that that is what ruined (to me) the F10's front. I just can't get over it, as IMO the F10's rear is an absolute masterpiece when equipped with M-Pack (a little bulbous and bulky when in standard mode), but the front is the opposite IMO. What I would have LOVED to see is how the Designers would have Designed the front had they no European Regulations to ruin it.

The workaround isn't unheard of, however, as M-B at one point stated that they will make sure that the S and E-Classes are not affected by European regulations by investing lots of $$$$ in keeping them passable without compromising the design.

 

[Gianclaudio]

Not so sure about it, after all the enorm grill on both SLK and SL are suposed to be the result of the pedestrian regulations.....

 

[K-A]

Yeah, that's what I mean. I wish I saved it but somewhere M-B said that the only 2 models they'll continue to invest this R&D in is the E and S. I assume that's because it'd be impossible for them to design a good Luxury-Stately grille style with the standup hood Star if they have to conform to Pedestrian rules. That's why they're one of the last remaining cars with proper full length hoods that don't have that awful shutline at the top where it meets the bumper (instead it goes fully down and meets the grille).

In that picture I really notice how much more elegant it looks when the hood can run its full length, i.e in the E60's case.

 

[Gianclaudio]

In Mercede's case, is really a problem to disguise the bulk front when using the luxury grill. May be they'll go back to a more vertical grill, like the W114?

 

[q5s]

Don't forget buddy about the damm european pedestrian regulations that are influencing car design (making them uglier) That's a good reason why the F10's front is bulkier.

That's BS and you know it. The regs are the same for everyone. Porsche, Audi, Merc, etc. all get away with it, why bmw can't? All new bmws look like they crashed into a wall except the f30 which looks crashed and sat on.
The 5er front looks totally disconnected from the rest of the car, it's too flat and too bulbous at the same time (if that's possible), too high and spills over the front like a fat mans belly. It looks terrible from the side, top, front, you name it and no the m-sport bumper doesn't make it better, the problem starts from the high bonnet line and moves downward. Even the bangled-up hugely fat e60 flowed from head to toe. The awful snout started with the x1 I believe and seems to be going on ever since. I think the last snout free bmw was the e92 m3. 1er/3er/5er/6er/7er/x1/x3/others I've missed, all share the same fate. Remove your bmw rose tinted glasses for two second and take a look at the pics below:

 

[-=Hot|Ice=-]

The 5 series is my favorite BMW in the range currently. Would love to see it get the full LED treatment.

 

[Gianclaudio]

That's BS and you know it. The regs are the same for everyone. Porsche, Audi, Merc, etc. all get away with it, why bmw can't? All new bmws look like they crashed into a wall except the f30 which looks crashed and sat on.
The 5er front looks totally disconnected from the rest of the car, it's too flat and too bulbous at the same time (if that's possible), too high and spills over the front like a fat mans belly. It looks terrible from the side, top, front, you name it and no the m-sport bumper doesn't make it better, the problem starts from the high bonnet line and moves downward. Even the bangled-up hugely fat e60 flowed from head to toe. The awful snout started with the x1 I believe and seems to be going on ever since. I think the last snout free bmw was the e92 m3. 1er/3er/5er/6er/7er/x1/x3/others I've missed, all share the same fate. Remove your bmw rose tinted glasses for two second and take a look at the pics below:

I'll be polite and won't answer you in your same uneducated way. First, I don't have "BMW rose tinted glasses", as I'm a Merc fan overall, but I appreciate cars in general no matter the brand. Second, you must understand that not all cars are created the same, so the internal structures, drivetrain location, engine configuration, etc, etc are different, so not all cars have the same space for clearence between engine and sheet metal, as the regulations ask.

Third, there is that small, little, insignificant detail called "grill design"
Is way more easier to disguise Audi grill for example, than BMW or Merc ones, and come with a more armonious or less bulky design. Not to talk about Porsche's lack of grill......

And finally, if you pay atention, you'll see how the CLS, SLK, SL and B class have all the same grill and headlights profile as BMW, so don't say Merc manage to disguise the regulation's

(-) Regards!

 

[K-A]

That's BS and you know it. The regs are the same for everyone. Porsche, Audi, Merc, etc. all get away with it, why bmw can't? All new bmws look like they crashed into a wall except the f30 which looks crashed and sat on.
The 5er front looks totally disconnected from the rest of the car, it's too flat and too bulbous at the same time (if that's possible), too high and spills over the front like a fat mans belly. It looks terrible from the side, top, front, you name it and no the m-sport bumper doesn't make it better, the problem starts from the high bonnet line and moves downward. Even the bangled-up hugely fat e60 flowed from head to toe. The awful snout started with the x1 I believe and seems to be going on ever since. I think the last snout free bmw was the e92 m3. 1er/3er/5er/6er/7er/x1/x3/others I've missed, all share the same fate. Remove your bmw rose tinted glasses for two second and take a look at the pics below:

I agree with you on your analysis, but GianClaudio isn't a "fanboy" to BMW or any other as far as I know. I too personally feel like BMW have fumbled and messed up their front ends far more than their peers when it comes to implementing EU Pedestrian rules. Though, I have a feeling that they'll start investing some R&D to fix that soon. The F30 isn't the fix IMO, but it'll be a rather crude implementation of a frontal styling language that might end up working, based on some renders of the upcoming 4-Series which are hopefully accurate. Also, the 6-Series' front shows how the F10's styling language can be made to work, IMO.

Now, as far as rear's go, I feel that although the same rear is shared and shared and shared and shared throughout the range, it's one of the best rears in the business, so I wonder how hands-off they'll hopefully be, or at least careful, during the facelift there.

 

[q5s]

Second, you must understand that not all cars are created the same, so the internal structures, drivetrain location, engine configuration, etc, etc are different, so not all cars have the same space for clearence between engine and sheet metal, as the regulations ask.

Third, there is that small, little, insignificant detail called "grill design"
Is way more easier to disguise Audi grill for example, than BMW or Merc ones, and come with a more armonious or less bulky design. Not to talk about Porsche's lack of grill......

Allow me to call BS again, porsche, audi, merc, etc. all carry longitudinal engines, the Audi grill is massive compared to the bmw grill, yet they still found a way to nicely integrate it whether q5 or r8.
I will try one last time (bmw pics only as audi badge seems to cause confusion). Carefully study the m3 pics. There is no bonnet line, there is no badge, there are no grills, no bumpers, no fenders just a beautifully designed one-piece harmonious shape that is the m3. The bonnet line blends in with the lights/fenders/grilles/badge/bumper. The shape of the grills in turn blends with the bonnet. Every feature from the air vents to the mirrors via the creases on the bonnet works in synergy. Everything integrates well together. You can start from anywhere take a line and follow the whole car from start to end.

Now take a look at your beloved 5er. I see a car; sides, rear, top, bonnet, ok not good looking but innofensive. So far so good. Moving to the front. They managed to create a headlight shape which manages to look wrong from any side you look at it, drew a completely straight line connecting the two lights where the bonnet ends and slapped a generic one piece grille/bumper what ever that is which fares no resemblance to the rest of the car what so ever. The design doesn't flow one way or another. Shape of bonnet line is wrong, shape of lights is wrong, shape of grilles is wrong, the whole bumper is wrong. It looks like the front of the car was chopped clean off and then an aftermarked bumper attached, which seems to be already separating at the top. Only redeeming feature is if have a front end shunt it will takes weeks for others to notice as the front already had that caved in look.

Now there is only two things I can think of. 1) Either the bmw designers were incredibly lazy or 2) completely useless*

* ok not completely useless, they remember to put on the badge which is what matters the most it appears.

Where it all started (I think):

Now with the f30 looks like the took the easy way out, 5er rear (probably didn't have the jetta drawings on hand), e90 sides, generic front but then someone must have sat on the clay model's front by mistake. No other way to explain this:

 

[Zafiro]

There isnt much I want to change. The new 5 is pretty much flawless but Full LED ala 6-series should be an option. 5-series has been awarded with design awards in the past and reading various internet forums the public like the new 5-series. I dont think I've seen or heard the word ugly when someone talks about the new 5-series (I dont count the opinion from fanboys or haters).
I prefer 5er to 6er since the 6-series isnt one of BMWs best designs.

 

[Gianclaudio]

Comparing a 2004 design with a 2010...... regulations were not the same.. (and a M3 to a standard 5 series )
Or saying that b/c all have longitunal engines (inline and V must be the same, isn't?) they must be the same underneath

I won't even try explaining, because I need both hands for a double facepalm

PS:

Now take a look at your beloved 5er.

I really want to see the posts where I act like a 5er fanboy, or make bold/blind love statments. Please try to not behave like an idiot, as hard as it must be for you.

 

[K-A]

I don't like the weird slope on the 3er as well.

I don't think anyone can call anything on the 5er "ugly" either, however the front is the only very-weak spot to me (ugly in respect to the rest of the car, at the very least). Also, the Design is by nature going to be very accepted by the public, as it is carefully designed to be non obtrusive and non arresting, yet on the other hand, it can be/has been criticized for lack of passion/emotion. However, that in itself is subjective and open to interpretation in regards to which design direction is superior to the other (passive or commanding). To me, it's gotta have an M-Pack to look the least bit riveting, and then when equipped with such pack and the right color combo, it can indeed rivet me.... yet in a very graceful manner rather than a commanding manner.... aside from the front.