BMW 5 Series

That old adage, "Same sausage, different length'" comes to mind here. The one thing that Chris Bangle always derided appears exactly to have happened with this latest F10 5 Series. Seeing the car next to the bigger 7 Series it's easier to appreciate the differences: there's a more coupe-like greenhouse; the bone line at the shoulder terminates above the front wheelarch; the headlamps turn down at the ends, not up as on the 7.

There are some appealing surfaces up close too: the hood has an unusual recessed center section, narrowing in on the BMW emblem, which now sits on the bumper molding, closer to the grille than the 7 Series, while the vertical grille vanes have a new change of section cutting back towards the top edge.

Inside, the center console is inclined seven degrees towards driver and the clumsy 'Bactrian camel with two humps' IP of the old E60 has now gone - replaced with a far cleaner treatment to the upper surface. The notably slim IP impression is created via a combination of a high center tunnel, a sharply inclined underscuttle and a broad décor band that runs across the car. We noted the subtle changes of section within this décor band, part of the more fluid form language that's a hallmark of recent BMW interiors. The switchgear is clearly arranged too, helped by the use of 'Black Panel' technology as on the new 5GT. Other new features include Night Vision, Parking Assistant, Auto Start-Stop and an 8-speed auto transmission, no less.

In all, it's bit of a repeat of the E39 5 Series: there's not a line wrong here, it's all perfectly harmonious, just a bit underwhelming. More specifically, the car doesn't have as much presence as expected, and it's nothing like as charismatic as the previous E60. Familiarity on the roads will doubtless make the F10 differences easier to spot given time, but it's a shame the 3, 5 and 7 Series are once again so similar.