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Luxury Sedan Showdown: BMW 5 Series LWB Vs Mercedes E-Class
BMW is set to launch the long-wheelbase 5 Series in India on July 24. This makes India the only right-hand-drive market to offer the LWB version of this luxury sedan. Meanwhile, Mercedes will introduce the next-gen long-wheelbase E-Class around the festive season. To compare sizes, we lined up the eighth-gen 5 Series LWB with the upcoming sixth-gen E-Class and included the current E-Class and the recently launched BMW i5 for perspective.
Do note that the dimensions for the new E-Class are for the model available in China and may vary slightly for the India-spec version. The 5 Series LWB, i5, upcoming E-Class, and outgoing E-Class have the following dimensions:
| Model | Length | Width | Height | Wheelbase | Wheel size |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 Series LWB | 5175mm | 1900mm | 1520mm | 3105mm | 18 to 19-inch |
| i5 | 5060mm | 1900mm | 1505mm | 2995mm | 20-inch |
| Upcoming E-Class | 5092mm | 1880mm | 1493mm | 3094mm | 18 to 20-inch |
| Outgoing E-Class | 5075mm | 1860mm | 1495mm | 3079mm | 18-inch |
Internationally, the BMW 5 Series and i5 are essentially the same model but with different powertrains. However, in India, their wheelbase lengths differ. The all-electric i5, brought in as a CBU, has a wheelbase of 2,995mm, while the 5 Series LWB features a longer wheelbase of 3,105mm. Although the width remains similar, the LWB model is 115mm longer, 15mm taller, and has a 110mm extended wheelbase.
When compared to the current Mercedes E-Class, the i5 is 15mm shorter in length and 84mm shorter in wheelbase but is 40mm wider and 10mm taller. Even against the next-gen E-Class, BMW models remain wider and taller. The new 5 Series LWB boasts the largest dimensions overall, with the sixth-gen E-Class trailing by 83mm in length, 20mm in width, 27mm in height, and 11mm in wheelbase.
Although these figures suggest that the new 5 Series LWB offers more interior space, the next-gen E-Class, despite being 83mm shorter, has a wheelbase only 11mm shorter than the BMW's LWB model. This indicates that the Mercedes likely has shorter front and rear overhangs.
We will need to compare both models in person to determine which offers more space definitively. The 5 Series LWB price announcement is set for July 24, and it is expected to cost around Rs 80 lakh ex-showroom.
DriveSpark Thinks
With the launch of the new BMW 5 Series LWB in India, BMW India is likely to have an upper hand over the Mercedes-Benz. Also, considering Mercedes has catered to the Chauffer-driven customers, the launch of the BMW 5 Series LWB is likely to take a good chunk out of the E-Class sales numbers.
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