Radical, cutting-edge design is all very well in a car – but not if you’re looking to target corporate buyers with largely conservative tastes says Peter Carroll.

So it’s understandable that BMW decided to soften the styling of its latest 5 Series to preserve its mass appeal.

The 5, now in its sixth generation, is the chief bread-winner for the Munich firm, with 5.5 million sold during the course of its 38-year history.

The fifth generation car (E60), was notable for its ‘marmitey’ looks, courtesy of designer Chris Bangle, characterised by
sharp crease-lines and a big back end.

The new model (F10) has toned down the controversial styling elements in favour of a more sober design.

The new look met with a lukewarm response at its launch earlier this year, as critics described it as ‘bland’ and ‘too much like the 3 Series’.

Four-month waiting list

But BMW knows its market – and already has a four-month waiting list for the car.

In any case, the new 5 Series’ strongest suit is not its visual appeal but its formidable qualities as an all-round package: it combines a superb quality interior with high levels of comfort and refinement.

It’s as good to drive, as you would expect from a BMW, yet also surprisingly economical.

It’s also a safer bet in every sense of the word: the new car scored a full five stars in the Euro NCAP tests, unlike its predecessor.

The test model was a three litre 530d, which costs just over £37,000 to put on the road.

It’s reasonably well-equipped, with leather seats, parking sensors, Bluetooth and cruise control as standard – but the
options list is so long and tempting that you could spend £50,000 without too much trouble.

The new 5 Series looks more striking in the metal than it does in photographs and I’m sure people will grow accustomed to its design.

It’s a big, imposing vehicle, well over 6ft wide, with plenty of room for a family of five and all their luggage.

Cabin quality

Cabin quality is superb and it certainly feels more cosseting than the previous car.

Attention to detail is much in evidence: the car has an electronic handbrake which can be switched to deploy automatically whenever the car comes to a halt – very useful for city driving.

When you get out of the car there’s a strategically-positioned boot release button halfway up the door, should you need to use it.

And the iDrive multi-media interface – another divisive feature in the past – has been given a few extra buttons to make it less stark to use.

The test car came with BMW’s new eight-speed automatic transmission (a £1,495 extra).

It’s simple enough to use but I never quite got used to the fact that you push the stick back to go forwards and forwards
to select reverse.

There were no issues over the quality of the shift, however.

With eight gears to choose from the transmission never seems to have to hunt for the right gear.

Auto and manual gearboxes offer similar performance and economy – but there’s one big advantage for choosing
the former: its emissions are just within the critical 160g/km for company car tax.

The manual option falls just outside this threshold, so fleet bosses will be keener to push their executives into autos.

Brutish torque

The 530d, as expected, possesses an exceptionally capable three-litre engine and its brutish surges of torque make
overtaking a breeze.

But while the car is rapid enough, it’s not quite the ultimate sporting saloon – at least in standard form.

The steering is sharp but lacks a degree of feel and it feels a big car on the road.

Keener drivers might want to investigate the active four-wheel steering and computer controlled damping features which are said to sharpen the car’s road-holding abilities.

It was always secure and solid on the road, though.

Nor does its performance come at the expense of economy. On a family trip to London, with a fully loaded car, I returned an excellent 41mpg.

Arguably the biggest advance compared with the old car is its excellent ride.

The cabin shuts out noise brilliantly and the 5 really is a supremely refined car.

With Jaguar and Mercedes snapping at its heels and a new A6 in the pipeline, BMW has upped the ante with this conservative but capable executive express.

The new design may not have set the world alight but there’s a commanding imperiousness about the 5 Series which its rivals may struggle to match.

Indeed, I suspect there will be more than a few customers who will prefer the idea of a fully specced-up 5 Series to a 7 Series.

And who would blame them?