taking away its distinctive BMW character. From the twin grilles in front

(called "kidney grilles" by the factory) to the large taillights,

the 5-Series seems familiar, yet different and more contemporary.

Looks are only part of the story. The 5-series body shell is extremely

rigid, a plus in terms of safety, noise reduction, ride and handling. Also

aiding in keeping unwanted noise at bay are a very low coefficient of drag

(at 0.30, the 5-Series is one of the most aerodynamically efficient sedans

on the market), foam-filled body cavities and new triple door seals.

Two 5-Series models are available in the U.S. The junior version is

the 528i, powered by an inline six-cylinder engine; its upscale brother

is the V8 equipped 540i. Aside from their powerplants, the two 5s are remarkably

similar, differing mainly in minor detailing and trunklid badges. Both

have ABS, traction control, front side-impact airbags (supplementing the

dashboard airbags) and aluminum alloy wheels.

One easy way of telling the two apart is to look at the wheels. The

528i has 15-inch rims, while the 540i's rims are either one (if equipped

with an automatic transmission) or two (if carrying a manual gearbox) inches

larger in diameter. Manual transmissions are standard in both versions;

the 528i gets a five-speed unit, the 540i a 6-speed. Automatic transmissions

have four (528i) or five (540i) forward speeds.

Our 540i tester was equipped with the six-speed manual transmission,

which not only enhances performance but also avoids the $1300 gas guzzler

tax that goes with the 540i automatic.