Powertrain families
N20/B48 petrol I4 · N53/N55 petrol I6 · N63 petrol V8 · N47/B47 diesel I4 · N57 diesel I6 · ActiveHybrid/PHEV · N20 petrol I4 · N52/N55 petrol I6 · plug-in hybrid
5 Series (F10/F11/F07) — Sedan
2010–2017
Editorially reviewedReviewed 2026-08-10; market and model-year scope is stated in the record sources.
- Internal code
- F10
- Production
- Sedan production from 2010 to 2017
- Body style
- 4-door sedan
- Platform
- longitudinal layout · rear- or all-wheel drive
Body variants
5 Series → F10/F11/F07 → Sedan
5 Series F10/F11/F07: history, design and engineering
How this generation came about, what made it different and how the selected sedan fits into the family.
F10 brought the 5 Series back to more restrained proportions while sharing more of its architecture and technology with the contemporary 7 Series. The cabin became richer and easier to understand, and the chassis placed greater emphasis on long-distance comfort without giving up rear-wheel-drive foundations.
This was more than a sedan-and-estate programme. F11 Touring handled the conventional practical role, F07 Gran Turismo mixed a long wheelbase with a tall liftback body, and China's F18 directed extra length to rear passengers. Turbocharged engines, xDrive, an eight-speed automatic and ActiveHybrid 5 marked the changing technical landscape.
F10 Sedan, F11 Touring, F07 Gran Turismo and China-built F18 are four materially different body records. F07 uses a longer wheelbase, taller seating position and dual-opening tailgate, while F18 directs its added length to the rear compartment; neither should inherit F10 dimensions. ActiveHybrid 5, xDrive, later plug-in derivatives in China and the separate F10 M5 require distinct drivetrain scope.
2009–2017generation lifecycle
4body branches
9engine/drive families
17range designations
F10/F11/F07factory code
longitudinal layout · rear- or all-wheel drivearchitecture
Sedan: dimensions and packaging
Dimensions can change with body, market and model year, so this page keeps them tied to the exact factory branch.
Length4,899 mm
Width1,860 mm
Height1,464 mm
Wheelbase2,968 mm
Luggage520 L
Fuel tank70 L
Seats5
Doors4-door sedan
| Body | Code | Production | Doors / seats | Length | Luggage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sedan | F10 | 2010–2017 | 4-door sedan / 5 | 4,899 mm | 520 L |
| Touring | F11 | 2010–2017 | 5-door wagon / 5 | 4,907 mm | 560–1,670 L |
| Gran Turismo | F07 | 2009–2017 | 5-door liftback / 5 | 4,998 mm | 440–1,700 L |
| Long-wheelbase Sedan | F18 | 2010–2017 | 4-door long-wheelbase sedan / 5 | 5,039 mm | 520 L |
Engines and powertrains
The generation could span very different engines and drivetrains. The table keeps output, gearbox, market and production period together.
Factory modification matrix
Documented sedan applications; output and availability remain market- and model-year-specific.
| Model | Years | Engine | Output | Transmission | Drive | Market | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 520i / 528i | 2010–2017 | N20 / B48 | 184–245 PS | 6MT / 8AT | RWD / xDrive | Global range | The new BMW 5 Series Sedan — generation history |
| 535i / 550i | 2009–2017 | N55 I6 / N63 V8 | 306–450 PS | 6MT / 8AT | RWD / xDrive | Global range | The new BMW 5 Series Sedan — generation history |
| 518d / 520d / 525d | 2010–2017 | N47 / B47 | 143–218 PS | 6MT / 8AT | RWD / xDrive | Europe | The new BMW 5 Series Sedan — generation history |
| 530d / 535d / M550d | 2010–2017 | N57D30 | 245–381 PS | 8AT | RWD / xDrive | Global range | The new BMW 5 Series Sedan — generation history |
| ActiveHybrid 5 | 2011–2016 | N55 + electric motor | 340 PS system | 8AT hybrid | RWD | Global range | The new BMW 5 Series Sedan — generation history |
Factory designations
520i · 528i · 535i · 550i · ActiveHybrid 5 · 518d · 520d · 525d · 530d · 535d · 530Le · 520Li · 523Li · 525Li · 528Li · 530Li · 535Li
Petrol engines
Inline and V engines are grouped by engine family, displacement, induction system and emissions specification.
Diesel derivatives
Where diesels were offered, output, injection generation and emissions hardware are recorded market by market.
How power reaches the road
Gearboxes, driven wheels and final-drive hardware changed with engine, market and production date.
Transmissions
Gearbox type and unit code follow engine, market and production date. Gear count alone does not identify the transmission.
Driven wheels
Catalog architecture: longitudinal layout · rear- or all-wheel drive. All-wheel-drive availability and hardware remain derivative-specific.
Final drive
Ratio, differential type and electronic control belong to the exact derivative and can differ on performance models.
What changed underneath
Suspension, brakes, safety systems and electronics evolved across the range, even when cars shared the same basic architecture.
Body-branch dimensions
- F10: 4,899 mm × 1,860 mm × 1,464 mm
- F11: 4,907 mm × 1,860 mm × 1,462 mm
- F07: 4,998 mm × 1,901 mm × 1,559 mm
- F18: 5,039 mm × 1,860 mm × 1,471 mm
Body & suspension
- Mounting points and geometry follow the body branch
- Springs and dampers follow axle load and chassis package
- Wheels and permitted loads follow the factory label
Brakes & steering
- Brake size follows engine and equipment
- Assistance type and steering ratio can change
- ABS/DSC generation follows model year
Passive safety
- Airbag count varies by market and year
- SRS parts are VIN-specific
- Structural repairs require factory procedures
Electronics
- Vehicle-bus generations changed during production
- Control-unit software levels must remain compatible
- Retrofits are recorded separately from factory equipment
How the generation evolved
The important launches, additions and updates did not always happen at the same time for every body or market.
Four-body family
F07 arrived first, followed by F10, F11 and the China-only F18 with 140 mm extra wheelbase.
Lifecycle update
Sedan, Touring, Gran Turismo and long-wheelbase specifications were updated by market.
LCI revision
Lighting, equipment, powertrains and driver-assistance systems were revised across the principal body branches.
Generation transition
The core bodies transitioned to G30/G31 and G38; Gran Turismo continued as the 6 Series G32.
The versions that stood apart
Performance models, option packages and regional editions may look related, but their engineering and production identity can be very different.
Sedan
F10F10 returned the 5 Series sedan to a more conventional three-box silhouette on a 2,968 mm wheelbase and shared major architecture with the contemporary 7 Series. Engines/drive: N20/B48 petrol I4, N53/N55 petrol I6, N63 petrol V8, N47/B47 diesel I4, N57 diesel I6, ActiveHybrid/PHEV.
Touring
F11F11 Touring retained the F10 wheelbase while adding a five-door cargo body, separately opening rear glass and approximately 560–1,670 litres of luggage volume. Engines/drive: N20/B48 petrol I4, N53/N55 petrol I6, N63 petrol V8, N47/B47 diesel I4, N57 diesel I6, ActiveHybrid/PHEV.
Gran Turismo
F07F07 Gran Turismo was a tall five-door liftback on a 3,070 mm wheelbase, with a two-piece rear opening and a rear compartment positioned between sedan and luxury fastback. Engines/drive: N20/B48 petrol I4, N53/N55 petrol I6, N63 petrol V8, N47/B47 diesel I4, N57 diesel I6, ActiveHybrid/PHEV.
Long-wheelbase Sedan
F18F18 extended the F10 sedan wheelbase by 140 mm to 3,108 mm and was developed and built in China for additional rear-seat space. Engines/drive: N20 petrol I4, N52/N55 petrol I6, N63 petrol V8, plug-in hybrid.
Inside the car
Cabin technology and standard equipment changed by country and year; a build sheet remains the best guide to one individual car.
Cabin & comfort
- Trim and seats follow option codes
- Climate systems vary by market
- Audio and navigation changed by model year
Lighting & assistance
- Lamp technology and modules follow production date
- Driver assistance cannot be inferred from buttons alone
- Regional rules affect lighting and warnings
What to check today
A practical starting point for inspecting and maintaining a car from this generation — not a diagnosis of an individual example.
Identify first
- Match VIN on body and documents
- Obtain the factory option list
- Confirm market and production date
Inspect the structure
- Check repairs and corrosion
- Assess suspension, brakes and tyres
- Compare fitted parts with factory specification
Mechanical history
- Read faults with compatible diagnostics
- Verify engine and transmission maintenance
- Separate invoices from unsupported verbal history
| Item | Interval / trigger | Catalog note |
|---|---|---|
| Engine oil & filter | CBS/factory schedule; time and mileage for historic cars | Oil approval follows the exact engine and market. |
| Brake fluid | Time-based factory schedule | ABS/DSC-compatible bleeding procedure is required after hydraulic work. |
| Coolant | Factory schedule and condition | Fluid specification and bleeding method are generation-specific. |
| Transmission & final drives | Unit type and operating conditions | Use the exact approved fluid; no one interval fits every derivative. |
How to identify the exact car
The badge and registration year tell only part of the story; production date, body code, engine and factory options complete it.
- Factory body codes
- F10 — Sedan; F11 — Touring; F07 — Gran Turismo; F18 — Long-wheelbase Sedan
- Range designations
- 520i, 528i, 535i, 550i, ActiveHybrid 5, 518d, 520d, 525d, 530d, 535d, 530Le, 520Li, 523Li, 525Li, 528Li, 530Li, 535Li
- Powertrain families
- N20/B48 petrol I4, N53/N55 petrol I6, N63 petrol V8, N47/B47 diesel I4, N57 diesel I6, ActiveHybrid/PHEV, N20 petrol I4, N52/N55 petrol I6, plug-in hybrid
- VIN
- Identifies model, plant and production branch and keys the parts catalog and factory equipment record.
- Production date
- More useful than first-registration year when choosing parts and locating technical revisions.
- Type code
- Refines engine, body, market and transmission combination.
- Option codes
- Confirm factory equipment; later retrofits are recorded separately.
- Unit number
- Supports engine or gearbox originality checks and component applicability.
Where the information comes from
The story is mapped through English Wikipedia and its bibliography, then important dates and technical claims are checked against BMW material.
- 01BMW 5 Series (F10)Wikipedia contributors
English-language secondary overview of the generation, body programme, powertrains and production chronology; key claims are cross-checked against the factory sources below.
- 02The new BMW 5 Series Sedan — generation historyBMW Group PressClub
Official F10/F11/F18/F07 generation summary and production context.
- 03The New Long-Wheelbase BMW 5 Series SedanBMW Group PressClub
Official F18 launch, Chinese production and 140 mm wheelbase extension.
Notes and limitations
- Bodies and long-wheelbase branches are separate; a commercial engine badge does not replace the factory body code.
- Modification output, transmission and drive describe the worldwide range; verify the exact market and production date through VIN-linked factory literature.
- M5 has its own technical identity and parallel BMW M catalog branch even when it uses a related 5 Series body shell.
3 primary references · market differences documentedPhotography: Dinkun Chen, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons. Rights checked 2026-08-06; wikimedia commons 1,800 px derivative downloaded; local 640 px and 1,280 px avif versions created without cropping.Updated 6 August 2026