2011 BMW 535i

BMW announced today that its all-wheel-drive 2011 5-Series models will get a price premium of $2,300 over their rear-wheel-drive counterparts. The 2011 BMW 535i xDrive and the BMW 550i xDrive sedans will sell for $52,775 and $62,875, respectively, including $875 Destination and Handling.

Design wise, the 535i GT is based on the platform of the new BMW 7 Series and the 5 Series GT was built on the same principle that made the original Gran Turismo vehicles so popular: a high-performance luxury automobile designed for long-distance driving. Since it was built on the 7 Series long wheelbase platform, BMW designers had plenty of “room” to play with the exterior design of the car. Therefore, a coupe-like roofline was expected to be seen in the GT model without sacrificing any headroom space for its rear-sitting passengers. The now classic and historical Hoffmeister Kink is still there, even though slightly different from the previous BMW models. BMW 525i GT differentiates itself very little from the more expensive V8 550i GT, one exterior design element standing out in this comparison are the round exhaust pipes rather than the square look seen on the 550i or the 7 Series.

Inside, the driver oriented cockpit is obviously back again in the BMW line-up. Just any model in the Gran Turismo line-up, the 535i GT is all about personal feeling and comfort, so connecting the passengers to the car while maintaining the highest levels of luxury, is something that BMW could have not overlooked. The cockpit provides all the necessary gadgetry and comfort, but it maintains a level of sportiness.

“Every BMW xDrive model receives standard Hill Descent Control,” BMW said in a statement. “This selectable function allows the driver to descend slopes in extremely slippery conditions while maintaining control at a pre-set speed.”

Sales of both all-wheel-drive 2011 BMW 5-Series models will start in October.

Currently, the 2011 BMW 5-Series is only available in the U.S. in just two variants including the 300-hp 535i, which starts at $50,475 and the 400-hp 550i, which starts at $60,575. The 240-hp 2011 BMW 528i sedan will go on sale next month with prices starting at $45,425.