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Model dossier · BMW

BMW 5 Series

1972 to present 4-door sedan ; 5-door wagon ; 5-door fastback (F07)
BMW 5 Series, photograph
Alexander-93 · CC BY-SA 4.0
01 Overview

BMW 5 Series was built from 1972 to the present, as a 4-door sedan ; 5-door wagon ; 5-door fastback (F07). Layout: Front-engine, rear-wheel-drive; Front-engine, all-wheel-drive (xDrive).

Composed from the specifications below, so it states nothing the specs do not. Photograph: Alexander-93, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons), from this generation's own encyclopedia entry.

02 Features and what it can do
Four-wheel / all-wheel drive

Overview

The BMW 5 Series is an executive car manufactured and marketed by BMW since 1972. It is the successor to the BMW New Class sedans and is currently in its eighth generation. The car is sold as either a sedan or, since 1991, a station wagon (marketed as "Touring"). A 5-door fastback (marketed as "Gran Turismo") was sold between 2009 and 2017. Each successive generation has been given an internal G-code designation since 2017. Previously, a F-code designation was used between 2010 and 2016, while an E-code designation was used between 1972 and 2010. These are used to distinguish each model and generation from each other.

Source: the English Wikipedia article on this model, CC BY-SA 4.0. Text may be shortened; read the full article for the complete text.

03 Specifications
Built1972-present
Body4-door sedan ; 5-door wagon ; 5-door fastback (F07)
ClassExecutive car (E)
LayoutFront-engine, rear-wheel-drive; Front-engine, all-wheel-drive (xDrive)
ManufacturerBMW
ReplacedBMW New Class
04 Market price

Not yet sourced for this model. Used prices swing with year, mileage, grade and country, so we publish a market range only when it comes with a named source and a date, and never an estimate. For a live figure, use the landed-cost tool with the price on the auction sheet.

05 Buyer's guide

Who it suits

  • Executive and chauffeur use: the saloon body prioritises rear-seat comfort and a quiet cabin.

Check before you buy

  • Test the four-wheel-drive system (transfer case, differentials) and look for uneven tyre wear.
  • Read the auction sheet grade and notes, and verify the odometer against service and inspection records. How to read an auction sheet
  • Run a history check (accidents, flood, mileage) before you bid. History check guide
  • Import age rules: this generation already qualifies in United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, Kenya. Confirm the rule for your exact vehicle with customs before buying. Landed-cost calculator

General guidance for this type of vehicle, worked out from its body, powertrain and age. It is not a finding about this particular model; use an inspection and the auction sheet for the car you are actually buying.

06 Import age windows

Worked out from this generation's production years and each country's age rule. Rules also depend on vehicle type and the month of manufacture, so confirm with customs before you buy.

United StatesEligible now (built from 1972, 25-year rule).
CanadaEligible now (built from 1972, 15-year rule).
United KingdomEligible now (built from 1972, 10-year rule).
AustraliaEligible now (built from 1972, 25-year rule).
KenyaNewest examples (2026) are within the 8-year cap.
07 Other generations and models

Other generations of the 5 Series

  • BMW 5 Series · 2023 - present (sedan); 2024 - present (estate); 2024 - present (M5)

More from BMW · all BMW models

08 Questions buyers ask

Can I import a BMW 5 Series from Japan?

By production year alone, BMW 5 Series is inside the age window for United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, Kenya. Rules depend on vehicle type and the month of manufacture, so confirm with customs before you buy.

Answered from this page's own data, not from outside claims. See the sources below.

09 Sources

Confidence: single-source (Wikipedia infobox). Specifications differ by market, trim and model year; the auction sheet or the vehicle's registration document is the final word on a particular car.

Work out the landed cost Back to Luxury Database
FLUX · Chief Engineermi · USD