Five stars for new BMW 5 series
Published:Sunday | July 11, 2010 | 12:00 AM
Brian Bonitto, Special Assignment Editor
Members of the media were 'formally introduced' on Friday morning to Stewart Motors' newest arrivals — the 2011 BMW 5 series sedan and 5 series Gran Turismo.
"BMW sets itself apart from its competitors," said Duncan Stewart, general manager at the St Andrew-based company. "We're the number one premium vehicle in the world since 2005."
Stewart said BMW had a huge chunk of the luxury vehicle market.
"We have 70 per cent of the market share from January to June," he said, "and we expect the 5 series to become a segment leader in Jamaica," he continued.
The six-generation 535i sports 3.0-litre dual overhead cam (DOHC), 24-valve inline turbocharged 300-horsepower six-cylinder engine with twin-turbo technology.
"It's built on the same architecture of the 7 series," the general manager said, "and has more leg room than the outgoing model."
The sedan boasts a four-way power lumbar support for front seats in addition to memory system for driver's seat.
luxury and flexibility
The 535i Gran Turismo combines the elegance of a luxury limousine with the flexibility of a station wagon.
The vehicle accelerates from 0-100 km/h: 6.3 seconds and has a top speed of 250 km/h (155 mph).
Christian Meindl, regional sales manager of BMW, said despite struggling US sales, Latin America and the Caribbean were good.
The price tag of the 5 series sedan runs $10.9 while that of the Gran Turismo is $10.6 million.
"All our vehicles are safe to use the E10 fuel and have a three-year warranty," Stewart said.
Stewart Motors, local dealers of Suzuki, BMW and Mini marque, in May of this year acquired the Mercedes-Benz dealership.