New details of the 2010 BMW 5-Series are beginning to surface. Set for delivery during the 2nd quarter of 2010, the new 5-Series will carry a sportier design, and be slightly longer than the previous E60 generation.

Despite being longer, the functional dimensions stayed the same. Only the wheelbase was increased slightly. Aside from the sedan, a Touring version will come to market. That model should see daylight in October 2010. Each will have the wider BMW grille reminiscent of the BMW CS Concept, first shown in the Shanghai motor show 2007.

Several driver-assist systems will be available on the car, including a steering system with an active rear axle. This system will be speed-dependent, and help to prevent rear-end swing-out, making the car easier to control when cornering. The damping control on the car will be fully adjustable, with several different driving modes selectable on the fly. Night vision, lane-assist, active braking, and an advanced cruise control system will also be available.

The 5-Series will have a choice of petrol engines ranging from 180 to 370 hp, and diesel engines that output 180 to 290 hp. One of these options will be the 2.0-liter twin-turbo 204hp four-cylinder found on the 1-Series. From 2011 onward, a mild hybrid may also be available. As seen in the BMW 7-Series Active Hybrid Concept, mild hybrids function by cutting off the engine when the car is coasting, or at a dead stop. Mild hybrids can also assist with power output at higher speeds.

Eventually, we should also see the release of a new M5. This car would likely come with a huge 500+ hp V10, and a dual-clutch transmission.

Illustrated: 2011 BMW 5-Series Sedan

With the new Mercedes-Benz E-Class expected in showrooms this summer, BMW is hard at work putting the finishing touches on its 5-Series executive sedan, which will go on sale as a 2011 model in early 2010. Although BMW has revealed the 5-Series GT hatchback in concept form, most customers will probably opt for the more traditional sedan configuration. As such, we’ve put together a series of illustrations depicting the styling of the finished car.
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Developed under the internal codename “F10,” the next-generation BMW 5-Series will soften the harder lines of the current E60 with more conventional-looking headlights and a cleaner front-end design. As indicated by a recently leaked photo — and the front end of the 5-Series GT — BMW will move away from the polarizing design of the current model.
New European pedestrian safety standards are expected to drastically alter the design of many European cars for the worse, but BMW will not only maintain its classic twin-kidney grille design, it will reduce the length of the front overhang.
As is typical of most recent BMW redesigns, this 5-Series will add some space between the wheels by extending the wheelbase nearly 10 centimeters and widening the track. The overall length will grow by less than 2 centimeters, while its height will be reduced slightly and its width increased by a fraction. A set of 17-inch wheels will be the smallest available with 18- and 19-inch wheels optional.
When the new 5-Series finally arrives at dealerships, it will be available with the same twin-turbo V8 found in the X6. Just as in X6-guise, the twin-turbo V8 will make about 400 horsepower in the 5-Series — which would put it in the same neighborhood as BMW’s E39 M5.
It is also believed that the base 5-Series will be available with the same twin-turbo six found in the BMW 335i and 135i.
The next-generation 5-series is expected to feature an eight-speed automatic transmission with an all-wheel drive option being available. The new 5 will also have Park Distance Control and an around view monitor system, similar to Infiniti’s Around View Monitor.

The 2010 BMW 5 Series is due to hit the market early next year and these latest spy shots are a clear, if predictable, indication of what styling changes are on their way.

The front fascia adopts the upright nose, elongated twin-kidney grille and contoured headlamps (Dame Edna be gone!) originally shown on the 2009 7 Series, while the rear takes on a set of similarly styled tail lamps and looses the Bangled rump we've come to know and loathe.

The overall effect should tie in well with the recently revealed BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo, and expect similar powertrain options to be available, including the 4.4-liter twin-turbocharged V8, 3.0-liter inline-six and a host of diesel options offered abroad. Transmission choices will likely include a six-speed manual and an all-new eight-speed gearbox supplied by ZF. And then there's the 2011 M5 to look forward to.

Expect the next M-fettled 5er to pack the X6 M/X5 M's tweaked twin-turbo'd eight nestled within a revised chassis sure to use considerable amounts of aluminum and carbon fiber. It's obvious that development of the next 5 is well underway, and we wouldn't be surprised to see it unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show this September, with the M5 appearing later in 2010.