Having been launched all the way in which again in 1972, the 5 Sequence is BMW’s oldest nameplate nonetheless getting used as we’re about to enter 2024. As of spring 2023, greater than 10 million items of the posh sedan have been produced, making it one of the vital profitable merchandise from Bavaria. In the present day, we’re having a look on the gross sales numbers for every of the previous seven generations of the sedan, a few of which additionally bought a long-wheelbase spinoff in China.

Bought between 1972 and 1981, the unique E12 racked up 699,000 gross sales and was adopted by the E28 (1981-1988) with 722,000 autos. Then the E34 got here alongside in late 1987, racking up 1.2 million gross sales till it was retired from the lineup in mid-1996. The E39 proved to be much more profitable, producing a formidable gross sales quantity of 1.22M till 2004 when it was discontinued.

The E60 was the primary 5 Sequence Sedan to get a stretched model, however solely 59,000 items have been offered whereas the standard-wheelbase international mannequin amounted to 1.08M gross sales. What began off as a distinct segment mannequin developed into a way more aggressive automobile within the subsequent era. Codenamed F18, the elongated 5er was offered in 812,000 examples, narrowing the hole till the globally accessible F10 with its practically 1.1M gross sales.

As we already reported, the G38 made and offered in China outsold the common G30 by 130,000 automobiles (950,000 vs 820,000). General, gross sales of the seventh-generation 5 Sequence have been decrease, partially because of the coronavirus pandemic and provide bottlenecks.

Launched earlier this 12 months, the G60 has already spawned a long-wheelbase variant for China underneath the G68 inner codename. It’s accessible each with combustion engines and as an extra-long electrical i5. This newest era of the 5 Sequence is unlikely to spawn one other 6 Sequence Gran Turismo. For a extra sensible variant, the Touring is debuting early subsequent 12 months with gasoline, diesel, and electrical powertrains, plus a spicy M5 wagon taste.

BMW might be making the present 5er into the early 2030s as manufacturing of the wagon is reportedly set to finish in February 2031. The common sedan will bow out sooner, in June 2030, however the M5 sedan is sticking round till February 2031 as properly.