Five flunks feral final
Newswheel staff :: 26 October 2005 :: Filed under Saloon, BMW, BMW 5 Series, Europe & UK, US
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BMW 5 Series fails Swedish Elk test
Just to prove we’re not entirely behoven to BMW’s barges, here’s a less than complimentary story about the current 5 Series. The car has failed the famous Swedish Elk test. Oops. Bung in the fact that the 5 is the proud owner of just four NCAP crash test stars (and rumours BMW needed more than one go at it to avoid a disastrous three-star rating) and the you have a rather worrying all-round safety record.
Swedish rag Teknikens Varld put the 5 through the usual Elk avoidance routine which involves a sudden swerve at speed. Although the car passed the test with only a driver on board, it became unstable when attempting the manoeuvre laden with passengers and luggage. The magazine found the ESP stability program cuts in too late and too timidly to prevent a slide or spin. Teknikens Varld also suggests the stiff sidewalls on the car’s run flat tyres could be a contributory factor.
Hop on over to Teknikens Varld for a video of the 5 doing its slip-slidin’ thang.
