Wetec * and 67mm in the rear vs. the 26 - Friday, May 5, 1989 — North Shore News BMW mixes good looks and practicality From page 25 controls for driver and passenger. (optional on the 525i) rear centre placed. The radio antenna is built determines vehicle service re- They decided the slight gain The interior also abounds with arm rest with ski-bag, and power _ into the rear window. quirements, based on mileage, type made wasn’t worth having water detailed items such as the many adjust for the heated mirrors. Both the 525i and the 535i have of driving, and coolant drip on the occupants. storage spaces, the four folding ‘There’s even a crash sensor that power from a pair of smooth, temperature. For the average The traditional twin-kidney grill assist handles in the roofliner, automatically unlocks all doors si inline driver this usually means longer camshaft, er Ul is still there as well, but now front and rear reading lights, left after an accident and switches on sixes with fuel injection and service intervals, and for the hard restyled and painted in body-color and right vanity mirrors, power the interior light. The froat sophisticated Motronic II] engine charger the moze frequent service with a tasteful chrome stripe windows, two-way power sunroof seatbelt anchors move in relation management systems. highlight. It’s flanked by readily with built in deflector, heated to the seat position to ensure the The Fives also have BMW’s See More indentifiable twin, round front seats, rear seat headrests, belt is comfortable and correctly Service Interval Indicator which Page 27 headlamps of ellipsoid design (with - . 2 : 7 : _ high pressure washers). Also still in evidence is a slight forward slope at the grill, another BMW signature (and designed that way to improve the flow of cooling _air to the radiator). Those with sharp eyes will also detect the unique BMW kink in the C-pillar. ‘Flush mounted glass, angled to allow the maximum in outward visibility, large, highly visible tail lights, integrated bumpers, and high-styled alloy wheels complete this elegant picture. Another thoughtful exterior touch is a driver’s side windshield wiper which increases pressure on the screen as speed increases (535i only), This effectively reduces the effect of wiper lift at higher speeds, . The trunk lid, that gives access to a generous luggage area, opens bumper level for easy loading. The aerodynamic body and ex- tensive sound insulation measures, “in this our 21st year of serving (a Tres tamovation), meas the a © the North Shore we are renewing our efforts new Fives are an average three | to provide you — our friends and neighbors — with decibels quieter than their . . . . _ . ” predecessors. the finest products and to serve you with integrity, sincerity and concern It’s also equipped with a central locking system with frontal ar- : ; eg resting that locks the fuel tank fill- 1988 CAPRICE 1988 CALAIS 1987 CORV er compartment lid. Central ar- resting, once engaged, prevents the doors from being opened even from the inside. The Five’s interior has also benefited from the latest thinking on ergonomics, comforts and con- venience items, and materials. There’s also more space, with shoulder room up 30mm up front Ey previous car, 40mm more rear seat knee room, and 64mm more elbow room up front and 68mm in the rear. BMW's are essentially driver’s cars and the Five is no exception. The cockpit area has been designed to allow the driver to get the most out of the car, with the least ef- fort, and the maximum enjoyment. The instrument panel features large, round white on black analog gauges for speed and engine temperature. BMW’s check/ control monitoring system with alpha numeric display (also found on the 7-Series cars) constantly checks on 16 separate functions such as engine oil and brake fluid lights to warn the driver of any malfunctions. Based on their importance, all instruments and controls are either right next to the steering wheel and in the driver’s direct line of sight, : or grouped in logical clusters, ex- 2 sR actly where you’d expect to find Pet, ey es them. All are indirectly lit at night NOW ONLY to make them easy to locate, and avoid glare. A revised onboard computer (as found on the 7- Series) is now even more useful with information available at a touch of the direction indicator stalk. The S-Series’ 10-position power seats standard on the 535i, and op- tional on the 525i are simply ex- cellent, offering superlative com- fort and support. Their steel base springs have actually been designed to interact with the passenger and the seat springs themselves are covered in multi-density foam, and then a sumptuous cloth or optional leather. Climate control is accomplished electronically with five sensors checking inside and outside temperature, and dual temperature