BMW 5 Series PHEV defines luxury saloon class

Seamlessly fusing a turbocharged three-litre straight six engine to a 19.4kWh battery, the premium plug-in hybrid (PHEV) can travel 55 miles between charges and yet delivers a thumping 489PS and 700Nm of torque.

It’s a car that exhibits a split personality without ever feeling schizophrenic.

As tested, in all-wheel-drive 550e xDrive M Sport guise, the 5 Series features a limo-like wheelbase – enough to accommodate the battery beneath its floor – and all wheel steering.

This allows it to assume the role of class-leading cruiser or pick up its skirts and hustle in truly rapid style when the roads get bendy.

BMW’s responsive steering and adjustable feeling chassis remains, despite the reassurance of all-wheel-drive and the weight penalty that comes with electrification (the 550e weighs over 2.2 tonnes).

The 197PS electric motor alone can power the car to motorway speeds, accompanied by a choice of space age sounds from the optional Bowers and Wilkins (£1,250) sound system which emphasise the sensation of acceleration.

The 550e’s acceleration does not need to be emphasised. With the drivetrain’s full output deployed, it should reach 62mph in 4.3 seconds.

Maintaining the 5 Series’ company car credentials, however, are CO2 emissions of just 19g/km.

Inside, the latest iteration is very like its big brother, the 7 Series.

Carbon fibre dashboard trim and a typically chunky flat-bottomed steering wheel look great, along with neatly stitched leather seats.

Two seamlessly integrated screens deliver infotainment and essential instrument displays through crisply rendered graphics, meanwhile, topped off by a head-up instrument display.

The sense of quality is all-encompassing.

This is a car that feels all-of-a-piece, the key touchpoints proving reassuringly tactile.

Even the action of the indicators proves a treat.

All this comes at a price, however.

With options, including £5,000 for Frozen Portimao Blue paintwork, the 550e xDrive M Sport Pro tested here came in at £96,078.

In a world where car prices have gone crazy, however, this still feels like the class of the field.