How Chris Bangle Saved The World: The 2006 BMW 5 Series

He’s mad, they all said. Then they all started copying the BMW design chief’s ideas. Whether you like his work or loathe it, Chris Bangle is the most influential car designer of the 21st century. His ‘visual energy’ was a hallmark of many of the new cars at the recent Frankfurt and Tokyo motor shows. Before Bangle, premium cars followed the lead of Mercedes and more recently Audi – were organic, clean, simple designs. Modern cars are fussier, busier, multi-angled, sharper edged. That’s the Bangle influence.

Bangle himself won’t comment on his favorite BMW, but claims the new 5-Series “is the most avant-garde product we have ever done.” The previous BMW 5 Series was an elegant car, surmising the evolution of the classic BMW look. However, it was not penetrating the luxury car market. With the changing demographic of China and Asia emerging as major car buyers, BMW needed to do something new, something big. Under Bangle’s tutelage, BMW’s design philosophy has encompassed the modernistic approach: form should always follow function. Such philosophy is not something new to BMW – it has been the brand hallmark since the beginning 90 years ago when the infamous “kidney” grille was introduced at the 1933 Geneva Auto Show.

The essential shape of the 2006 BMW 5 Series, with its long snout and short overhang, is the result of the quest for perfect harmony in design, to achieve an ideal 50:50 weight distribution for better road performance. Even the battery is placed towards the rear to distribute the weight more evenly. Look beneath the surface and you won’t be disappointed. The 2006 BMW 5 Series has an all aluminum front end and suspension, rather than steel. As a result, this spacious 4-door, 5-passenger sedan with an assortment of comfort features weighs just 3428 lbs. (165 lbs. lighter than the previous model). The resulting performance gives better fuel efficiency: 20 mpg city and 30 mpg highway, while offering a degree of athletic agility not usually associated with larger luxury cars.

The unsullied splendor of the 2006 BMW 5 Series is found inside the car. The easily visible dials and the uncluttered cabin enhance the art of driving. The car also features an improved iDrive control panel which has been upgraded for easier personalization of comfort and convenience features. The wheelbase is longer at 113.7 inches (2.3” increase) and length is up by 2.6 inches. This translates into a larger trunk, and a roomier cabin, especially in the rear where two adults can peacefully sit. The two front seats are equally supportive and can be adjusted in 20 directions. The lumbar enhancement and thigh support on both the front passenger and driver seats will keep you comfortably focused as you enjoy the joy of driving.

Passion fuels success in the 2006 BMW 5 Series. The all-new engine is 40% lighter than last year’s model. Made from a magnesium block with hydro-foamed camshaft, it’s equipped with 215 horsepower in 525i and 255 horsepower in the 530i. The resulting 0-60 times are 7.3 seconds and 6.4 seconds for 525i and 530i, respectively. Additionally, the 550i features a 4.8-liter V8 power plant with 360 horsepower. The 550i can cover 0-60 mph in a scant 5.4 seconds. At the top of the BMW 5 Series lineup is the sensational M5, featuring the refined Formula 1, V10 engine with 500 horsepower. The engine is mated to a 7 speed sequential manual transmission producing a gargantuan 409 pound-feet of torque at 6100 rpm, redlining at 8250 rpm.

Going fast is only half the battle; the car must also protect the inhabitants in case of an accident, and maintain its composure in all sorts of road conditions. As such, there are numerous safety innovations integral to the 2006 BMW 5 Series. For example, the Xenon Adaptive headlights automatically swivel to follow the curves of the road. Data from light sensors determine the car’s direction and projects the light so the driver can see the road ahead with less strain. For enhanced handling, BMW’s xDrive™ distributes varying power between the front and rear axles, ensuring agile, neutral and forgiving handling during spirited driving. Additionally, the Dynamic Stability Control™ provides further tenacity on slippery road surfaces.

Sales and profits at Bayerische Motoren Werke AG have grown as the Bangle cars, including the 3 Series, Z4 and the 7 Series, have come on stream. Rival design chiefs, who were once Chris Bangle’s most vociferous critics, have tempered their language. Renault’s Partick Le Quement, possibly the world’s most respected car designer, says: “There are some really strong designs;” Nissan’s Shiro Nakamura prefers BMW 5 Series clear design language: “It’s challenging and unconventional.” The combination of strong visual sensibility, sublime engine technology, a luxurious cabin, and advanced safety features have contributed to making the 2006 BMW 5 Series the benchmark in the mid-luxury market. Of the six iterations of the new 5 Series, the MSRP ranges from $41,800 for the 525i sedan; $51,100 for the 530xi wagon; and $81,200 for M5. Like the madness of a misunderstood artist, Christopher Bangle has indeed improved on BMW’s bottom line.

Tips To Avoid Car Insurance Premium Increases & Becoming Assigned Risk

Below are some tips to reduce your auto insurance bill, prevent substantial premium increases and avoid becoming assigned risk.

Claim Reports: You know about credit reports, you should also know about claim reports. C.L.U.E.® (Comprehensive Loss Underwriting Exchange), is a claim report service provided by ChoicePoint, Inc. ChoicePoint, Inc. states on their web site "C.L.U.E. is a claim history information exchange that enables insurance companies to access prior claim information in the underwriting and rating process. C.L.U.E. Personal Property reports contain up to five years of personal property claims matching the search criteria submitted by the inquiring insurance company. Data provided in C.L.U.E. reports includes policy information such as name, date of birth and policy number, and claim information such as date of loss, type of loss and amounts paid."

Tip: C.L.U.E. reports contain information on claims history by a residence address. Just like credit reports, a C.L.U.E. report may have errors. It is advisable to obtain a copy of your C.L.U.E. report at ChoiceTrust.com to check your report for errors.

Credit reports: Insurance companies are now looking at credit reports to determine future premiums. They have determined that people with better credit scores have fewer claims. Consequently, if you have a poor credit report you may find yourself paying more for car insurance.

Tip: Always make at least the minimum payment for your bills on time, particularly your insurance bill.

Glass Coverage: Most auto insurance salespeople recommend "full" glass coverage for an additional premium, when you purchase collision coverage for your car. They remind you how much it costs to replace all your windows if broken by a vandal. What they do not tell you, and it is unlikely that they would even know (I would only trust the answer from an underwriter, not a sales representative), is whether your insurance company will use a previous glass claim to increase your future premium and whether they will report your glass claims to C.L.U.E.

Some insurance companies will report glass claims to C.L.U.E. and then use these claims to raise your premium or even worse, cancel your car insurance policy making you assigned risk with a substantial premium increase. Allstate notified me that after four claims in less than five years, they terminated my auto insurance policy and then offered to sell me coverage in their Indemnity Company with a shocking premium increase. These claims consisted of two claims for a broken windshield, one for a stolen and recovered car and one accident.

I had a sports car and had to endure a total premium increase over a period of four years of approximately $12,000 and remain claim free before I became eligible for coverage outside of the assigned risk pool. I wrote a letter to the president of Allstate complaining that they should not have considered my glass claims when canceling my car insurance because the glass claims were made under a separate part of the policy for which I paid a separate and additional premium. Allstate responded in a letter stating "Although this claim activity does not indicate that you were directly at fault in each loss, the frequency and severity of the above losses was not within our range of acceptability. After careful review, I regret to inform you that we cannot reverse our original decision regarding the above policy. We have however continued to offer coverage in our Indemnity Company."

Tip: Check with the underwriting department of your insurance company to see if they will consider glass claims when assessing premiums or if they report glass claims to C.L.U.E. If yes, do not make a glass claim. The two windshields which Allstate provided me with were aftermarket windshields which would have cost me less than $300 each. During the last 30 years of my driving history, I have experienced two broken front windshields, one broken rear windshield and two broken side windows. While the financial risk of totaling a car can be substantial, the financial risk of replacing a windshield is comparatively insignificant. It does not make sense to file a glass claim if it will increase your premium. You may even want to decline this coverage altogether and save the premium.

Tip for leased vehicles: Some lease agreements require that the car be returned with an OEM windshield. If you lease a car and replace a front windshield using your "full" glass coverage, insist that the insurance company provide you with an OEM windshield from the manufacturer. If you pay for the windshield yourself, check your lease agreement carefully to see if you must use an OEM windshield from the manufacturer or if you can use an aftermarket windshield. Some people with leased cars who have replaced a windshield with an aftermarket windshield are shocked, when they return their car, to find that the leasing company is charging them $800 for a new OEM windshield, even though the aftermarket windshield is in perfect condition.

Car Rental & Towing Coverage: While it may be a good idea to have this coverage, it is not always a good idea to use it. Some people have realized that this coverage is not just available when an accident has occurred. For instance, some people have used the car rental coverage when their car was in a repair shop or the towing coverage when their car broke down on the road. As with glass coverage, using this coverage may be the same as filing a claim.

Tip: Check with the underwriting department of your insurance company to see if they will consider rental or towing claims when assessing premiums or if they report these claims to C.L.U.E. If yes, do not use car rental or towing coverage unless you have had an accident, in which case it will be part of the accident claim. If you are concerned about towing costs when your car breaks down, you can buy one of the roadside assistance memberships such as the one available from AAA which provides additional benefits not provided by your automobile insurance policy.