What Car? Q&A - Is there a new BMW 5 Series imminent?

Q: I'm thinking of buying a BMW 5 Series and wonder whether there is a new model around the corner ? I'd hate to part with this amount of money to see a new version within a year or so.
John Smith

A: The current 5 Series was introduced in 2003, and face-lifted early this year, so it's still got some way to run.

The next generation is most likely to go on sale in 2009, but it might be as far off as 2010, so you've got at least two years' ownership if you buy a current model.

The car illustrated here is a computer-generated image of how the next-generation 5 Series might look.