BMW's sport sedan flagship has split into two distinct eras: the beloved and the bloated. The E39 remains the gold standard, timeless design, balanced performance, and a driving character that still feels modern decades later. The G30 (2017-2023) carried that legacy forward with handsome proportions, a brilliant B58 engine in the 540i, and the kind of daily-driver refinement that makes long commutes feel effortless. Then the 2024 G60 arrived, swollen to 7 Series dimensions with cost-cut interior plastics and awkward styling that owners say looks front-wheel-drive. Experts praise its tech and smoothness; enthusiasts mourn the loss of athletic soul. The smart play? A used G30 540i combines steep depreciation with genuine excellence, just budget for BMW maintenance costs that don't depreciate with the sticker price. Skip the current generation unless you prioritize tech over driving character and can stomach the design.
This is what happens when aerospace engineers build a luxury sedan: world-class hardware wrapped in frustratingly unfinished software. The powertrain delivers 512 miles of real-world range and S-Class ride quality, with used Grand Tourings hitting $55-65k (down from $125k new) that make German rivals look overpriced. But the mobile key fails often enough that you'll keep a backup card in your wallet, the infotainment freezes mid-drive, and Dream Drive Pro throws phantom brake warnings on clear roads. Owners who've logged 26,000+ miles still call it irreplaceable, if you can tolerate rebooting after every charge and live near a service center. The company's financial crisis (losing $330k per car in Q1 2026, production guidance suspended) makes this a gamble on whether Saudi backing keeps them afloat long enough to fix the software. Buy it if you want the best EV powertrain money can buy and have patience for startup quirks. Skip it if you expect Tesla-level polish or need a car that just works every time you walk up to it.