When is the 2014 LCI F10 due out?
 

If I did BMW Euro Delivery for the last week in July could I get the refreshed F10?

I think first week of September is the date when they change MY

I think July is usually when they switch production, doubt it would be available for delivery that early. Probably August.

The LCI cars typically come out earlier.

I don't think it's known yet as to whether the LCI will appear for 2014 or 2015 MY. Seems it's already being tested but the odd thing is the 5-Series facelift always comes after its 4th MY year, i.e the year after the E-Class facelift comes out (which makes sense as the E comes out a year earlier). Also, the E facelift has already been shown which makes sense as it goes on sale in Europe much earlier than here, and the F10 I'd assume would have to show its 2014 facelift very soon in order to make it to the European market for the '14 MY in time. However, others seem pretty set that the F10 is doing its LCI earlier.

It was already posted on the other forum that the LCI will begin July production in 2013 as a 2014 MY.

Well I guess the way I can spin that in being "okay" considering I just got a 2013 is that it allays my concern about the M Sport in its current exact fashion becoming "too common" as the price has dropped on the Option some. The facelift will obviously bring a slightly different look, so even with 2013 M Sports being more common than previous MY's, it won't go past 2013.

Then again, BMW does very subtle facelifts so for all I know the look of the package might be almost interchangeably the same with just some LED lighting additions and slight grille/headlight tweaks.

That is correct. My CA just confirmed that according to BMW internal information online for the BMW Centers, the current iteration of the F10 ceases production in June. I am going to schedule BMW European Delivery for the LCI F10 for late July. My CA is looking into when the diesel engine for the F10 will become available.

Remember that MSport Package is less because it does not bring as many options as in the past.

How time flies. If the F10 follows the E60 with three LCI MYs the next 5-series will be MY 2016 and released in the spring 2015. Maybe with the early LCI it will live an extra year as LCI but the next 5 design has likely already left the drawing board.

Pardon the dumb question, but....LCI?? What is this acronym?

Life Cycle Impulse.

The update/refresh BMW typically gives each model about halfway thru its life cycle (6-7 years).

The F10 was introduced as a 2011 model. I believe the E60 ran for 7 years.(2004-2010). If the F10 would have 3 LCI MY's at the end of the 7-year cycle, 2015 would be the MY for the first LCI. Initial release would be 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014. LCI would be 2015, 2016, 2017. If the LCI was introduced in MY 2016, that would be 5 years of pre-LCI. If you meant a new 5-series complete re-design will appear in 2016, that means the F10 will have only run for 5 years total (2011-2015). What then would be the purpose of an LCI in 2014? For 1 year? Either way I'm not sure I understood your MY 2016 date reference.

Personally, I'm on the side that says 2014 will introduce the LCI. I think the 6-series Gran Coupe design elements will make their way to the 5-series faster.

Markl53, that's right the next 5 will be ready for order in 2016 as MY2017 if the F10 has 3 LCI MYs, not 2015 as I mistakingly wrote. Still, that's not that far away for a car that feels that it was relatively recently released. A 2014 LCI feels very early.

It feels early because it would be early. It would be the earliest BMW has ever done an LCI of the 5. I'm not saying it won't happen. But it would be precedence.

It would be interesting to see if BMW has ever done an LCI after 3 MY's for any of their models.

-Corey

Wasn't the E90 LCI earlier than usual to push out the N54 to counter the Lexus IS hp advantage? I need to look it up but it felt rather quick but perhaps it was just the short life of the E90 330i that was surprising.

Some life cycles are getting shorter though. The E90 M3 only had 4 MYs.

Ah, good question. I haven't dug for a definitive answer, but I have a possible answer that might apply to the F10 as well.

A co-worker currently drives a 2007 335i. His 2007 is *not* the LCI edition (it still has the mustache-looking upper portion of kidney grills), but it *does* have the N54 engine. So this is an example of BMW giving a vehicle a new engine but not an LCI at the same time. 2008 was the first year the E90 didn't have the mustache (I'm assuming this was the LCI).

It is possible those test F10's we see in spy shots are versions with the updated engine found in the 6 series and possibly the addition of the LED lights, but not the LCI version.

-Corey

You are right the 335i was released independently from the LCI. However in the US the E90 was introduced as MY 2006 and ran as pre LCI for only three MYs since the LCI came as MY 2009. At least according to Wikipedia.

Wow, I guess we can expect anything.

I just checked the all-knowing wikipedia and the model years for the E90 are as follows:

Original: 2006, 2007 (added N54).
LCI: 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011

So I guess the mustache was too much for BMW to take so they released the LCI after only two model years.

So yes, it looks possible BMW will release the LCI 5 for 2014. Although it would be the quickest they've released the LCI for the 5, they released the LCI for at least the 3 far much quicker before.

-Corey

Yeah, I think you are right that the LCI was 2009. I was reading it incorrectly and assumed 2008 when they said it underwent the change in 2008 but that'd be for MY 2009.

So for the E90 it looks like 2006, 2007, and 2008 were originals, and 2009, 2010, and 2011 were the LCI.

-Corey

Sorry, but no. Assuming a 7-year F10 cycle, you're still off by a year. With a 7-year total cycle, the new 5 will come out in 2017 as MY 2018. Look, 7 model years is 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, regardless of when the LCI is introduced. MY 2018, in summer or fall of 2017, will introduce a totally new 5.

As far as people saying LCI at year 4 is too early, it's only 1 year difference, we're not talking much of an acceleration. Based on the front lights, etc. of the new 6, I think BMW will want to update the 5 now, for MY 2014. I'm hoping so anyway, because I'm targeting 2014 for replacing my current 2011.

When we discuss the topic, most of the confusion comes from talking about when a model year is introduced, versus the designation of that model year. Like MY 2018 coming in calendar year 2017. I think we can simplify things by simply referring to model year, regardless of when it appears in the previous calendar year.

Yes, I had a 2008 335i, and it was not LCI. That did occur in MY 2009. That means the LCI was introduced in the 4th model year.

Yes. Now to the next Q. Has there been 4 LCI years for a BMW sedan or should we expect 3? Maybe now when Asia is overtaking Northamerica as the most important continent we will see shorter model cycles. It used to be that the Asian market put higher value on that when you buy a new car it should not be mistaken by a used car and thereby encouraging more frequent minor or major updates to the exterior. At least that's what my buddies at SAAB used to tell me.

I think with the spy shots out already, that the LCI will be out for MY2014. The fact that the front end changes means it is the refresh

"Sorry, but no. Assuming a 7-year F10 cycle, you're still off by a year."

No need to be sorry, just read a bit more carefully. I said that if the F10 follows the E60 with three LCI MYs or the E90's "early" LCI cycle the next five will be launched in 2016 as MY 2017. You assume that 7 MYs is 5 series law until the end of time. I'd say it's impossible to say and pretty much a toss up. Neither would surprise me.