[2002tiiLux]

As a new member I hope I have not missed a similar thread somewhere and I hope someone might have information to help me.

In simple terms I will not buy another BMW until the digital dashboard can display a representation of traditional dials for the speedometer and rev-counter.

As this latest 5 Series model continues to use a display format (< >) that I regard as unreadable when driving, and also now boasts a game console (?) I am desperately hoping that there is an electronic fix or way of programming a proper representation of dials - just like all of BMW's direct competitors have.

As a lifelong fan of BMW's and having owned half a dozen or so over the past 40 years, I hope that I don't have to switch to another brand just because BMW have chosen not to provide/allow a simple display option

Any help much appreciated...

[OHV_44]

I'm sorry, but next time you'll probably have to get a Mercedes or similar vehicle.

[trivalent]

Originally Posted by OHV_44

I'm sorry, but next time you'll probably have to get a Mercedes or similar vehicle.

Agreed. That train has sailed.

[PsychDoc]

Has it occurred you that it's probably something you'd get used to after a week or two of ownership?

Perhaps even come to prefer it over the circular guage clusters we're all used to?

[RichardInCA]

If I’m not mistaken that digital dash layout predates the i5 by several years…I certainly recall seeing a bunch of other M cars with that format.

[Scrapula]

I have only looked at the heads up display for about 5 years in other cars that I have owned. You just need a number for speed. A tach is useless without a manual. I usually use the dash space for music.

[SpaceSilver.X1]

Originally Posted by OHV_44

I'm sorry, but next time you'll probably have to get a Mercedes or similar vehicle.

I sincerely hope that in 7 to 10 years, I can buy a 100% full self-driving car. I just want to open the car door, get in, say the destination and take a long nap. The car will then drive me and wake me up in front of the destination. Well.. that's my dream since I first got my learner's permit at age 15 and 6 months. Never really liked driving, especially for someone who grew up in DMV and NYC.

[2002tiiLux]

I expect you are all correct about having to look at other manufacturers, so I am looking at ordering a Porsche early in the new year unless I can find a way of changing the instrument display in the BMW.

My last 5 series had this "<>" dashboard (the one with the daft sideways chevrons illuminating in opposite directions and hidden by your hands on the steering wheel - the same screen as fitted now to all the BMW range) and I couldn't wait to get rid of the car. Great engineering: Dreadful electronics.

I guess I'm old fashioned in that I like to drive my cars rather than just sit in them and play computer games, and when I am driving them hard I want my eyes on the road at all times so I like to know what the engine and road speed is by my peripheral vision - i.e. by the relative position of the needles and knowing what gear I am in. The HUD is ok for town or motorway driving, to make sure the speed limit isn't exceeded, but it's not the same.

Sadly I fear this will be one more nail in the coffin for the true enthusiast's motoring enjoyment.

I should be grateful that I do own two "Ultimate Driving Machines" and mourn the fact that this accolade surely now belongs to some other car marque (I'm not saying this just because of the dashboard).

I am still hoping that there will be someone with a way of programming the dashboard though, especially as one of the younger sales staff at a local dealership did think he had heard about it being possible, just not through the BMW network. So fingers still crossed.

Thanks for the replies so far, I do appreciate them.

[alewifebp]

I think it depends on which model you are going to get. If you are going EV, there is no tach. You can choose just the speed to be in the center.

[Bartslide]

Hi, as daily driver of a 550e, i like to share my view on the dashboard.

Having had 7 BMWs in the past 25 years, this model is the first one that does not have round dials for speed and for revs. As I like driving BMWs, I always could see exactly what the speed and revs are and see what happens when shifting gears, up or down. I got used to how these two gauges interact with each other and basically act as one.

The 550e 2024 model, does not deliver this feeling anymore, I only look to the center digital speed display. The digital speed and rev meter left and right do not work for me anymore in the way that they have worked for me in the 7 other BMWs in the past. Even when driving electric, the electric gauge at the right is unclear for me what it tries to tell me, I only look to the percentage of the battery at the bottom of the gauge.

I really hope/advise BMW to create these round gauges digitally for speed and revs via an upload and match with the great round dials of the previous BMWs. These 2 round dials bring joy in driving and feeling with the car. That is the key that attracts me and many others in driving a BMW.

I really miss these round dials and as mentioned, the current hofmeister gauges do not bring value or joy in driving.

[Vindicator3]

I agree. I love my 540i but if we can't have an actual analog round speedo and tach I wish one of the digital display options in the layout menu had traditional-look round gauges.

[ToddRGuy]

My 2018 A5 had a digital representation of traditional gauges. It took me all of about a day to adapt to having both my tach and speedometer presented as “bars” rather than round gauges on the G60. Some of the other display choices (e.g. ones that only display speed) aren’t to my liking.

As far as legibility is concerned, I’ve not had any issues in bright sunlight. The only thing that gives me problems with polarized sunglasses is the heads-up display, but this is the case in any automobile.

If this is anyone’s primary “make or break”, for the purchase, you’re out of luck. Your chances of modifying any of the displays are 0%, as all of that is locked down tighter than Fort Knox. And judging by the direction BMW is headed with their future interior design previews, it’s not coming back. Ever.

Mercedes still does it (for now) and perhaps the new generation of Audi’s will persist with a facsimiles of old displays, but who knows.

[RichardInCA]

Originally Posted by RichardInCA

If I’m not mistaken that digital dash layout predates the i5 by several years…I certainly recall seeing a bunch of other M cars with that format.

Quoting myself because, why not….G30’s definitely had the same kind of layout from a friend with an M5CS….so this is really not a new thing at all for BMW.

[Blue Sky]

I'm sorry you feel that you need to look at gauges, and I agree it is kind of odd that it isn't a display option buried within the menu structure. But I can see not spending money on developing something that few people use.

I haven't looked at gauges for almost 20 years now. HUD is vastly superior for critical information. My 2008 Corvette C6 was my first car with HUD, and it was already an option in the C5 generation from the 90's. It worked fine, packing the speed, bar graph tach and oil temp graph or G-meter into a small space. My M5 HUD has an enormous bar graph, DCT gear number and speed. Never any question what the RPM is there.

At no time has my driving pleasure ever been compromised by lack of gauges and digital information. I think if you tried, you would adapt quite easily to taking in the information you want in a different form.

Frankly looking at gauges is annoying. The steering wheel is usually in the way. The only one I really care about is the oil temp. The non-active cruise control in my BMWs indicates only on the dash, a mistake I'm pretty sure the G60 will not repeat.

[ToddRGuy]

Originally Posted by Blue Sky

I'm sorry you feel that you need to look at gauges, and I agree it is kind of odd that it isn't a display option buried within the menu structure. But I can see not spending money on developing something that few people use.

I haven't looked at gauges for almost 20 years now. HUD is vastly superior for critical information. My 2008 Corvette C6 was my first car with HUD, and it was already an option in the C5 generation from the 90's. It worked fine, packing the speed, bar graph tach and oil temp graph or G-meter into a small space. My M5 HUD has an enormous bar graph, DCT gear number and speed. Never any question what the RPM is there.

At no time has my driving pleasure ever been compromised by lack of gauges and digital information. I think if you tried, you would adapt quite easily to taking in the information you want in a different form.

Frankly looking at gauges is annoying. The steering wheel is usually in the way. The only one I really care about is the oil temp. The non-active cruise control in my BMWs indicates only on the dash, a mistake I'm pretty sure the G60 will not repeat.

One thing that you can try when yours comes in is “Hey BMW, what’s the oil temperature?” She’s happy to tell you.

[AiredaleDad]

Originally Posted by Blue Sky

I'm sorry you feel that you need to look at gauges, and I agree it is kind of odd that it isn't a display option buried within the menu structure. But I can see not spending money on developing something that few people use.

I haven't looked at gauges for almost 20 years now. HUD is vastly superior for critical information. My 2008 Corvette C6 was my first car with HUD, and it was already an option in the C5 generation from the 90's. It worked fine, packing the speed, bar graph tach and oil temp graph or G-meter into a small space. My M5 HUD has an enormous bar graph, DCT gear number and speed. Never any question what the RPM is there.

At no time has my driving pleasure ever been compromised by lack of gauges and digital information. I think if you tried, you would adapt quite easily to taking in the information you want in a different form.

Frankly looking at gauges is annoying. The steering wheel is usually in the way. The only one I really care about is the oil temp. The non-active cruise control in my BMWs indicates only on the dash, a mistake I'm pretty sure the G60 will not repeat.

You can get the oil temp displayed if you are in Sport Mode and select Adaptive Content.

[mwilson122]

I am not a fan of the angular gauges, much prefer circular representations. But with the HUD being quite good, I don't even register the dashboard much, except to look at battery level here and there.

[AlteBMW]

The digital speedometer registers faster in my head than the old-style dial. Maybe because it is more precise and does not require interpolation. As for the tach, sure it is nice to see it even with an automatic, but even when I had a manual transmission (a MGB, an Alfa and (gasp) a Toyota Celica), shift points were by feel and sound. Eyes were on road.

Having said that, anything is possible with the digital screens so why couldn't BMW offer an option to show "analog" gauges for those who want them? Make it a paid option though so those of us who don't care don't have to subsidize those who do care.

[Blue Sky]

Originally Posted by ToddRGuy

One thing that you can try when yours comes in is “Hey BMW, what’s the oil temperature?” She’s happy to tell you.

Originally Posted by AiredaleDad

You can get the oil temp displayed if you are in Sport Mode and select interactive view

You guys are a riot. You remember that I ordered an i5 M60, right? If I ask for oil temp, she’ll probably tell me to f myself.

[mwilson122]

Originally Posted by AlteBMW

The digital speedometer registers faster in my head than the old-style dial.

Circular dials were easier for awareness before the age of HUD due to instant processing via peripheral vision; digital gauges less so. Then again, the cop pulling one over is also a decent cue that speed was probably too high.

[ToddRGuy]

Originally Posted by Blue Sky

You guys are a riot. You remember that I ordered an i5 M60, right? If I ask for oil temp, she’ll probably tell me to f myself.

lol! I was unaware but that would be hilarious 😂

[ToddRGuy]

Originally Posted by AlteBMW

The digital speedometer registers faster in my head than the old-style dial. Maybe because it is more precise and does not require interpolation. As for the tach, sure it is nice to see it even with an automatic, but even when I had a manual transmission (a MGB, an Alfa and (gasp) a Toyota Celica), shift points were by feel and sound. Eyes were on road.

Having said that, anything is possible with the digital screens so why couldn't BMW offer an option to show "analog" gauges for those who want them? Make it a paid option though so those of us who don't care don't have to subsidize those who do care.

You could submit a suggestion for it. There’s likely an entire team of industry analysts that are involved in designing these things, validating them, implementing them and maintains software suites. They could crunch the numbers, and see if the design and implement cost would be feasible, I guess.

Ultimately, I think it would boil down to the vision they have for their brand. It reminds me of design choices like piano black or physical buttons. It wasn’t exactly well received but they did it anyway. And they’ve kept the choices.

Do standard digital gauges fit the design Aesthetics that they want to telegraph as a brand? Perhaps or perhaps not. Is it compatible with the vision they have for their next generation interior designs? I think questions like this are going to be a significant consideration for them.

They’re shaping their business with an eye generations of people who grew up with iPads and smartphones. Boomers as a generation, will experience their largest statistical die off 2030’s and 40’s. Gen X won’t be far behind.

BMW intends to outlive us, and is making changes to ensure that their designs appeal to future customers. They seem content with bringing people who can adapt along with them, and biding goodbye to those who can’t.