BMW Korea has officially launched the seventh generation of its most popular sedan, the 5 Series, which racked up more than 2,000 presale contracts in less than a month.

First launched in 1972, the 5 series has since sold more than 7.9 million units worldwide, making it one the German automaker’s most popular models and one of the world’s best-selling premium business sedans.

In 2016, BMW Korea’s annual sales reached 48,059 units, of which 17,200 units were the 5 series.

Compared to its predecessor, the new 5 Series is lighter, more spacious and has upgraded its technical specifications to include the iDrive 6.0 and semiautonomous driving technology.

While the new series has increased its length, width and height, the vehicle is still lighter than previous models, as it is made with lightweight high-strength steel, aluminum and magnesium, the company said.

The new series is also the first BMW model to be equipped with the iDrive 6.0, which feeds live content and features voice command technology capable of understanding one’s natural speech patterns.

Along with the voice command, the 5 series is also offered with optional gesture control, in which simple hand gestures can be used to control the vehicle’s navigation, communication and entertainment console.

The latest series also features semiautonomous driving technology that includes an active cruise control system and steering and lane control assistance.

In Korea, all of the series’ nine available trims will be equipped with the semiautonomous driving technology as a standard feature.

With its latest launch, BMW Korea is looking to reclaim its title as the country’s best-selling imported car brand after the company was bested last year by rival German automaker Mercedes-Benz Korea.

BMW’s new 5 series range from 66.3 million won ($58,000) to 87.9 million won. It is expected to go head-to-head against the Mercedes E-class.

By Julie Jackson (juliejackson@heraldcorp.com)