I was checking out the new 5's Flash page on bmw.com. I drilled down to the Navigation Systems page, which was just updated with new information. It read:

... The BMW Professional Navigation system (available end 2003) additionally offers integrated Voice Control and a large 8.8-inch colour monitor with split-screen facilities, for even more convenience and ease of use.

So if it is available by the end of this year in Europe, it could be available in the US shortly after that. Hopefully we will be able to order Professional GPS option around October for a January or February delivery.

This is no date on HUD, though.

Has anyone heard if the prfessional nav system is DVD based and whether update discs will be available on a regular basis? I have used three nav systems and none come close to the functionality or content of those utilized by Acura.

Anyone heard from their dealers or elsewhere as to when the U.S. price list is to be released?

Victor, according to this post, the US price list should be announced in July.

I think the professional Navigation will be a DVD-based system.

I can confirm that both the Professional Navigation System and the smaller Business Navigation System is DVD based...

I receive the July issue of Roundel magazine today and I would just like to share with you what I read. They mention in the magazine that the navigation system of the 530i 6spd they were testing was DVD driven and provided both voice and visual cues for direction changes. The system uses the in-dash CD player as the DVD drive, storing the programmed route in its memory and allowing the single disc drive to be used for music CD's thereafter. They mention that European specs indicate that this drive to be CD-ROM compatible allowing for playback of data files such as MP3 CD's.

Marvel, thanks for the heads up! I found the article you mentioned on the web. You can find the link to the article here.