BMW dealers now offering light-up kidney grilles for 5 Series

The back-lit grille introduced by the third-generation BMW X6 appears to be contagious. The feature is now offered on the 2020 5 Series in the United States, according to a recent report. It’s not (yet) available from the factory, so you’ll have to visit your nearest dealer to add it to your car.

Writing on enthusiast forum Bimmerpost, a BMW service adviser in New Hampshire revealed the light-up grille has joined the company’s catalog of accessories. It’s a component known as the Chrome Iconic Glow Kidney Grilles in BMW-speak, and it has its own parts number. It also comes with a warranty, which helps set it apart from the hundreds of similar kits available online.

The lights make the 5 Series instantly recognizable at night, so motorists can keep the BMW versus Mercedes-Benz rivalry going well after the sun sets. The service adviser added they light up the front of the car, kind of like giant puddle lights, meaning decking out a 5’s front end with LEDs also increases its practicality.

BMW priced the Chrome Iconic Glow Kidney Grilles at $614, and the button used to turn them on and off costs $39. 5 Series owners will need to spend over $650 to raise their car’s bling quotient. There’s no word on how much motorists should set aside to get the LEDs installed, but we imagine it’s a project the average shadetree mechanic can complete in an afternoon. And, if the feature is available on the 5, it’s not too far-fetched to speculate there is a good chance it will spread to additional models in the not-too-distant future.