BMW 520i: First Drive

BMW 520i: First Drive
Seville, Spain

What we liked
>> Smooth, quiet, powerful (for its size) four
>> Eight-speed auto delivers snappy acceleration, good open-road economy
>> Ride on standard tyres

Not so much
>> Can’t see heads-up display while wearing polarized sunnies
>> iDrive still isn’t as easy as a push-button radio
>> The holder for the optional proximity key doesn’t hold it


BMW bravely put on a handful of 520i sedans at the launch of the new M5 sports sedan in Spain. For those who wanted a break from the wildest ride in town, the 520i was there as a merry-go-round.

It was a brave move given that the ‘emm fumph’ would likely overshadow most cars on the road, let alone one of its junior siblings. But, if anything, the 520i's presence highlighted the breadth of the 5 Series and served as a good baseline when assessing the super sedan.

The 520i might have felt pedestrian compared to the M5 – but compared to its 520i predecessor the difference is night and day. BMW has somehow managed to extract quite remarkable urge from the new car's 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol four-cylinder engine. A broad spread of power which combined with the vast choice of eight automatic gear ratios creates a formidable package.

Despite BMW’s constant use of the term TwinPower when describing its turbocharger, the 520i uses a single turbo unit with twice the number of swirly bits inside. Whatever BMW calls it, it’s effective. Peak torque is available right where you need it: 1250-4000rpm. This is where cars spend most of their time when commuting or cruising.

It means that the engine delivers its best the moment you squeeze the throttle. This is most unusual for a turbocharged engine; historically they’ve been slow to pick-up.

The numbers themselves are quite modest – 135kW and 270Nm – especially when you consider this is a big, heavy car. And when you consider that BMW has deliberately starved this engine of power… You see, the 520i has the same engine that powers the 528i (both are due in Australia from November onwards). In 528i guise, the same 2.0-litre engine produces an impressive 180kW and 350Nm.
 
But clever engine tuning and the well-matched gearbox ratios make the 520i feel surprisingly able. The official 0 to 100km/h time is 8.0 seconds. (The 528i stops the clocks in just 6.3 seconds, which is hot hatch quick).

The eight-speed also means the 520i engine is barely ticking over at highway speeds, and combined fuel economy (the average between city and highway) is rated at 6.4L/100km.

It should translate to excellent economy on the open road but we’ll reserve judgment on commuter consumption until we test it locally.

Regardless of the real-world outcome, the 6.4L/100km figure means the 520i slips below the Federal Government’s luxury car tax threshold and delivers a starting price of $77,900. The previous entry point into a new BMW 5 Series was $83,300 for the 520d (diesel).

Because the engine is so small, it also means there is less weight over the nose – and better balance overall.

If BMW keeps this up – deliver more with less – there’ll be no reason to buy the dearer models. Unless of course that dearer model is the M5!