2025 BMW 5 Series to expand with 540d xDrive diesel

BMW Australia is preparing to expand its latest 5 Series line-up, announcing today that it will introduce the diesel-powered 2025 BMW 540d xDrive sedan during the fourth quarter of this year.

The turbocharged 3.0-litre inline six-cylinder 540d xDrive will provide buyers with a more powerful traditional combustion engine choice in BMW’s eighth-generation (G60) 5 Series range, which currently offers only the entry 520i that relies on a 153kW/330Nm 2.0-litre four-cylinder mild-hybrid turbo-petrol powerplant.

The 520d diesel (145kW/400Nm) is not offered in Australia, nor are plug-in hybrid powertrains, leaving only the battery-electric i5 eDrive50 (250kW/430Nm) and i5 M60 xDrive (380kW/795Nm) to fill out the local range.

The incoming 540d produces a muscular 223kW and 670Nm – also benefiting from 48V mild-hybrid assistance that delivers up to 13kW and 200Nm (as per the 520i) – and with the help of xDrive all-wheel drive, the six-cylinder oil-burning luxury sedan (with six-speed automatic) can accelerate from 0-100km/h in a claimed 5.2 seconds.

That makes the 540d six-shooter 2.3sec quicker than the rear-drive turbo-petrol 520i, and while Australian-market fuel economy is still to be confirmed, European figures point to 5.8-6.3L/100km (WLTP). That compares favourably to the 5.7-6.5L/100km (WLTP) for the 520i four-cylinder.

No Touring version of the 540d is heading Down Under, leaving the soon-to-launch i5 M60 xDrive Touring as the sole 5 Series wagon available here.

Pricing for the 540d sedan will be announced in July, but it will be positioned well upstream of the 520i (from $114,900), closer to the electric i5 eDrive50 (from $155,900). The i5 M60 xDrive sedan starts from $215,900 plus ORCs, while the wagon adds $4000.

Full local specs are also not yet confirmed, although BMW Australia says the M Sport Package (which includes 20-inch alloy wheels) and metallic paint will be standard.

Other exterior features include the BMW Iconic Glow illuminated kidney grille surrounds and adaptive LED headlights with Matrix high-beam and blue design elements.

Headline items in the cabin include BMW Individual Leather Merino upholstery and a 655-watt Bowers and Wilkins surround-sound stereo.

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