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Fri, December 25, 2020 – 5:50 am
Singapore
The BMW 5-Series large luxury sedan has been given a mid-life facelift, and while it doesn’t seem like much has changed at first glance, there have been significant updates to the car under the skin that go a long way toward helping it. improve it.
Visually, the revamped 5 Series can be distinguished through the slightly wider kidney grilles that now connect to the headlights, which are now redesigned and feature distinctive L-shaped LED elements. But other than that, it will be difficult to distinguish. the difference with the model before the facelift.
The interior also receives some minor updates, mainly through the addition of new features, such as the Smart Personal Assistant voice command system, and the car now features Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration with no cables connected, this last is the first in the luxury segment.
All very well, but the big changes are under the skin, and the most significant improvement of all is the fact that all revised 5 Series models now come with a 48-volt mild hybrid system.
The “smooth” part means that the car cannot move on electric power alone, unlike a Toyota Prius, but the system helps power most of the car’s electrical components, taking the load off the gasoline engine, especially in a stop, and chips in when you cruise down the highway.
It can even provide an additional 11 horsepower boost during acceleration of your electric motor, but you won’t really feel the full effect of that extra thrust, because the 530i model as tested here is actually 0.2 seconds slower to go from 0 100 km. / h than the previous version (6.4 vs 6.2 seconds).
That’s despite having 252 horsepower and 350 Newton meters of torque available, and the loss is likely due to the additional weight of the hybrid system that the car has to carry.
It doesn’t matter, because when you get down to business, the 530i is amazingly effective at getting you going, delivering its power in an extremely smooth and linear way. Hit the gas and you’ll soon find yourself against the rear bumper of the car in front of you, just like that. There are no problems or drama, and the 530i executes your wishes in the blink of an eye. It feels like a car that can happily devour miles on the highway, all day.
And it’ll eat a lot too, given the efficient powertrain. With the mild hybrid system running, the 530i is capable of delivering a fuel consumption figure of 5.6 liters per 100 km, a significant improvement over the previous 530i, which averaged 6.2 l / 100 km. Given the car’s 68-liter fuel tank, that translates to a range of 1,217km, or more than enough to cover all of Malaysia and about half the way back.
Most impressive is the fact that it can actually pull off the efficiency claims – unheard of otherwise, given that the efficiency figures reported for large luxury cars are always terribly optimistic.
With a little careful driving, between 6.5 and 7 liters will be seen per 100 km, which is still more than 1000 km with a full tank. Activate the car’s Eco Pro driving mode and be smooth on the throttle, and the assumed figure of 5.6 is actually a realistic goal you can hit.
But probably the best thing about the 530i is that it achieves all of this without sacrificing any form of driving pleasure. The 5 Series is undoubtedly a sizeable car now, but it still feels relatively nimble to drive, with its light steering and slick handling making it arguably the best car in its class.
And despite being equipped with BMW’s M Sport suspension, which from past experience has tended to offer an unnecessarily harsh ride, the 530i feels quite comfortable on most roads, thanks to its adaptive dampers. It still fills up a bit on rougher surfaces, but overall the 530i rides well enough to be more than acceptable on a daily basis.
It’s a pleasant surprise, but it shows just how important the changes BMW has made with this facelift. It may not seem like much has changed with the Series 5, but sometimes, it’s the things you don’t see that really make the difference.
BMW 530i M sport
Motor 1,998 cc, inline 4, turbocharged
Power 252 hp at 5,200-6,500 rpm
Torque 350 Nm at 1450-4,800 rpm
Gearbox 8 speed automatic
0-100 km / h 6.4 seconds
Maximum speed 250 km / h
Fuel efficiency 5.6L / 100km
Agent Performance engines
Price $ 297,888 with COE
Available Now
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