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>> 13/October/2011 - BMW Boosts Power In 5 Series Sedan Range

BMW, everyone's favourite rich guy car, has added a big ball of power and value to its insanely popular BMW 5 Series range with the introduction of two new TwinPower Turbo petrol engine variants, the all-new 520i Sedan and a revised 528i Sedan.

This means increased power output and reduced fuel economy in other engine variants, which will be teamed  with added specification and pricing adjustments, leading to a comprehensive "refresh" of the full 5 Series Sedan range.

The new entry point to the range is the BMW 520i Sedan, which sees the debut of BMW's new  2 Litre, 4 Cylinder TwinPower Turbo petrol engine. The 520i develops 135kW of power at 5,000 – 6,250 rpm and 270 Nm of torque in broad spread from 1,250 to 4,000 rpm.

If that sounds impressive, it's because it is.

Combining a twin-scroll turbocharger with High Precision Injection, Valvetronic variable valve control and Double VANOS camshaft control, the incredibly frugal BMW 520i will boast a combined fuel consumption of just 6.4 litres per 100 km and C02 emissions of just 149 grams per 100 km, while accelerating to 100km/hr from a standing start in 8.0 seconds.

The new 520i also will come standard with an 8-speed auto transmission, 17" alloy wheels, automatic stop/start function, dynamic driving control, ECO-PRO mode, business navigation, front and rear park distance control, cruise control with braking function, USB audio interface, Bluetooth functionality, automatic climate control, anti-dazzle interior mirrors, rain sensor with automatic headlight control, and a through-loading system.

But what about fuel I hear you ask imaginary reader - well, I'm about to get to that. Stop being impatient, didn't your mother teach you manners. Geeeeez.

The impressive fuel economy of the new 520i puts it well below the 7.1 / 100km Luxury Car Tax (LCT) threshold to result in a starting price of $77,900* (around 10% of what Ashton Kutcher gets paid per episode for Two and a Half Men).

The new 528i Sedan sees its previous six-cylinder engine replaced by a more powerful iteration of BMW’s new four-cylinder TwinPower Turbo two-litre petrol engine.

The new BMW 528i produces 180 kW from 5,000-6,500 rpm and 350 Nm across 1,250-4,800 rpm. The new 528i sprints from 0-100 km/h in just 6.3 seconds (an improvement of 0.4 seconds).

At the same time, combined fuel consumption has improved by 14 percent to just 6.7 l/100 km, and C02 emissions improve by 22 grams resulting in a figure of 156g/ 100km.

While performance and consumption is improved, so too is the level of standard specification, delivering even more value to the already existing power package of the 528i Sedan.

Additional standard specification highlights include dynamic driving control, ECO PRO mode, electric seat adjustment, professional navigation system, automatic start/stop function, internet functionality and active protection.

The fuel economy figures of the new 528i see it slip below the 7.1 / 100km LCT threshold meaning a reduced new starting price of $98,200.

Modifications to the six-cylinder TwinPower Turbo diesel engine in the 535d, featuring variable turbine geometry, have increased power to 230kW while at the same time as reducing fuel consumption by eight percent. The 535d now sprints to 100km/hr in a blistering 5.5 seconds while averaging fuel consumption of just 5.6 litres / 100km.

The 535i has also improved its fuel economy by 0.7 litres per 100km and now boasts an improved official 0 – 100km/hr acceleration figure of 5.9 seconds.

As part of a substantial repositioning in terms of value and specification both the 535d and 535i Sedans now offer customers more than $7,000 additional value. The 535d is now priced at $120,900 and the 535i is now available from $115,600.

The introduction of the automatic engine start/stop function as a standard feature on all 5 Series Sedan models (except 550i) has seen a further improvement in fuel economy throughout the range. In the case of the 520d, the most fuel-efficient variant in the line-up, fuel economy is now a staggering 4.7 litres per 100km. The 520d is now also even better value, priced from $80,700.

The range-topping TwinPower turbo V8 petrol engine 550i Sedan is priced from $179,900 offering customers more than $3,000 in added standard specification value.

Finally, Active Protection, a newly developed safety package which initiates protective measures for the vehicle occupants in the event of an imminent accident, has been made standard across every model in the 5 Series Sedan range. The protective measures involved include electromechanical belt tensioning, closing the windows and sunroof.

The front-passenger backrest is also automatically moved to a crash-optimised position.

The BMW 5 Series range refresh is effective immediately with the first all new BMW 520i and 528i Sedans arriving in Australian showrooms in November 2011.

So get your Christmas lists ready kids!

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