First Drive: BMW 520d M Sport and i5 M60

First Drive: BMW 520d M Sport and i5 M60

BMW recently launched its mid-point-in-the-range sedan, the 5 Series, in scenic Cape Town. At the launch, BMW showcased two models for immediate roll-out and at vastly different ends of the scale: the 520d, which offers a more traditional diesel-power approach, and its electric i5 M60. 

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Has it done enough, though?

So, here’s the thing: the 5 Series has always been a middle point of access between the storied and immensely popular 3 Series and the crème-de-la-crème 7 Series. Less sporty than the 3, not quite as wantworthy as the 7. That’s an odd space to be in. The good news is that BMW has pulled out all the stops to make the new 5 Series a car that nearly occupies poster space on a bedroom wall. Very nearly. 

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It’s a distinctly good-looking sedan with a modern take on the twin headlights, a backtrack on the wildlife-ingesting and frankly huge nostrils, back to what you and I’d call tasteful, while the nighttime illuminated grille that’s now becoming a mainstay feature of new BMW’s is carried over from the 7 Series. As for the side profile, I’ll skip all the marketing fluff and tell you that it’s sleek with an embossed 5 living on the C-pillar to denote the car’s standing within the portfolio. At the rear, the sleek side profile comes to a head with bold lines and creases; note the ident between the boot and bumper, while BMW says that the rear lights are supposed to represent an L. Personally, I don’t see it. 

If you’re interested in the specifics of the exterior figures, bear with me. If you don’t feel the need to learn exactly what volume the exterior represents, feel free to scroll to the next section. Here goes: The 5 Series has grown in length by 97mm to 5,060mm, and it’s now also the first 5 to ever breach the 5-metre mark… quite apt. Translation: This sedan has some size to it. It’s 32mm wider at 1,900mm, and, despite what the sleek side profile will have you believe, it’s higher too. It now stands at 1,515mm in height, which is an increase of 36mm, while the wheelbase has grown by 20mm for a total of 2,995. For reference, that’s 144mm more than the 3 and 256mm less than the 7. 

And inside, is it still as dull as dishwater?

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No. Far from it. I like to think that all the ink I’ve smeared on precious paper about BMW’s inherently unimaginative interior spaces has had an effect, however small, since the 7 Series that launched last year. More likely, though, is someone in the interior styling department waking up with the thought, “Hey, I wonder what Mercedes-Benz is doing with their cabins lately? Let’s try that.” 

The result is less seemingly space-filling button clutter and more reliance on digitisation. It’s useful that most functions have been digitally embedded into the 12.3-inch instrument screen and 14.9-inch infotainment system, but the trade-off is navigating several layers to find certain operations, which add yet another layer of complexity. Linking your smartphone to either Android Auto or Apple Carplay, for instance, requires a measure of patience and digital finesse. Then again, owning the car means a one-time connection. That’s it. 

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Further measures to reduce clutter include the deletion of traditional air vents. Instead, BMW opted for an air-slot-type delivery system that is hidden from both the driver’s and passenger’s eye lines, with a hidden toggle to set height and a digital slider to set intensity. The result, while not immediately noticeable in an “I wonder where the air vents are” way, is a clean-cut cabin that’s worthy of servicing Beemer’s immortal 5 Series. If, though, I had to pick nits about the more minimalist approach, it’s the hazard button, or rather the lack thereof, with a capacitive feedback button replacing the traditional physical depress button. It’s finicky at best, and here I’d say that BMW should have left well enough alone. 

The specs, also the important bit…

South Africa has to make do without the entirety of the model’s engine range. There are no petrol engines for the foreseeable future - until the mighty M5 comes along - and no 530d derivative. I’m sorry to be the bearer of bad news. What we do have, though, is the sensible 520d and the stonking i5 M60, with BMW saying that the less bitey i5 40 is scheduled to arrive soon. 

Rather poetically, the i5 M60 is equipped with BMW’s fifth-generation eDrive technology, which, in real-world terms, we care about, means that it produces 442kW and 820Nm of torque. I’ll give you a second to wrap your head around that. That’s thanks to two electric motors, the front of which generates 192kW while the rear makes up the difference at 250kW. Press the left-hand steering pedal labelled 'Boost', and it accelerates from 0-100km/h in 3.8 seconds, only running out of steam at 230km/h. All this potential is stored in the underbody battery, which has an 81.2 kWh capacity. 

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On the more sensible side, the 520d is powered by BMW’s trusty 2.0-litre turbodiesel mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission that produces 145kW and 400Nm of torque. It all feels so conservative to write, especially since it accelerates to 100km/h in a modest-in-comparison 7.3 seconds. Sensible yes, but as is the way of the 20d, it has serious charm even if its performance is unassuming. It’s still a fantastic cruiser with the ability to easily collect speed for overtaking, despite its 1.8-tonne mass. And speaking of weight, it’s relatively lightweight in comparison to its 2.3-tonne electric sibling, and in the handling sphere, this is evident. 

Not to say that the i5 M60 handles like a log. Far from it since BMW is masters at optimising their chassis to overcome the unseen forces of nature, and it’s evident within the i5. It just can’t match the sharpness of the much lighter 520d on anything resembling a bend. Where it shines, however, is on the acceleration front when that Boost paddle gets called into action. It shoves you into your seat back with an immediacy that’s not often experienced within the ICE realm. And then it happens. The well-insulated and quiet cabin that only reveals a faint hum from the wheels and a near-imperceptible woosh from wind colliding with the A-pillar reverberates with a futuristic and increasingly urgent acoustic resonance. 

It was composed by Hollywood soundman Hanz Zimmer to replace the artificially injected engine noise that’s oftentimes imposed on the speakers of EVs. It changes pitch and tone directly related to the speed you carry and the urgency with which the accelerator pedal gets squeezed. It’s a refreshing take on the future of mobility and an apt way for me to conclude this report. 

Get to the point...

The new 5 Series is proof that BMW isn’t just trying to conform to the status quo of what the competition is doing. Instead, it looks to forge its own path into electric mobility while keeping true to what we love about these sedans, with very little in the way of foreign concepts and more of a focus on improving on what’s already working. The safety aspect is another example: BMW introduced its Active Lane Change system with this generation that requires the driver to indicate, and check the blind spots, and, when safe, the car will automatically change lanes without further input from the driver. 

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Whether you opt for diesel or electric, the 5 Series is a sumptuously appointed sedan that’s taking its rightful place within the BMW model hierarchy. What’s more, you can choose the sensible route with the frugal 520d (R1,247,893) that will win back a large portion of the asking price on just fuel consumption that's further helped by 48V mild-hybrid assistance. 

Or you can opt for the futurism-in-a-familiar-package i5 M60 (R2,190,000) with the asking price inclusive of a wallbox and installation. If it’s a more middle-ground offering you’re after, the i5 M40 that is scheduled to arrive later this year will surely make a competitive case for itself within the EV space with an asking price of R1,842,500, the price tag of which also includes a wallbox and installation. 

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