Sarmad Kadiri catches up with the torque-ative new BMW 525d and takes it for a ‘joy’ ride. Here are the highs and lows of the experience
Photography Sanjay Raikar
A lot has been
spoken about the new 5 Series and its looks. Personally speaking, the car appears a little bland at first. With time one starts to appreciate its proportion and dimensions as the long, contoured bonnet spells luxury. The bulging kidney grille seems a bit overbearing, though it adheres to the international pedestrian safety norms. While the bangle-eyed headlamps have always been a hit with Indians, the gracefully sloping coupé-like roof-line coupled with the Hofmeister kink in the rear underline BMW’s design philosophy. The only external difference between the petrol powered 535i we tested in our earlier issue and this oil-burning 525d is the alloy wheel design. Overall, this is a far cry from its forebear’s sporty and dynamic design as the new model is intended to appear more subtle, now with an underlying intention of wooing a wider spectrum of luxury car-buyers, including some from the neighbouring Mercedes showroom.
Based on the newly developed and ultra-grand 7 Series, the new 5 boasts of the longest wheelbase in the segment. From the inside the 5 Series is a comfortable place to travel in, but not as big as I had imagined. The seats are large, but could do with a little more thigh support. Just like the exterior, the cabin design remains understated and is inspired by big brother 7 Series. The interior is inclined towards the driver and all the buttons are neatly stacked at the centre of the dashboard. The seven-inch on-board monitor for the
iDrive on this variant is small, but does its duty well all the same. Now the multifunction button on the steering wheel also serves to operate cruise control.
It goes without saying that the material used is of high quality and the work reflects German craftsmanship. The car we got had crimson leather trim, which may not be very popular with many buyers. However, one has the option of customising the interior to reflect individual choice. BMW’s trademark, joy-stick inspired electronic gear-selector is simple and fun to use. The ‘Start’ button is located on the dash below the steering wheel and you can store the key in the smartly positioned cup holders between the gear-selector and the climate control unit. In spite of the large proportion the 5 Series is marginally lighter than competitors thanks to the lightweight aluminium construction of the body parts.
The imposing bonnet of the 525d conceals a 2,993-cc, straight-six diesel motor, featuring an all-aluminium crankcase and common rail direct injection, that develops a peak power of 204 PS at 4,000 rpm and 450 Nm of max torque, which is maintained constantly between 1,750 and 2,500 rpm.
When you push the ‘Start’ button the motor comes to life with a slight snarl, but does not clatter like a typical diesel engine. Shift the joy-stick to ‘D’, press the accelerator and instantly you can feel the surge of linear power as the motor hums along effortlessly. The eight-speed auto-box is fabulous and for a diesel the 5 is amazingly quick. The new 5 Series feels lighter to drive than the outgoing one. The mill is free-revving and offers throttle response throughout the power-band. In no time this becomes so addictive that one can’t have enough of it. The credit for this phenomenon goes to BMW’s variable geometry turbo. The performance is more than adequate for city use, though you have the option of slotting the gear-selector into ‘S’ for sportier gear changes.
The EPS (electronic power steering) makes its début in the BMW 5 Series and it enhances precision and comfort of the steering process, thus improving the handling of the luxury sedan and now it feels easier to steer around. The high-profile tyres are better suited for Indian roads, which also add to the comfort of the car. Now you get better grip and the car feels more confident while being manoeuvred round sharp corners. The suspension is an improvement over the previous version, but still remains on the sportier side and driving on uneven roads does upset the composure of the car. Its run-flat tyres don’t help the cause either.
All said and done, the new 5 is a sophisticated car loaded with cutting-edge technology such as electro-mechanical parking brakes and Auto-Hold function, adaptive headlights, crash-activated headrests in front and brake energy regeneration, among others. Then there are several goodies like an electronic sunroof, bi-xenon headlights, daytime driving LED, front and side airbags, tyre defect indicator, keyless entry, proximity sensor and so on.
There are a few things I liked about the 525d, such as its athletic performance, equipment level and overall luxurious size, but then I remain disappointed by the bland design, sporty suspension and wouldn’t mind a greater feedback from the electronic steering. I also wish BMW included a space-saver spare wheel, if not a full-sized one. This is a big deterrent for anyone buying any car in the country, forget a car worth Rs 47.72 lakh (OTR, Pune). Bitter sweet!
CAPTIONS:
The gracefully sloping coupé-like roof-line coupled with the Hofmeister kink in the rear underline BMW’s design philosophy
The cabin quality is top notch and reflects German craftsmanship.
High-profile tyres are better suited for Indian roads but the spare wheel is missed sorely.
