The new BMW 5 Series is being aggressively advertised in the high-performance i5 M60 specification or a version with the M Sport Package at the very least. However, let’s not forget the eighth generation of the luxury sedan can still be had in cheaper configurations, such as this 520i that doesn’t even have M Sport goodies. Mind you, this is a 5er you can’t have in the United States where the lineup begins with the beefier 530i.
This walkaround video takes us on a tour of an entry-level G60 painted in Individual Tanzanite Blue Metallic and equipped with 20-inch aero wheels. The paint and alloys are not the only options this 520i has taking into consideration the interior has Merino leather with Atlas Grey accents from the Individual catalog. The dashboard where the 14.9-inch touchscreen of the iDrive 8.5 calls home has been beautified with a wood trim featuring an open-pored silver inlay.
Even this entry-level 5 Series is electrified since the 520i has a mild-hybrid setup with an electric motor built into the eight-speed automatic transmission. It briefly offers 18 hp and 200 Nm (148 lb-ft) of torque and works together with the four-cylinder engine. The ICE is a 2.0-liter turbocharged gasoline unit producing 190 hp and 310 Nm (229 lb-ft).
You won’t take down any Nürburgring records with the 520i but it’s adequately powered for people who want a posh sedan without sporty traits. It’ll do 0 to 62 mph (100 km/h) in seven and a half seconds and top out at 143 mph (230 km/h), so it’s not painfully slow by any stretch of the imagination. Like all the other G60 versions, it comes strictly with two pedals. The latest generation is the first 5 Series to do away with the manual gearbox considering the previous G30 had a clutch pedal early in the life cycle of the 520d.
Those looking for maximum performance and willing to pay the premium will have to wait until next year when the plug-in hybrid M5 will be out with nearly four times the power of this 520i. It’s said to pump out more than 700 hp from a V8 and an electric motor that will also be installed in the hotly anticipated M5 Touring.
Source: SDA Dan Cars / YouTube