BMW 520i, Track Test

It goes without saying that the BMW 5 Series is the definitive driver’s car in its segment. Unfortunately, fuel prices and a demand for the diesel model meant that only the diesel 5 Series models were on sale in India. Now, though, as a result of the gap in fuel prices narrowing, and the whole controversy around diesel emissions, we’ve finally got a petrol 5 Series back on sale. But the question is, can this 2-litre engine satisfy the cravings of petrol-heads?

In a word, yes! The engine offers decent performance from the get-go. The car feels responsive in Sport mode, and sudden demand for more power is no problem at all for the gearbox. Mash the long pedal, and the powertrain sounds good too. Although, since this engine develops an identical amount of power and torque as the 3 Series petrol (also featured here), the 520i doesn’t quite pack as much of a punch due to its heavier kerb weight. The trick with this car is to carry momentum, something that you can do quite easily in a car such as this. After all, those intrinsic BMW traits show up with the car flowing from apex-to-apex at the BIC. Make no mistake, though, this is no sports saloon. BMW has setup the 520i to have a comfortable ride and a soft suspension setup. As a result, the car rolls a fair bit and isn’t really a track tool despite the BMW badge and a petrol engine.

What this car is, then, is an extremely comfortable and refined luxury saloon car with plenty of space and a relaxed composure. The ride is supple over broken roads, and you generally enjoy driving or travelling in this car in a civilised manner on the road. Making things even better is the refinement of the petrol engine. No matter how good diesel luxury cars get, the refinement of a petrol engine is what suits the character of a luxury saloon – and, for that, the BMW 520i is a fine car. But stay tuned for an all-new model in the first half of next year.

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