by Tushal Bhadang
BMW has for years stood as a beacon of performance, engineering and luxury with ideals that protect the environment. We received the 525i sedan for test and with bated breath, we pushed the starter button only to feel an expected growl turn into a muted but confident purr. Had the Beemer been tamed? Not really, it now looks more aggressive, with the headlights resembling a hawk’s eyes, the tell tale lights in orange extend over the front wheel arch. Xenon headlights are not only attractive but are also built to ensure maximum spread on the road ahead. Signature kidney shaped grille dominates front look and rear taillight cluster is powered by multiple LEDs that glow according to brake force applied. Soft close doors are also a new feature.
Our test car came equipped with an M Sports aerodynamic body kit, which includes a low front air dam and a rear apron diffuser with added rear boot lid spoiler lip and extended muscular side skirts. Also special are the 19” double spoke alloy rims with mixed tyres (245/35R19 front, 275/30R19 rear with low profile run-flat tyres) and “M” badging. The roofline is low and sums up the features with a “shark fin” antenna. This avatar of the 5-series looks exquisite … especially at night.
What makes the 525i tick is the now up-rated power pack that lurks under the bonnet. A 2.5 litre inline six pot belts out 218 hp@6500 RPM with 250 Nm of torque @2750 RPM which is steady and flat throughout the rev range. She weighs a tad over 1.5 tons and this makes the engine feel slightly underpowered. Mated to a now standard electro-mechanical 6-speed sports steptronic auto tranny (phew!), she revs freely onto the red line. In standard mode the ‘box feels lazy and disinterested, in DS (sports mode) it revs hard but is the most fun to drive in manual shift mode, its weakest point being its low down power surge. She does have her fleeting moments though, as she reaches the magical 100 kph mark in 7.5 seconds and gets there in style. Cross 4000 RPM and the motor comes into its own, surging and subsiding with uncannily smooth, seamless gearshifts. In the upper reaches beyond 6000 RPM there is a fierce and distinctive BMW inline engine induction howl. Lovely!
Steering response is impeccable; there are very few cars which boast of turn-in precision when chucking it mercilessly into sharp corners as the tyres plead for lateral grip. Under-steer for the Beemer was unexpected, especially with fatter rear tyres and being rear wheel drive, but lack of sports suspension might be at fault. The test car also missed the optional “Active Steering” which is known to improve cornering precision and stiffer movement required for high speed driving. At speeds over 100 kph, the steering felt light despite the heavy motor upfront. Placing the gearbox further back and modifying the chassis for better weight distribution has brought about balance in her form.
BMW’s iDrive computer system is often compared to its German competitors and despite all our efforts to get used to, it just didn’t cut the cake. Okay, she doesn’t have a dash or centre console resembling a mini Hi-fi system, but sometimes just pushing one button is so much easier than turning a knob many times over to do the same thing. The dual zone climate control system works quickly and efficiently, users can also programme the zones which need more cooling. The interiors are dominated by a black metallic painted panel trim which runs through the Dakota (natural brown) leather interior. Front driver seat is fully powered with two memory settings. Additionally the rear glass area is equipped with blinds. Don’t be surprised if you see an executive choosing the rear seat over driving it himself, they’re extremely comfortable. The steering wheel has controls for the 6-disc changer audio system (with iPod jack in the glove box), button for voice-activated features and Bluetooth phone controls. Anti-glare mirrors make night driving a whole lot easier.
The list of acronyms available as standard for safety is longer than ever before, including: ABS, CBC, ASC, DSC, DTC and DBS. She has 4-stars in the EuroNCAP safety ratings and has eight airbags which deploy only in the zones that require it in case of an emergency. An army of parking sensors help in slotting it perfectly between the dotted lines.
Last word
Rating the 525i has been one of our most challenging tasks. It associates itself with being connected with the driver to provide an exhilarating motoring experience. Yet it lacks features that should be standard in its class. Fuel efficiency on the 525i has also been bumped up so it sips even lesser now. The bigger wheel size hasn’t helped the car too much apart from gaining visual appeal. Adaptive headlights, infrared night vision, a head-up display, active cruise control, active steering etc are all optional extras. Overall she is neither anaemic, nor aggro, she’s just about right.
Rating 4 stars
Car supplied by Euro Motors, Kingdom of Bahrain.
5 stars: Dream wheels
4 stars: Recommended
3 stars: On the ball
2 stars: Just transport
1 star : Very ordinary
Our test car came equipped with an M Sports aerodynamic body kit, which includes a low front air dam and a rear apron diffuser with added rear boot lid spoiler lip and extended muscular side skirts. Also special are the 19” double spoke alloy rims with mixed tyres (245/35R19 front, 275/30R19 rear with low profile run-flat tyres) and “M” badging. The roofline is low and sums up the features with a “shark fin” antenna. This avatar of the 5-series looks exquisite … especially at night.
What makes the 525i tick is the now up-rated power pack that lurks under the bonnet. A 2.5 litre inline six pot belts out 218 hp@6500 RPM with 250 Nm of torque @2750 RPM which is steady and flat throughout the rev range. She weighs a tad over 1.5 tons and this makes the engine feel slightly underpowered. Mated to a now standard electro-mechanical 6-speed sports steptronic auto tranny (phew!), she revs freely onto the red line. In standard mode the ‘box feels lazy and disinterested, in DS (sports mode) it revs hard but is the most fun to drive in manual shift mode, its weakest point being its low down power surge. She does have her fleeting moments though, as she reaches the magical 100 kph mark in 7.5 seconds and gets there in style. Cross 4000 RPM and the motor comes into its own, surging and subsiding with uncannily smooth, seamless gearshifts. In the upper reaches beyond 6000 RPM there is a fierce and distinctive BMW inline engine induction howl. Lovely!
Steering response is impeccable; there are very few cars which boast of turn-in precision when chucking it mercilessly into sharp corners as the tyres plead for lateral grip. Under-steer for the Beemer was unexpected, especially with fatter rear tyres and being rear wheel drive, but lack of sports suspension might be at fault. The test car also missed the optional “Active Steering” which is known to improve cornering precision and stiffer movement required for high speed driving. At speeds over 100 kph, the steering felt light despite the heavy motor upfront. Placing the gearbox further back and modifying the chassis for better weight distribution has brought about balance in her form.
BMW’s iDrive computer system is often compared to its German competitors and despite all our efforts to get used to, it just didn’t cut the cake. Okay, she doesn’t have a dash or centre console resembling a mini Hi-fi system, but sometimes just pushing one button is so much easier than turning a knob many times over to do the same thing. The dual zone climate control system works quickly and efficiently, users can also programme the zones which need more cooling. The interiors are dominated by a black metallic painted panel trim which runs through the Dakota (natural brown) leather interior. Front driver seat is fully powered with two memory settings. Additionally the rear glass area is equipped with blinds. Don’t be surprised if you see an executive choosing the rear seat over driving it himself, they’re extremely comfortable. The steering wheel has controls for the 6-disc changer audio system (with iPod jack in the glove box), button for voice-activated features and Bluetooth phone controls. Anti-glare mirrors make night driving a whole lot easier.
The list of acronyms available as standard for safety is longer than ever before, including: ABS, CBC, ASC, DSC, DTC and DBS. She has 4-stars in the EuroNCAP safety ratings and has eight airbags which deploy only in the zones that require it in case of an emergency. An army of parking sensors help in slotting it perfectly between the dotted lines.
Last word
Rating the 525i has been one of our most challenging tasks. It associates itself with being connected with the driver to provide an exhilarating motoring experience. Yet it lacks features that should be standard in its class. Fuel efficiency on the 525i has also been bumped up so it sips even lesser now. The bigger wheel size hasn’t helped the car too much apart from gaining visual appeal. Adaptive headlights, infrared night vision, a head-up display, active cruise control, active steering etc are all optional extras. Overall she is neither anaemic, nor aggro, she’s just about right.
Rating 4 stars
Car supplied by Euro Motors, Kingdom of Bahrain.
5 stars: Dream wheels
4 stars: Recommended
3 stars: On the ball
2 stars: Just transport
1 star : Very ordinary
1 comment:
great pictures :)
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