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BMW 520i SE Saloon - Fleet News
01.03.2001 |
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BMW has tweaked the 520i, with more power and torque from increased engine capacity. The revisions breathe new life into the entry level 5. Mark Sutcliffe reports.
Six years after launch, it's still one of the best saloon cars in the world, but now the entry level 5 Series has been re-energised by an extra 200cc and a small herd of extra horses. With its new 2.2-litre six-cylinder power unit - the 520i joins the rest of the model range in the fast lane. It's just as smooth, refined and balanced as before, but now it has the power in reserve it always needed. At £24,880 for the 520i SE, or £23,660 for the entry 520i, it is more expensive than an Audi A6 1.8T SE (£22,610), but undercuts the Mercedes E200K Elegance (£25,525).
Fleet Appeal
From the fleet operator's perspective, the 520i SE is predicted by CAP Motor Research to retain some 42% of its front end price - or £10,275 - after three years/60,000 miles and will cost an estimated 37.5 pence per mile to run over the same period. At that level it competes with the Mercedes (£10,325/41%), but retains considerably more than the Audi (£8500/38%). HSBC Vehicle Finance awards the 520i SE a monthly contract hire rental of £577 over two years 40,000 miles, or £535 over three years/60,000 miles.
Tax position
The new engine produces 216g/km of CO2 in manual guise, rising to 237g/km in automatic form. Currently, a 40% tax payer covering 20,000 business miles a year will pay £1492 a year in benefit in kind tax. That figure rises to £2488 next April, when the BIK tax system moves to an emissions-based regime, and hits £2886 in 2004. Opt for the automatic - a £1220 extra - and the figures are 2001: £1566, 2002: £3027, 2004: £3445.
Driver appeal
The 520i's 170bhp - 20bhp more than the old 150bhp model - makes a disproportionate difference to performance, helped in part by more torque lower down. It reaches 60mph in 9.1secs and goes on to a top speed of a claimed 140mph, all delivered with the 5-series' near-legendary blend of ride and handling. There's measured body roll in the corners, but it doesn't upset the chassis's beautiful balance while pitch is kept to the absolute minimum. In fact, it's the best compromise I've come across in any car in this class.
Coupled with exemplary steering feedback and BMW's usual impeccable balance between brakes, throttle, gearshift and clutch, the 520i is a driver's car through and through. It combines with startlingly good fuel consumption of 31.4mpg on the combined cycle, meaning the 520i driver isn't short-changed in any way by driving the entry model.
Comfort and interior
The BMW's sound system reproduces the most subtle notes and intonations faithfully - better, in fact than my system at home. In fact it caused me to sit in the car outside my humble abode until a track had finished on at least one occasion! The seats provide support in all the right places and, while fairly firm, are among the most comfortable in the class.
All the switches and buttons are engineered with the obsessive Teutonic precision which has become a hallmark of German car makers, and are laid out in an easy-to-grasp ergonomically rational array. The only control I can't quite get along with is the gear lever, which seems unnecessarily long and a little too far forward. It's a minor niggle which barely impacts on the driving experience, and the fact one notices it at all is testament to the all-round excellence of the 520i.
Safety and security
All 5 Series models come with twin front, side and front ITS head bags as standard, with ABS and traction control as well as five three-point seatbelts and three rear head restraints. A Thatcham Category 1 remote alarm is also standard, working in conjunction with the dead-locking system for the driver's door: there is no passenger keyhole.
It helped the 5 Series take this year's BVRLA security award in the executive sector for the fifth year running, and means it attracts an ABI insurance rating in Group 15E - proof, if any were needed, of an industry-leading approach to security.
Equipment and value
At £24,880 on the road, the 520i SE is a bit of a steal. Our test car had some £4380 of extras loaded on top of its standard spec, pushing it dangerously close to £30,000 territory. As standard, the 520i SE comes with 16-spoke alloy wheels, trip computer with fuel consumption, temperature, range and average speed readings (with a multi-function computer as an option), automatic air conditioning, cruise control, multi-function steering wheel and parking distance control.
But metallic paint, electric sunroof and a six-disc CD multi-changer, which many executive cars now feature as standard, would load up your taxable benefit by an extra £1725. Dial in the luxurious leather trim fitted to our test car and the list price rises to £28,190.
Verdict
The new 520i is a seriously sensible saloon, which stacks up well against the competition whichever way you look at it. From the whole-life cost perspective, solid residual values and superb fuel economy make it a strong contender, while drivers are going to be delighted to sit behind the blue and white roundel without the need to remortgage their house to pay the fuel bills.
In conclusion, while the previous 520i compromised some of BMW's high dynamic standards to expand the potential market for its entry level executive model, BMW has made the latest model genuinely accessible to mere mortals: the 520i SE still ranks as the best car in class.