[15] 1997 Bmw 528i At This Month Gallery

First Drive: 2012 BMW 528i Touring Review by Henny Hemmes

2012 BMW 528i
Less is more

By Henny Hemmes
Senior European Editor
The Auto Channel

2012 BMW 528i

SEVILLE - September 22, 2011: Downsizing is what many car manufacturersare now looking at. Not necessarily as it pertains to physical size oftheir models, but rather the engine capacity. Around a year and a half yearago, when BMW introduced the new 5 Series and announced that it would beavailable with new four-cylinder engines in 2011; many potential buyersfrowned at this new. However, from the first test drives that I conductedearlier this week, I’m here to tell you there’s no reason forpessimism.

Of course, the whole exercise is about fuel efficiency andCO2-emissions. The new 2-liter 4-cylinder petrol twin turbo engines will beavailable beginning in October in the 520i and 528i models. While thesmaller one will not be available in North America, the 528i will be addedto the model range that also offers the 335i and the 550i.

Both 4-cylinder models have the same capacity of 1,997 cc (121.8 cu.in),but they differ in power output and torque. Less is more, as the 528i has61 more horses and 59 lb. ft. more torque than its smaller brother, aresult of modified injection and turbo charging.

North America may get a 5 Series diesel
In Europe, BMW will also offer two new two-litre four cylinder dieselengines with Twin Power Turbo technology in the 520d and 525d models - andmore diesels with this technology are in the pipeline. Average fuelconsumption of both new diesel power plants has been reduced by some 13 percent compared with the previous I-6 diesel engines.

As mentioned many times before, I am a fan of modern diesel engines.They are fuel efficient and offer excellent performance and comfort.Driving the 5 Series Touring with the new 525d under the hood once againconfirms my feelings. With 218 hp and 332 lb-ft of torque, it offersimpressive performance for every day driving, since the g power isavailable from as low as 1,400 rpm. And for people driving long distances,the bonus is also that you’ll only have to look for a gas stationafter some 900 miles. An additional feature is that there is enough torqueto tow a trailer with a heavy load - its maximum pulling weight is justover 4,400 lbs.

• SEE ALSO: BMW Buyers Guide

Asking when BMW will bring this to North America, Ian Robertson, boardmember for sales and marketing of the BMW Group, told me: “We reallyhave to do things step by step. We are introducing XDrive for the 528i,535i and 550i and the diesel models except the 520d.”

In the meantime BMW is already very successful with such power plants inits X-models in the U.S. Mr. Robertson added, “North of the line NewYork-Denver and westwards, 90 percent of the X-models sold have XDrive andthe average is around 50 per cent.”

I believe, that in the not too far future we may expect a decision onthe next step: to bring one or two diesel models of the 5 Series to theAmerica.

Turbo power
Back to petrol engines and the 528i that I drove in the area around thebeautiful Hacienda La Boticaria, our Spanish base for 24 hours. The‘smaller’ engine 5 Series is quick and feels dynamic. Comparedto the outgoing six cylinder, there is more torque instantly availablethanks to the assist of BMW’s TwinPower turbo. The 8-speed automatictransmission seems more in sync with the new engine than with the straightsix. The combination is excellent.

The new models now all have start-stop technology that in the 528i ishardly noticeable. The specs of the new 528i model show it needs 6.5seconds to accelerate from zero to 62 mph, just 0.3 second faster than theold I-6 model. Although it’s not a stunning improvement, it’snot exactly slow either. With the ready availability of torque (from 1250rpm), it is also very easy to pass slower traffic.

Otherwise, it is business as usual, with a focus on the known drivingdynamics of the 5 Series and the excellent comfort during normal drivingconditions. I’m sure that most people will enjoy the feel andperformance of the new 528i.

From a safety perspective, the new models also have all the safetyequipment and in-car controls that are typical of the 5-Series. Asmentioned earlier, the new 4-cylinder engine offers increased fuel economyas well. What customers may have to get used to, however, will be thedifferent sound. Gone is the dark hum of the six cylinder; new is the sharpsound of the turbo engine.

The 2012 528i will be available in the next week or two, and has a base price of $47,575. In this respect less is also more, since the price is up $2,505 as compared to the 2011 model.

Since I drove the 528i Touring, I am including pictures of this bodystyle, which is a favorite of many European buyers. However, it is not amodel that BMW is considering for introduction in the U.S.

The next announced introduction is the M5. It will arrive in NorthAmerican dealerships next summer. I was fortunate enough to also test drivethis fastest of the 5 model range - yesterday I took it from Seville to theAscari race resort. But you’ll have to wait a day or two to readabout this first experience on The Auto Channel, so please check backsoon.

Technical details 2012 BMW 528i sedan(): I-4-TwinPower-Turbo, fourvalves/cyl., direct injection, variable valve control, displacement 1,997liter/121.8 cu-.in., performance 180 kW/245 hp at 5,000-6,5000/min, maxtorque 350 Nm/258 lb-.ft at 1,250-4,800 rpm, 8-speed automatic transmissionwith paddle shifting, rear wheel drive, 0–100 km/h/62 mph 6 .3 s (6.6s) , top speed 250 kmh/155 mph (244 kmh/152 mph). Fuel economy EU testcycle 6.5 l/100 km, or 41.1 mpg (6.8 l/100 km, or 43.5 mpg imp) , CO2emission 158 (166) grams/km. (=Touring)