Test: BMW 530d Touring

Hm. The (new) Beemvee is always a pleasure to sit in: it smells unobtrusively “nice”, the interior is sporty and technically pleasing, and with a few tweaks it offers probably the best (and at the same time sportiest) position behind the car. wheel. There is nothing special in the current product of the automobile brand from Southern Bavaria.

Then it's a trip. For about a decade and a half, Bimvies ride nicely - they are not heavy, but their sportiness does not suffer. The right foot controls the (again, probably) best accelerator pedal, the steering wheel is always such that it instills a good (reversible) feeling of driving the car, and the rest of the mechanics, controlled and controlled by the driver, give a real feeling. the impression that the driver is the owner. There is nothing special about the current Five.

If you have 53, you can go for the 530d Touring. The Touring, that is, the van, is considered by many to be the most beautiful of all time in the current 5 Series. Or at least the most consistent. The Bavarians have had problems all the time with the Petica (well, or not, as they saw it, that is of course a completely different question) how to continue the design philosophy, started in the front and maintained to the middle, even at the back. Well, it's better now. However, it is still true that Beemve's Touring is a lifestyle first and a space to carry things second. I'm talking volume, of course. Everything else is more or less at the level we expect from Beemvee.

Then comes "30d", which means the engine. Which always, maybe even colder, works flawlessly, which always, with the exception of the first moment after a cold start, is decent, except maybe outside (but we do not care), quiet and atypical diesel fuel, which never, except maybe again, during a cold start, it does not tire passengers with vibrations and gives the impression of sound that its characteristics are out of the question. The tachometer starts with a red square at 4.250, and in lower gears the needle jumps sharply to 4.500 if the driver so desires. The electronics also help a little to extend the life of the engine, as (even in manual shift mode) prevents it from spinning above 4.700 rpm. But believe me, you will not be deprived of anything from this.

Then it is like this: up to 180 kilometers per hour, the driver does not even feel that there is a physical problem called aerodynamic resistance, for the next 20 it quickly happens that the speedometer needle reaches 220 or more, but it takes time. The inner silence (even at top speed, the sound of the audio system remains impeccable) and the excellent sense of stability and control destroy the driver's feeling of (too) fast driving.

But what seemed like science fiction five years ago is now real: consumption. A constant speed of 100 kilometers per hour means consumption (in known units) of six in fifth and five in sixth, seventh and eighth gears; 130 kilometers per hour requires eight, seven, six and six liters per 100 kilometers; 160 kilometers per hour will be difficult to drive with less than ten, eight, seven and seven liters at the reference distance; and at 200 mph the engine will eat 13 in sixth, 12 in seventh, and 11 in eighth gear. With all the numbers, as always, note this time that the readings are taken from an "analog" (that is, not the most accurate reading) meter of current consumption in real road conditions. But practice says: be such a raw material, and it will be difficult for you to quench your thirst above 13 liters per 100 kilometers. And just as difficult, even if you are still such a gentle creature, up to 10 years old.

So far - beautiful, like Snow White and the seven dwarfs.

Three cheers for progress, especially for Bimwa. Now for the small caveats. And let's start with the little things. Three-stage seat heating already at the first stage (very quickly) overheats that part of the human body. Ice. In an automatic air conditioner, it is often necessary to adjust the set temperature in order to always feel equally comfortable (which has been a Beemvei feature for at least two decades). In fact, the excellent iDrive is less convenient (and logical) with each new generation and with more and more extra buttons. The audio system, if I remember Sedmic 15 years ago, hasn't changed significantly in terms of sound quality (which could also be proof that it was already great at the time). The same is with the appearance of the pressure gauges (which, in principle, is not bad). Internal boxes are numerically and voluminously, and below the line the user gets worse. There is nowhere to put the bottle. And the pockets on the backs of the front seats are still hard, which will break the nerves of long-legged people on the back bench, and they will go into them less than if they were soft.

And here is 2011. No additional charge for electronic shock control and dynamic drive, everything after that costs money. From a leather sports steering wheel for 147 euros to an adaptive drive system for 3.148 euros. Among all these advanced technologies is the chassis and drive system, which are additionally controlled by electronics, which this time made the Beemvee Five compared to the Five of 15 years ago (but there is a noticeable difference from the previous generation!). . Yes, BMW thankfully still offers a complete turn off of the stabilization electronics, but the rest of the entertainment, starting with the steering wheel, is such that even the most hardcore rear-wheel drive enthusiast won't like it. However, the good side of all this is that all competitions are a few steps "forward", that is, even less exciting.

For the average driver who drives a BMW for image rather than driving, the opposite is true. The design of the mechanics is superbly controlled by electronics, so there is no need to be afraid to wear the back at all; In fact, it is practically impossible to determine which wheels are driving. And this is in at least three of the four drive and/or chassis programs: Comfort, Normal and Sport. The latter, Sport +, already allows for a little slippage, and it’s good to leave the stabilization off button alone. Shifts are snappy, flawless, the eight-speed automatic is also excellent (with the "correct" direction of the manual shift, i.e. forward for descending), and the chassis is top-notch - more sporty than comfortable at all levels, but not at any level. we can't fault anything.

But we haven't mentioned anything yet. Namely, for everything described and for something not described (lack of space) we had to add to the previously indicated base price - a good 32 thousand euros !! And we didn't get a projection screen, radar cruise control, blind spot monitoring, lane departure warning,

however, we have listed just a few basic safety features that would otherwise be expected from a car with that kind of money by today's logic.

And this is that slip of the tongue. The cost of progress is somewhat acceptable, but nevertheless seems too expensive. BMW is no exception among the prestigious brands, but at the same time (this) BMW has also lost a lot of what the previous five knew how to entertain the best drivers. It's a little harder to forgive Bemwedge for this.

text: Vinko Kernc, photo: Aleš Pavletič

BMW 530d Wagon

Basic data

Sales:	BMW GROUP Slovenia
Base model price:	€ 53.000 XNUMX €
Test model cost:	€ 85.026 XNUMX €
Calculate the cost of auto insurance
Power:	180kW (245 KM)
Acceleration (0-100 km / h):	6,9 with
Maximum speed:	242 km / h
Mixed flow ECE:	11,3l / 100km

Technical information

engine:	6-cylinder - 4-stroke - in-line - turbodiesel - longitudinally mounted at the front - displacement 2.993 cm³ - maximum output 180 kW (245 hp) at 4.000 rpm - maximum torque 540 Nm at 1.750–3.000 rpm .
Energy transfer:	rear wheel drive engine - 8-speed automatic transmission - tires 225/55 / ​​R17 H (Continental ContiWinterContact TS810S).
Capacity:	top speed 242 km / h - acceleration 0-100 km / h 6,4 - fuel consumption (ECE) 8,0 / 5,3 / 6,3 l / 100 km, CO2 emissions 165 g / km.
Transportation and suspension:	wagon - 5 doors, 5 seats - self-supporting body - front single suspension, leaf springs, double wishbones, stabilizer - rear multi-link axle, coil springs, telescopic shock absorbers, stabilizer - front disc brakes (forced cooling), rear discs (forced cooling) - rolling diameter 11,9 m.
Mass:	empty vehicle 1.880 kg - permissible gross weight 2.455 kg.
External dimensions:	4.907 x 1.462 x 1.860.
Inner dimensions:	fuel tank 70 l.
Box:	The spaciousness of the bed, measured from AM with a standard set of 5 Samsonite scoops (scanty 278,5 liters): 5 places: 1 × backpack (20 l); 1 × aviation suitcase (36 l); 1 suitcase (85,5 l), 2 suitcases (68,5 l).

Our measurements

T = 1 ° C / p = 998 mbar / rel. vl. = 42% / Mileage condition: 3.567 km
Acceleration 0-100km:	6,9s
402m from the city:	15,2 years ( 151 km / h)
Maximum speed:	242km / h (VII. B VIII.)
Minimum consumption:	10,8l / 100km
Maximum consumption:	12,5l / 100km
test consumption:	11,3 l / 100km
Braking distance at 100 km / h:	41m
AM table:	39m
Noise at 50 km / h in 3rd gear	56dB
Noise at 50 km / h in 4rd gear	55dB
Noise at 50 km / h in 5rd gear	53dB
Noise at 90 km / h in 3rd gear	64dB
Noise at 90 km / h in 4rd gear	62dB
Noise at 90 km / h in 5rd gear	60dB
Noise at 90 km / h in 6rd gear	60dB
Noise at 130 km / h in 4rd gear	65dB
Noise at 130 km / h in 5rd gear	64dB
Noise at 130 km / h in 6rd gear	63dB
Idling noise:	38dB
Test errors:	uncontrolled opening of the rear door glass

Overall rating (357/420)

• Despite all the additional models, the Petica is still the heart of the Beemve, both in terms of technique and in terms of driving experience. Modern times are turning it into a more passive car than customers would like it to (and probably also a Beemvee), but otherwise it obviously doesn't work anymore. However, the combination of body and engine behind the wheel is excellent.

• Exterior (14/15)

  Probably the most compatible 5 Series Touring since 1990. But in any case, there is no glue for the eyes.

• Interior (108/140)

  Uneven temperature maintenance of the air conditioner and very little space
  
  
  for nothing!

• Engine, transmission (61
  
  
  / 40)

  Excellent mechanics, but the drivetrain already has some excellent competitors and the steering wheel no longer provides a good bounce from the road.

• Driving performance (64
  
  
  / 95)

  Traditionally excellent pedals and probably the best use of the benefits of rear-wheel drive, also on the road. But the Five is getting harder and harder ...

• Performance (33/35)

  No comments. Big.

• Security (40/45)

  We already know quite a few active safety devices from cheaper cars that were not on the test car. And this is at a very solid price.

• Economy (37/50)

  Surprisingly moderate, even when chasing, high price of accessories and average warranty.

We praise and reproach

technique (in general)

feeling behind the wheel

engine: performance, consumption

gearbox, drive

chassis

steering wheel

reversing image, reversing assistance system

fast seat heating

swallowing a fuel tank

sparse base version

accessories price

markedly reduced pleasure rate (compared to the previous generation)

inner drawers

the information system does not always remember the last position (after restart)

uneven maintenance of air conditioning comfort