There was a time when the BMW 5 Series was practically a fixture in the metro’s business districts. More often than not, you’d see at least a couple on the road in a day, particularly the 520d.
These days, however, the latest generation BMW’s midsize sedan isn’t as a common sight on the roads like its predecessors. Blame it on crossovers and SUVs, perhaps? Either way, we think it deserves more sales because it’s still a genuinely impressive car, regardless of one’s opinion on its looks.
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Presently, there are just two variants of the BMW 5 Series available in the country. These are the gas-fed 520i and the pure electric i5 eDrive40. There isn’t an in-between model, and we reckon it’s time to rectify that.
Over in Malaysia, a more powerful 5 Series has just made its debut in the form of the 530i. Granted, it isn’t as punchy as the i5, but it gets a much needed boost over the 520i. Not that the 520i is slow, but we said before in our review, we wish it had a little more grunt under the hood.
So, what does the 530i have to offer? In Malaysia, it comes in M Sport guise so there’s a more aggressive set of bumpers and a cooler set of wheels to go along with it. The interior gains a three-spoke steering wheel, along with unique trims for a sportier vibe.
As for the engine, it’s a 2.0-liter TwinPower Turbo four-cylinder, but that’s where the similarities between the 520i and 530i end. Thanks to a different tune, the latter makes 255hp and 400Nm, 47hp and 70Nm more than the entry-level model. For comparison, the 520i puts out 208hp and 330Nm.
Obviously, the 530i will outgun the 520i any day of the week. But just to highlight the performance difference, here are some factory figures. Per BMW, the 520i does the 0 to 100kph sprint in 7.5 seconds, while the 530i does the same task in just 5.9 seconds.
Here’s the interesting part: The 520i we get for the Philippine market is sourced from Germany. Meanwhile, the 530i M Sport is assembled in Malaysia. Should BMW Philippines start sourcing units from our neighbors, it could drive down the current prices of the 520i and make the 530i a viable option.
For reference, the 520i currently retails for P4,990,000 while the Malaysian version, already with an M Sport package and a full suite of advanced driver assist systems, comes in at RM 357,800 or around P4,700,000. Factor in the unit price and local taxes, and BMW Philippines might be able to sell it for around the same or even less. As for the 530i M Sport, that one retails for RM400,000 or about P5,300,000, not bad for an executive sedan that can hit 100 under six seconds and with the full driving assist package.
Of course, it’s easier said than done to get units from Malaysia. However, that’s something to ponder on if there are plans to make the 5 Series more accessible to wider audiences.
