BMW 5-series – performance and 0-60 time
All but the 520i in the 5-series range are at least relatively potent – some are blisteringly quick
Being a weightier thing, the latest 5-series needs a bit more muscle under the bonnet to give it the get up and go you expect of a German executive saloon. Motivation is a little thin on the ground with just the 520i’s 2-litre mill to call upon, even though the entry-level model is over 200kg lighter than the 530e.
When it’s electrified in the 530e, though it still sounds strained, the combination of the engine and the instant torque of the electric motor gets the 5-series going up the road nicely. The figures are 7.5sec to 62mph and a 155mph top speed but most important is that it feels brisk enough.
It’s the 550e xDrive with its bulbous 308bhp 3-litre twin-turbo straight-six in combination with the hybrid drive for 482bhp, that has the slightly naughty ‘sleeper’ feeling – an overabundance of potency for a sharp-suited, non-M exec. As well it ought to, with almost as much power as an E60 M5 on tap and a whole lot more torque. It gets it onto the road without too much fuss too, thanks to xDrive all-wheel-drive.
Dip far enough into the accelerator in the hybrids and the engine sounds receive a synthesised digital accompaniment, especially when in ‘Sport’. This demarcates the electric motor’s contribution with a little aural flare – a bit of a gimmick, truth be told. Especially in the 530e, where the sound effects are noticeably louder, presumably to mask the gruff four-pot as it’s wrung out. More carnival dodgem than Hans Zimmer’s finest work.
If the sounds aren’t the best integration of the electric element, happily, the power delivery itself is better. The combined outputs of both the 530e and 550e are notably lower than the maximum that the petrol engines and electric motors can provide at any one time. That’s because the power and torque delivery is engineered for linearity, the motors filling in before the engines come on song, delivering sharp throttle response as and when you ask for it.
Regeneration is well-integrated too, without the sharp transition from recovery to friction braking that some PHEVs suffer with. You can’t adjust the strength but the deceleration off throttle is akin to natural engine braking, so you don’t feel the need.
The i5 of course offers instant performance but lacks the versatility and interaction of the hybrid powertrains – certainly of the 550’s six-pot. You’ll need the 550e to go quicker, with even the i5 eDrive40 packing 335bhp and hitting 62mph in 6.4sec. Nothing bar an M5 will go quicker than the i5 M60, which as mentioned is the only full ‘M’ 5-series other than the M5. It has a ballistic 593bhp and 604lb ft and can get to 62mph in just 3.8sec.
