BMW 530d : FIVE STAR PERFORMER

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Is The Latest 530d The Best Car BMW Make? It's There Or Thereabouts, Reckons Andy Enright

The shock of the BMW 530d has largely worn off. When it was first unveiled, it was a genuine revelation. Until that point, diesels were still bought primarily to save on fuel bills. While this argument worked well for skinflint city cars, it carried less clout when applied to ritzy executive cruisers. The BMW 530d rewrote the script in being the first such diesel car that you'd choose over its petrol equivalent, fuel bills notwithstanding. Its huge reserves of lazy torque and uncanny refinement just made it an easier, more pleasant car to drive. The fact that it would routinely turn in fuel figures nudging 40mpg was merely the icing on the cake. The latest 530d aims to put even more distance between itself and the rest.

`The rest' have, after all, come on leaps and bounds. Whereas once BMW had an unassailable lead in this corner of the market, now there are a good deal of talented rivals snapping at their heels. The Mercedes E320CDi comes within spitting distance of the BMW's mighty 235bhp power output and Audi, Jaguar and Volvo all offer worthwhile options. Worthwhile but, in the final analysis, not as good as BMW's package. As part of the most recent facelift BMW introduced Brake Energy Regeneration, a key component of its Efficient Dynamics programme which aims to deliver "more power for less fuel in a lower-weight vehicle". The system uses a special alternator to recharge the car's battery on the overrun or under braking to boost efficiency. Engine performance was also improved through the use of High Precision Fuel Injection. The maximum power output of the 530d now stands at 235bhp with torque measured at 500Nm from just 1,750rpm. This equates to formidable in-gear overtaking performance. The sprint from zero to 62mph is dispatched in 6.8 seconds and the top speed is limited to 155mph. Perhaps more salient in light of the current environmental climate is the fuel economy which now stands at a highly impressive 44.1mpg on the combined cycle. Even if you opt for the advanced Automatic Sports Transmission, consumption only increases to 42.8mpg.

"When you need to blow past a middle lane hog you'll have instant urge at virtually any point in the rev range"

The once radical shape of the 5 Series has now matured nicely into a discreet but smart piece of design. In a bid to keep things fresh, BMW has made a few small changes to the latest car. At the front, the headlights and indicators are now clear glass while the kidney grille sits flush with the bumper. The air duct in the rear valance has been revised while the side sill gets an additional contour line and horizontal LEDs are used in the rear light cluster. Inside, the door panels and window switches have been redesigned and there's now eight freely programmable `favourites' buttons on the dashboard so that drivers don't have to use the infernal iDrive control system quite so much. There's also an optional Lane Departure warning system offered. The 5 Series remains a big but not bulky car. The saloon gets decent space up front with slightly below average rear leg room and a 520-litre boot. Measuring 4.48m in length, the Touring estate features a 535-litre load capacity with the 60/40 split folding rear seats in place and a hefty 1,650 litres with the seats folded down. There's also a split bootlid with the rear window opening separately for the easy loading of small items. Customers can also opt for a fully-automatic tailgate operation with a press on the key fob opening the hatch and simultaneously retracting the boot load cover. The 530d offers awesome muscle to call upon. With 500Nm of torque, you'll rarely feel shy of urge. To put that figure in perspective, it's comfortably more than a Mercedes S500 limousine can muster, and about the same as a Honda S2000, a Peugeot 206 GTi and a Mini Cooper can manage between them! Suffice to say that when you need to blow past a middle lane hog, you'll have instant urge at virtually any point in the rev range. It's also very quick off the mark. BMW have worked to improve the turbocharger's low end flexibility and unlike many diesel cars which bog a little off the line, the 530d's pickup is almost instantaneous. It's incredible but if you're still not satisfied, there's always the 272bhp 535d to consider. Such is the reputation the 530d has carved that it is in serious demand as a used vehicle, residual values being extremely strong. Factor that in with low ongoing running costs and you have a car that - if you can stomach the upfront price - actually makes a very economical car to run. This is reflected in reasonable leasing costs which should see it achieve a good deal of popularity. Even the initially surprising styling is starting to bed in quite nicely on this particular eye. Much thought has gone into the way electronic systems blend with good old manual ones. BMW have taken the notion that electronics should aid rather than replace manual systems and the active steering system is a good example. Rather than developing the sort of pure `drive-by-wire' systems that often isolate the driver from road feedback, BMW has instead developed a system that maintains a link between the front wheels and the steering wheel but which adjusts the power assistance dependent upon speed and yaw rate, promising quick turn-in when you punch the 530d into a corner but without the accompanying nervousness at high speed that many such cars demonstrate. This system is networked to the Dynamic Stability Control system, reducing the interventions DSC has to make. Dynamic Drive, BMW's active suspension system, is available as an option, and Active Cruise Control, a system that automatically controls distances to the car in front, is also available to order. BMW hasn't left too many safety features out of the 5 Series. Brake Force Display is an interesting concept, enlarging the brake light area when the driver really anchors on. Another first for BMW is Adaptive Headlights - a feature many will associate more with Citroen. This system, sadly still an option, swivels the headlights by up to 15 degrees left and right to illuminate more of the road through a bend. Unlike Citroen's rudimentary old mechanical system, this calculates speed, yaw rate and steering angle before steering the beams. Another technology `borrowed' from another manufacturer - in this case Chevrolet - is a Head-Up Display that projects information onto the windscreen. BMW has yet to offer this technology, but it will be along shortly. If any car can convince the public as to the merits of the latest generation Five Series, the 530d is the one. Impeccably built and quick yet without a devastating punch in the disposable, it's a car that has no meaningful Achilles heel. The dream ticket of repeatedly wielding all that torque with little financial penalty takes some beating. What's more, nobody else has quite figured out how yet.

Facts At A Glance
CAR: BMW 530d range
PRICE: £35,310- £38,430 - on the road
INSURANCE GROUP: 18
PERFORMANCE: 0-60mph 6.8s / Max Speed 152mph
FUEL CONSUMPTION: (combined) 44.1mpg
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front, side and window airbags / ABS / DSC
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/mm 4841/1846