BMW 545i
If You Want A Five Series That Can Really Punch Its Weight, The 545i Makes A Convincing Case For Itself. Andy Enright Reports
Take it from me, 333bhp is a lot of wallop when bolted beneath the bonnet of a
BMW 5 Series. If the 218bhp 530d feels pleasantly muscular, imagine what the benefit of an additional 115bhp will do for your overtaking ability. The 4.4-litre V8 engine used by the 545i is the same as used in the 6 Series range and its an exceptional powerplant.
The rest of the package isnt too shabby either.
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Priced at £42,445 on the road or £44,470 for the estate (£44,595 and £46,620 in Sport trim), the 545i costs roughly the same as the Mercedes E500 but is significantly more powerful and feels a more modern product. To get a more powerful
Jaguar S-TYPE youd need to fork out over £48,000 for the R version. The
Audi S6 quattro also seems to price itself out of contention. Where the 545i really scores with keen drivers is the fitment as standard of a six-speed manual gearbox.
This has a beautifully lithe action and alters the character of the car when compared to the optional automatic. Despite the excellence of the self-shifter, it cant help but make the car feel like something of an outside lane mauler, whereas the manual car just feels that little bit lighter on its feet. Illogical, I know, but such impressions soon coalesce behind the wheel of a 545i and are tricky to shift. You expect a car of this ilk to be swift but the 545i is, if anything, even quicker than you at first bargain for.
Grip is superb - aided by a very good traction control system that allows the slightest chirrup of wheelspin upon getaway and the car will rocket to 60mph in just 5.5 seconds. This sort of performance was once the preserve of Italian supercars but now you and a whole host of safety and entertainment features can be subjected to this sort of accelerative force and the 545i isnt even marketed as a sports car. Astounding.
The top speed is electronically limited to 155mph and its possible to run into this digital barrier in both fifth and sixth gears. Of course, do so in fifth and youll probably be drinking a prodigious amount of fuel, but drive in a more restrained fashion and youll be able to average 25.9mpg on the combined cycle. Thats better than a 3.
0-litre Audi A6 quattro. The 545i is offered in the well-appointed SE trim level or in Sport form. Its doubtful if youll find the SE wanting in terms of standard equipment provision but if you want those M5 looks, it has to be the Sport. The sports suspension fitted here is very similar to that found on the M5 and then its the usual drill.
Wider air intakes, deeper bumpers, bigger wheels, flared side sills and an optional boot spoiler give the Five much more aggressive stance. Inside the 545i Sport there are fully electric sports seats, aluminium inserts and an M Sports steering wheel. Overall, its impossible to refute that the Five has matured into an incredibly self-assured proposition. Youll need to set aside time to get used to the cars personality and the complexity of many of its systems but its worth persevering with.
"You expect a car of this ilk to be swift but the 545i is, if anything, even quicker than you at first bargain for"
The dashboard is a triumph of minimal design, the Munich company having built up a reputation for ergonomic excellence. The only possible gripe would be the inconveniently situated electric window switches but these are illuminated at night along with the mirror adjusters making them easy to locate. The iDrive system is a little easier to use than that first trialed on the 7 Series, but its nevertheless an interface that rewards a little learning. Customers on a typical hour-long test drive should remember this.
Although the 5 Series does carry over some 7 Series styling cues, its clear that
BMW have listened to customer feedback. The bootlid is less extreme and the fiddly electronic handbrake system used by its big brother has been replaced, in this instance by a conventional manual one. Some customers have reported that the ride quality is increased (and a £500 saving realised) if you opt for 16-inch wheels and conventional tyres instead of the standard fit 17-inch wheels and run-flat tyres. The trade off comes in terms of looks and quickness of response.
Id gladly keep the run flat items given that the rear three quarter styling of the 5 Series already has a propensity to make big wheels look small. 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 5 Series 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, BMWs 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 hasnt 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 Citroens 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 youve got the funds, BMW have the car. The 545i takes a little acclimatising to, but once youre attuned to the car it satisfies on so many levels. Power, in this instance at least, has had no corrupting effect.
FACTS AT A GLANCE
CAR: BMW 545i SE
PRICES: £42,445 - £46,620 - on the road
INSURANCE GROUP: 18
PERFORMANCE: 0-60mph 5.5s / Max Speed 155mph
FUEL CONSUMPTION: (combined) 25.9mpg
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front, side and window airbags / ABS / DSC
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Height 4841/2035/1468mm
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