BMW 530i REVIEWS SPECIFICATIONS

BMW 530i

BMW 530i Reviews

       Four years since BMW's current 5-Series made its first appearance on the Australian stage. But while the passing of time has brought stronger, fresher rivals it remains the standout choice for luxury buyers, outgunning all to take the bestselling gong in its segment last year. Now we have a new, revised 5-Series to ponder, but don't go looking for major visual clues. 

       BMW 530i's majestic 3.0-litre straight six now pumps out more power, jumping 10 kW to 200 kW. The six-speed automatic has been extensively revised and picks up the trick electronic shifter first seen in the new X5. The result is even stronger performance. There are no holes to be found in the 3.0-litre six's power delivery, just a single, linear sweep that grows stronger in proportion to the revs used.

       While ultra-keen drivers might prefer a manual gearbox, the mandatory six-speed auto isn't a ticket to Boredom County. Shifts are smooth, swift and it's not easily confused. The new joystick shifter, though, feels a bit plastic when shifting manually.

One obvious improvement over early Fives is ride quality, with our test car doing a decent, if not amazing, job of soaking up the kind of low-speed urban bumps that made their presence felt in the old car.

BMW 530i Specifications

Gas Mileage 
: 20 mpg City/30 mpg Hwy
Engine 
: Gas 6-Cyl, 3.0L
EPA Class 
: Mid-Size
Style Name 
: Sedan
Drive train 
: Rear Wheel Drive
Passenger 
: Capacity 5
Passenger 
: Doors 4
Body Style 
: 4dr Car
Transmission 
: 6-speed manual transmission 
Bore/stroke ratio     
: 0.94
Valve gear     
: DOHC
4 valves per cylinder24 Total valves
max power     
: 231.2 PS (228 bhp) (170 kW)
at 5900 rpm
Specific output     
: 76.5 bhp/litre
1.25 bhp/cu in
max torque     
: 300 Nm (221 ft·lb) (30.6 kgm)
at 3500 rpm
Specific torque     
: 100.7 Nm/litre