A year ago, Team ICB got behind the wheel of the F10 BMW 525D Sedan and came back pretty impressed with the blend of luxury, ravishing good looks and sporty character that the car brought to the table. So, in essence the BMW 525D had set the bar quite high for all luxury sedans near about the 40 Lakh Rupee price mark. In the meantime, BMW India has launched a cut price version of the 5 Series Sedan called the BMW 520D, which is aimed at those folks looking at a lower price tag but who also do not want to compromise on luxury. Along with the lower price tag, the engine too is replaced with the smaller 2 Liter turbo diesel unit to pare down costs. Does the budget 5 Series Beemer have enough spunk to still attract luxury sedan buyers despite the loss of a full liter, 20 Bhp and 70 Nm? We just put the BMW 520D through 600 tough kilometers to find out!

BMW F10 520D Sedan

Walking around the BMW 520D, there is almost nothing to suggest that this car is any different from the 525D. Trained eyes though, will be able to make out that there are two major visual differences that separate the 520D from the rest of the Beemers in the 5 Series line up.

BMW F10 520D Sedan

The first difference is the alloy wheels that the BMW 520D sports, which is an older design when compared to the alloy wheels of the other 5 Series models. The second difference is the badging on the boot, which prominently displays the 520D marking, thus distinguishing this car from the other 5 Series models.

Looks wise, the F10 BMW 5 Series looks more like a smaller 7 Series model rather than a grown up 3 Series Sedan, and this is something a lot of people will like as the car styling now has an elegance attached to it. This car’s smooth lines will also mean that the car ages much better than most other models even as the dual kidney grille upfront typifies classic BMW.

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2011 F10 BMW 520D Sedan in ICB’s Comprehensive Road Test and Review

BMW F10 520D Sedan

Moving on to the sides of the car, the design has a visual tension in the form of a pulled back stance that endows the car’s looks with a springy, sporty character. All in all, the BMW 520D will stand its own against the likes of the Mercedes Benz E Class and the new Audi A6.

Getting behind the wheel of the BMW 520D, the first thing that you’ll notice about the BMW 520D is you’ve been in the pricier 525D is the abject lack of difference in the quality of the interiors of the 520D. There has been no corners cut when it comes to most of the interiors of the car, with the 520D feeling every bit top quality like its pricier siblings.

BMW F10 520D Sedan Dashboard Layout

The dashboard features the distinctive dark wood insert running across, which adds that bit of luxury to the dashboard design. A few changes however do exist on the 520D’s interiors. The leather seats on the 520D come in a beige color and so does the other upholstery on the car. Also, the sporty steering somehow felt less meatier to hold, perhaps due to lesser padding. These two changes apart, the BMW 520D also misses the DVD changer to instead make do with the CD changer.

So these are the three main changes that you will find on the BMW 520D in comparison with the 525D, which quite frankly won’t bother too many prospective buyers of this car as plenty of 520D buyers will be in the chauffeured segment, who rarely get behind the wheel of their cars. So, the rear seat is the main area which will see plenty of occupancy in the BMW 520D.

BMW F10 520D Sedan Rear Seat

The rear seat of the BMW 520D, mirrors that of the 525D exactly, down to the rear AC vents and window blinds. While the seat feels very comfortable for two adults, with plenty of leg, head and shoulder room, a third passenger entering the equation could make things a bit crowded.

So, the BMW 520D’s rear seats, like all other 5 Series models is most comfortable when seating two adults at the rear. While the rear window blinds are manually retractable, the rear windscreen blinds have an automatic retractable option whose controls sit in the driver’s armrest.

The high quality rear seat’s armrest also has cup holders and a small case to hold hold a paperback or other knick knacks. Coming to the front seats, the driver’s seat is six way adjustable for height, recline and position. Quite typical of luxury sedans, the driver’s seat feels very comfortable with plenty of leg room.

BMW F10 520D Sedan Driver Seat View

A particular feature that driver’s will love over longer distances is the left arm rest, which encloses a small storage bin too. With the steering adjusted for reach and height, a driver can actually rest both his arms on the armrests on either side, and this is a significant fatigue reducing factor over long distances.

Storage bits on the BMW are aplenty. All the storage bits and instrumentation controls feel industrial to operate and this factor is a major feel good factor in the car. Overall, the BMW 520D’s cabin reeks of quality, and a luxury car buyer will feel right at home in the Beemer.

BMW F10 520D Sedan iDrive

The BMW iDrive system on the 520D is the same as the one found on the other 5 Series Beemers and you get to see and control an array of functions of the car. The automatic sun roof too is a standard piece of kit on the 5 Series Beemer and so is the reverse parking assist.

Even the brake energy regeneration system that charges the battery every time you brake, is present on the BMW 520D. You even get ambient lighting inside the 520D. So, features wise, the BMW 520D is right up there with the other 5 Series models except for the three differences we’ve listed earlier.

BMW F10 520D Sedan Six Way Driver Seat Adjust Buttons

Now, let’s get to the all important aspect of how the BMW 520D feels to drive, both in the city as well as the highways. Getting into the BMW’s driver seat, you immediately will feel you’re in a BMW with the typical BMW layout of instrumentation and other functions, which by the way fall into hand without a hitch.

So, that also means the ergonomics are spot on. The six way adjustable driver’s seat along the steering which is adjustable both for height as well as fore and aft movement, means that finding a comfortable driving position will be a breeze.

BMW F10 520D Sedan Start Stop Button

Thumbing the starter button, the car settles to a refined idle, but it must be said that the 1,995cc four pot turbo diesel doesn’t feel as silky smooth as the six pot diesel that the 525D and the 530D diesel feature. While the diesel clatter is muffled well enough to never be a bother, you will definitely notice that it is a diesel engine that powers this car, unlike the super smooth six cylinder turbo diesel engines of the pricier 5 Series variants.

So the diesel thrum at idle is what greets you in the 520D although the thrum remains just that, a thrum, without things getting any more noisier or vibe-y. Getting a move on, the eight speed automatic transmission with the optional semi automatic mode is a breeze to use, with the upshifts and downshifts being totally seamless, keeping you in the confines of the creamy torque wave of the turbodiesel engine at all times.

BMW F10 520D Sedan 2 Liter Turbodiesel Engine

The beautiful matching of this 8 speed semi automatic tranny with the 2 liter diesel engine means that turbo lag is almost non-existent. This is a factor that is quite important as the very same engine on the BMW X1 that we drove earlier required measured inputs for highway overtaking as the 6 speed automatic transmission on the X1 took a couple of moments more to downshift and while overtaking.

So, the extra two cogs on the BMW 520D really keep you in the torque band at all times, even when you mash the go pedal to the floor. However, the 2 liter motor lacks the outright punch the 3 liter turbo diesel unit, as the lower torque of 70 Nm makes itself apparent with a lower surge when you drive with a lead foot.

BMW F10 520D Sedan Gear Knob

While the 525D, and the 530D to a greater extent, respond by pushing you back into the seat with butterflies in the tummies of the rear passengers, when accelerating hard, no such action ensues on the 520D as the torque wave is quite restrained. This isn’t to say that the motor isn’t punchy enough as you’ll be faster than most but all traffic on the Indian roads, with the 520D taking being a second slower than the 525D to 100 Kph, and even managing a 220 Kph top speed if given enough road.

The fact however remains that the smaller motor means lesser punch and a smaller kick in the pants every time you want some rapidity. Now, with a smaller engine, you’d be expecting a higher fuel economy. During the course of our test, we didn’t find the 520D to be remarkably more fuel efficient that the 525D.

On the highway, you could squeeze out 12-13 Kpl if you take it easy while the city fuel economy figure hovered around the 9 Kpl figure. So, the BMW 520D has an effective range of over 700 kilometers on a full tank of diesel, talking of which the car comes with a 70 liter tank. So, that is quite a respectable range for a car this big that is quite fast too. Now let’s move the real fun bit of Beemers, the handling department.

BMW F10 520D Sedan Instrument Cluster

BMW, on the F10 5 Series sedans has chosen to go with an all electric power steering, replacing the brilliantly connected hydraulic steering of the previous generation of 5 Series Beemers. This manifests itself in effortless turning, even on three point U-turns in crowded city intersections.

The steering also weighs up very well as the speeds increase with good levels of feedback from the front. However, the electric power steering simply doesn’ t feel as connected or as sharp as the hydraulic power steering, especially on long sweepers.

So, we missed the hydraulic unit, and we’re quite certain most Beemer fans will, although the EPS gets the job done almost just as well. But the “almost” is what kills some of the crucial “joy of driving” quotient. Talking of which, plenty more “joy of driving” can be had on the BMW 520D on the twisties as the rear wheel drive car feels brilliantly sorted making you want to attack each corner.

BMW F10 520D Sedan

The way the BMW turns is something that needs be experienced as yes, the 520D is right up there with the other 5 Series Sedans when it comes to the pure driving pleasure it offers while the going turns winding. Driving the BMW in the city though is a breeze despite the sheer length of the car.

The lightness of the Electric Power Steering(EPS) shines through and with the 8 speed automatic obeying your throttle inputs perfectly, you’ll have a breeze drive. On bad roads though, the BMW’s rear seat passengers will feel undulations on the road more than say, on a Mercedes Benz E-Class as ride quality on bad roads isn’t as good as the Merc, with the run flats contributing to some choppiness.

Also, the suspension set up perhaps for a wee bit more stiffness to aid handling, is another factor which makes the BMW 520D’s ride quality a little less plusher. So, if you’re planning to spend plenty of time in the back seat of the BMW 520D, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to hire a chauffeur who babies the car over imperfections on the road.

BMW F10 520D Sedan

Do just that, and the BMW 520D will get by with a very decent ride quality, although the Mercedes Benz E-Class still remains the definitive winner when it comes to pure rear seat comfort. Safety wise, all the bells and tinkles like ABS, Airbags, ESP and dynamic traction control are standard piece of equipment on the BMW 520D and they’ll actually do a terrific job of keeping things safe for you and your family. And we’ll tell you just why.

On a private gravel track, the BMW 520D, being a rear wheel drive car, when driven across a corner at speed, actually managed to get its tail out for us to indulge in a spot of opposite lock to get going straight ahead. While this maneuver was carried out at low speeds, even mashing the throttle mid corner saw just a little amount of wheelspin before traction control arrived to straighten things up.

BMW F10 520D Sedan

On wet roads, driving with the ESP off even for a few seconds around winding roads made the car slide around, and this is where you really appreciate the plethora of safety bits working in tandem to keep you very safe. So full marks to the safety features of the BMW 520D, and trust us on this, you really need all the safety bits on a car this powerful and one that weighs close to two tonnes.

Coming to driving the car at night, the headlamps with xenon bulbs really illuminate the path very well and maintaining good speeds in the pitch of dark is by a large a factor of the great illumination the headlamps provide. Finally, the boot of the BMW 520D is quite capacious and fit in two large suitcases. So, the BMW 520D comes across as a frugal mile muncher in a well rounded package that makes a great case for itself as the price warrior in BMW India’s range of F10 5 Series car models.

Now, should you buy one?

At the price at which the BMW 520D is offered, the car makes a lot of sense if you want the status of the BMW badge along with the fine quality that this car oozes all around. Yes, the BMW 520D’s rear seat might not be as comfy as the Mercedes Benz E-Class but if you find yourself a good driver, that factor can be taken care of quite comfortably. Throw in the BMW all inclusive maintenance contract pack into the equation, and then you have a car that makes a lot of sense if you want a big European luxury sedan that saves you bunch of money, both at the showroom as well as the fuel station.

What you’ll love:

* BMW badge on the bonnet and the associated snob value

* Superb handling

* High Quality interiors

* Frugality of the 2 Liter turbo diesel engine

*Killer price tag and BMW’s all inclusive maintenance packages

What could’ve been better:

* Ride quality over bad roads

* Electric power steering, that isn’t as electric as the erstwhile hydraulic unit

* Sound insulation to muffle the diesel engine thrum

* Run flat tires still not an able replacement for a conventional spare tubeless tyre

New Car Design 2012