BMW 525i Tested
BMW525i – Medium Sized Sedan for the Family
The addition of the BMW 525i makes it a total of five variants available for the buyer who wants not a 3 Series nor a 7 Series, but rather something in between. The 2.5 litre straight six slots neatly in between the 2.0 litre 520i, and the 3.0 litre 530i. The other models available are of course the very awesome 530d (diesel turbo), and the very powerful 545i, with a monster V8 hiding under the hood.
The BMW 525i is a well positioned model that has been designed to appeal to the young executive who is upgrading from the 3-Series or other similarly sized cars of competitive makes.
“The new 5 Series has proven to be a great success. With its combination of dynamic driving and luxury, it has won over many new customers and built a strong presence in its segment,” said Wolfgang Schlimme, Managing Director of BMW Group Malaysia. He added, “We have been adding model variants and the feedback has been positive. Starting with the BMW 530d (diesel), we found our customers liked to have more choice and hence we are continuing to increase our model offering.”
The new BMW 525i will be the third variant to be assembled locally in the new BMW assembly line in Shah Alam.
Powered by the same six cylinder, aluminum 192 bhp Bi-VANOS (read variable valve and ignition timing) engine as the 325i, the 5-Series, being a little heavier, offers a marginally lower level of performance as the 325i, but makes up for this with a more comfortable environment inside, and a more refined ride. Handling is as good as ever, with dynamic traction control, independent suspension all round, huge brakes with the usual ABS, EBD, etc, etc. Looking under the car, you will notice heavy usage of aluminum parts in the suspension to reduce unsprung weight.
Power is transferred to the ground via a 6-speed automatic gearbox, a move that allows better spread of gear ratios to give balance between good acceleration and high top speed. We achieved a top speed of a little over 220 kph before we ran out of safe road. I would venture to say that the BMW 525i makes a great high-speed cruiser. You would have no problem cruising the whole day at between 160 km/hr to 200 km/hour. If you want to, it will deliver, but will do so in a slightly muted fashion.
Aggressive styling makes the BMW525i stand out from the crowd, and the familiar BMW kidneys make sure it is not mistaken for anything other than a BMW. Something about its front profile seems to encourage other road users to smartly pull over whenever we appear in their rear view mirrors. Size wise, the 5-Series is large without being clumsy, and although you cannot throw it around as you could a 3-Series, it will give a good account of itself through the twisty bits if need be. Getting through corners at high speed was never an issue; the suspension, whilst being compliant, and the body would roll a little, will deliver when push gets to shove. A little ‘understeer’ is built into the suspension geometry to make it an easy car to control in extreme conditions. A key feature of the 5 Series is its ‘active’ steering, that varies the steering ratio to allow higher gearing at low speeds and lowers it as speed increases. The effect is more steering for less turns of the steering wheel at low speeds for improved drivability, and vice versa at higher speeds for better stability.
Inside, seats large enough for over-sized adults are bound in leather; front seats are electrically controlled, with memory for the driver’s seat. Traces of wood trim give the interior a touch of class, while the usual cubby holes and storage spaces abound. Driver aids other than the safety features include Park Distance Control to make sure you don’t hit any obstacles while parking your car, and for night driving, Xenon lights are standard issue.
In the final analysis, the BMW 525i is a car that is built for the upper echelons of society, targeted at the slightly more mature user who wants good performance levels, but wants some comfort and luxury as well. At RM398k a pop, (on-the-road without insurance) it will only be affordable to people who have incomes in excess of five figures, with the first number possibly more than one.
