RE: BMW 535d

RE: BMW 535d

Tuesday 8th February 2005

BMW 535d

Nick Hall reckons the bi-turbo 535d, the 530i’s evil twin, is faster, stronger and has more torque than the high-revving M5


We all know that diesels have come a long way from the rattling tractors of days gone by, but somewhere along the line they have quietly usurped the petrol-powered alternatives. That was the shocking conclusion a few of us faced after testing the sublime BMW 535d on the highways and byways of Southern Spain.

Sixty per cent of BMW’s sales in the UK are now accounted for by the oil burner, a fact dictated by tax regulations based on emissions for company cars, and the US system of economy-based taxation plays to the diesels strengths, too, so it’s a major battleground for the executive brands.

The 535d is as quiet as its petrol-driven sibling and there’s no telltale smoke whatsoever. The only difference is that it’s faster and costs less to run. Diesels are famous for delivering huge thrust in a narrow power band and feeling limper than week-old salad outside of their chosen rev range.

BMW has the answer to this: multi-stage turbo-charging. While, for instance, Jaguar employs its twin-turbos in a side-by-side layout, BMW has opted for an inline set-up. At low engine speeds, the smaller turbocharger does the work and delivers 95 per cent of the available torque at just 1,500rpm. At 2,000rpm, the smaller turbocharger is working flat-out, the larger turbocharger spools up in tandem and all 413lb-ft of torque are available. Towards the red line, a control valve vents some of the gas directly into the exhaust system.

The sequential turbocharger technology means that there is a more or less constant 2.85 bar of boost applied to the intercooler. But the real beauty of this, the most powerful six-pot diesel engine ever in a production car, is that none of this technical mumbo-jumbo will even cross your mind when behind the wheel.

All the investment and innovation is there to convince you you’re not driving a diesel at all.

It took just minutes to plough deep into three figures on foreign roads where the police could only fine us and couldn’t take our precious licence away. Instantly this car felt like a serious sporting proposition, rather than a frugal highway cruiser, and every journalist present took great delight in worrying the 155mph limiter.

This oil burner produces enough torque to rip out trees, 413lb-ft to be precise. That’s almost 30 more than the M5. It’s so much twisting power that BMW can’t offer a standard manual box: it just doesn’t have one that could handle the power.

However, the car doesn’t lose out due to the six-speed auto. It comes equipped with the Steptronic manual operation, but there’s such a reservoir of torque throughout the gears that it’s not exactly necessary and the brakes are so impressive on this machine that I didn’t miss the engine braking afforded by a manual ‘box on the most challenging, twisting and unfinished Spanish road.

It scoots to 60mph in 6.5 seconds and blasts all the way round to its electronically limited 155mph without breaking its stride. The automatic, petrol-powered 530i is 0.6 seconds slower to break the 60mph mark and this is a lifetime in such similar cars.

With this kind of performance, combined with frugality of 35mpg even on a continental thrash and a price tag that starts just the wrong side of £36,500, almost half that of the M5, it’s not just the standard petrol 5-series range that feels threatened by this member of the tractor set.

The sad thing is that, when the diesel is this good, the motorsport badge has become nothing more than a gadget-laden status symbol. Some may throw up their hands in indignation, but if you’re the kind of person that really believes you’ll hit the 8250rpm redline in your M5 on a regular basis, then you’re the kind of person that will spend most of their time on buses at the police’s behest. If it were my money, I’d be keeping a fair chunk of it and putting down an order for this car.

As for the handling, it’s all good news. Not only does this machine hug the road like the proverbial limpet, refusing to wash out into understeer until pushed well beyond the limits of normal road use, it’s also serious fun at low speeds. With the DSC fully deactivated the 5-Series steers on the throttle. Those 272 horses under the bonnet are more than enough to unstick the rear wheels but, when the rear slides out, it’s so easy to hold you could fiddle with the iDrive system with the redundant spare hand.

Fifty-fifty weight balance, achieved with a hybrid body of aluminium and steel in the chassis and thermoplastic body panels, means that despite its 1,660Kg dry weight, the 535d remains a lithe and slinky machine. Active anti-rollbars absorb up to 80 per cent of body sway at lateral forces up to 0.6g, converting hydraulic pressure into torsional strength, which basically means that the harder you lean on this car the harder it tries to stay upright. Although this genuinely does provide sportscar handling without hampering the ride quality, for a truly comfortable ride BMW would have to do away with the run flat tyres.

The interior is uncluttered and functional; the cockpit of a Mercedes might be more luxurious but this one that does it for me. Everything is perfectly situated, easy to use and in the right place, and the styling on the inside has pretty much met with universal approval – unlike the flame-surfaced body.

The styling argument overshadows any piece of technical excellence to emerge from Bavaria these days. But it’s getting boring and the 5-series is still a sexy car, the only problem is that it has replaced a perfectly proportioned luxury machine. The sport kit, M alloys and Imola red paint job on my test car, combined with the soothing effects of two days in Spain, certainly worked for me, though. Pictures don’t really do justice to the car and each time I see one in the flesh that feeling of grudging acceptance has moved further along the axis towards actually liking the design. The back end certainly isn’t its best side, but from the front, and tarted up with the accessories, the 5 is desirable.

On the trip I also drove the impressive 630i -- and we'll be reporting on that car soon -- but for 2,000-mile drive back to England I only wanted the keys to one car. That was the diesel, and that speaks volumes - the days of the tractor are over.

Author
Discussion

senator

Original Poster:

59 posts

262 months

Tuesday 8th February 2005
quotequote all
I think you'll find that the engine is a straight 6 not a V6.

I want this engine in my X5!

agent006

12,029 posts

263 months

Tuesday 8th February 2005
quotequote all
senator said:
I think you'll find that the engine is a straight 6 not a V6.


Doesn't say it's a V6, does it?

Gibo993

961 posts

264 months

Tuesday 8th February 2005
quotequote all
senator said:
I think you'll find that the engine is a straight 6 not a V6.

I want this engine in my X5!


You're seeing things

olly2000

291 posts

274 months

Tuesday 8th February 2005
quotequote all
Only 2 months until mine arrives Would be quicker were it not for the week 9 changes + my desire for individual leather...

An M5 "Lite" with 35mpg - music to my ears now im doing 3000 miles a month

sevengreen

23 posts

240 months

Tuesday 8th February 2005
quotequote all
senator said:
I think you'll find that the engine is a straight 6 not a V6.

I want this engine in my X5!


i think they will add this engine close to summer

Mobster Raks

1,868 posts

256 months

Tuesday 8th February 2005
quotequote all
My Roadster was Imola Red

sevengreen

23 posts

240 months

Tuesday 8th February 2005
quotequote all
Mobster Raks said:
My Roadster was Imola Red


real BMW should be only deep blue color

FestivAli

1,085 posts

237 months

Tuesday 8th February 2005
quotequote all
sevengreen said:

Mobster Raks said:
My Roadster was Imola Red



real BMW should be only deep blue color


Touche. Mercs should be silver, Jags should be dark green (Sherwood metallic or BRG), Audi's should be a slightly darker silver than Mercs, Holdens should be bright red and Fords should be any shade of blue. Hondas, red or white, subarus dark blue (though a friend drives a bright red Impreza GX hatch which actually looks quite good (good job its got 4wd, 'cause he drives like a nutter, being a fellow P-plater) and any french car has to be medium green or blue, and run on froie gras.

Guy Humpage

11,183 posts

283 months

Tuesday 8th February 2005
quotequote all
Is that 2.85bar turbo boost figure correct? Seems awfully high.

dabber

129 posts

232 months

Tuesday 8th February 2005
quotequote all
Was thinking about his or an S4! 18 mpg real world or 35 No bleedin contest!

new scot

208 posts

230 months

Tuesday 8th February 2005
quotequote all
Sounds like it does almost everything my old-shape 540i V8 Touring does ... with the new BMW "sad-fish" looks!

ultimasimon

9,641 posts

257 months

Tuesday 8th February 2005
quotequote all
[redacted]

thanuk

686 posts

262 months

Tuesday 8th February 2005
quotequote all
article said:
BMW can’t offer a standard manual box: it just doesn’t have one that could handle the power


Actually, it's the torque that the manual boxes can't handle

FesterNath

652 posts

235 months

Tuesday 8th February 2005
quotequote all
Guy Humpage said:
Is that 2.85bar turbo boost figure correct? Seems awfully high.


I thought that too, although, if it's absolute maybe it is correct.

granville

18,764 posts

260 months

Tuesday 8th February 2005
quotequote all
Truly brilliant car.

However, to compare it with the M5s (E39 or latest) seems pointless.

I'm quite sure most E60 M5 owners will be tripping the light fantastic at every conceivable opportunity and I know that in about 15 minutes, I too, will, in my own, humble way, be upholding the honours with a near 7000 rpm bark to realms unbeknown to keepers of the proctolgical inspectorate.

Anyway, the older car possesses an appealing growl and that new thing will sound altogether sensational.

doddi

7 posts

231 months

Tuesday 8th February 2005
quotequote all
I have the 530d. Its very fast and lots of fun, but i'm surprised to hear that the 535d only manages 0.6 seconds faster 0-60!!! I like the sport kit, looks mean... anyone know where i can pick one up from after market???

>> Edited by doddi on Tuesday 8th February 22:15

Zod

35,295 posts

257 months

Tuesday 8th February 2005
quotequote all
Looks like a great car, but the bit about never getting up to the rev limit in the M5 is silly. I hit the shift lights in my CSL whenever I get out of town.

Bananaman

201 posts

242 months

Wednesday 9th February 2005
quotequote all
doddi said:
I have the 530d. Its very fast and lots of fun, but i'm surprised to hear that the 535d only manages 0.6 seconds faster 0-60!!! I like the sport kit, looks mean... anyone know where i can pick one up from after market???

>> Edited by doddi on Tuesday 8th February 22:15


I recon they may be playing down the performance figures for insurance purposes ???

dinkel

26,884 posts

257 months

Wednesday 9th February 2005
quotequote all
doddi said:
I have the 530d. Its very fast and lots of fun, but i'm surprised to hear that the 535d only manages 0.6 seconds faster 0-60!!!


0-100 figures anyone?

This is one serious beast. It'll keep in the elite and won't be passed on to Chavs to be MaxPowered.

Diesel competition? Can't think of one . . .

mondeoman

11,430 posts

265 months

Wednesday 9th February 2005
quotequote all
Got to say I'm seriously tempted to try one out and swap the M3 for it .....

Just not so sure about the interior, and the exterior only looks good in dark colours......