BMW India has rejigged the 5 Series line-up by launching a new variant and deleting some existing variants. BMW has now launched the 520d in M Sport guise for Rs 68.90 lakh and has discontinued the 520d Luxury Line and the limited-run 50 Jahre Edition.
More significantly, BMW has axed the 3.0-litre diesel from the 5 Series line-up and has delisted the range-topping M5 Competition from the website. The petrol 530i M Sport, however, continues as it is and is priced at Rs 65.40 lakh. After the variant rejig, the executive luxury sedan is now only available in four-cylinder petrol and diesel powertrains.
- BMW 5 Series now only gets four-cylinder engines
- New-gen 5 Series India bound in 2024
BMW 520d M Sport: What is new?
Compared to the now-discontinued Luxury Line, the 520d M Sport gets a sportier-looking exterior with more aggressively styled front and rear bumpers. It also features 18-inch alloy wheels, chrome exhausts and M-specific elements like blue brake calipers and M badges on the fender.
On the inside, it gets changes like M-badged door sills and M-spec leather steering wheel. It also gets a few equipment add-ons over the Luxury Line like BMW’s Laserlight technology. Other key features on the 520d M Sport include heads-up display, a Harman Kardon sound system, 360-degree camera and wireless phone charging.
There is no change as far as the powertrain is concerned. It continues to be powered by a 190hp, 2.0-litre diesel engine mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission.
BMW 530d, M5 Competition discontinued
The 530d occupied the top place in the regular 5 Series’ India line-up and was powered by a 265hp, 3.0-litre diesel engine. BMW has now discontinued this engine from the 5 Series line-up, effectively making it a four-cylinder-only midsize luxury sedan. This also means that the Mercedes-Benz E350d currently is the only car in its class to get a six-cylinder diesel engine.
BMW has also discontinued the 625hp M5 Competition super saloon. The M5 was the only other V8-powered car in the segment aside from the Mercedes-AMG E63 S. With it being discontinued, the E63 S remains the sole contender.
BMW 520d M Sport: rivals
The BMW 5 Series takes on the likes of the Audi A6, Lexus ES, Volvo S90, Jaguar XF and the Mercedes-Benz E-Class. However, only the Jaguar XF and the Mercedes-Benz E-Class get an option of a diesel engine. The direct competition to the 520d M Sport, therefore, is the Jaguar XF D200 and the Mercedes-Benz E220d.
All-new 5 Series EWB coming next year
BMW often reduces the variants for better economies of scale when the product is nearing the end of its lifecycle. The variant rejig for the 5 Series should therefore come as no surprise since an all-new generation of the 5 Series is expected next year. As we had exclusively reported, the new 5 Series for India will be available as a long-wheelbase sedan to take squarely on the long-wheelbase E-Class.
In the near future, BMW will launch the new-generation of the M2 sportscar and facelifted Z4 in May this year, and it will be followed by the launch of the facelifted X5 in August.
What do you think of BMW discontinuing the 3.0-litre diesel and M5 Competition from the 5 Series line-up? Let us know in the comments below.