The updated 530d sports an M badge. But are the changes only cosmetic, or is there more beneath its sporty exterior?
There are quite a few changes to the cabin too, the highlights being the fantastic new digital dials and the improved iDrive system. In Comfort or Eco-pro mode, the dials’ screen displays info in normal analogue format, but in Sport mode they flash a sporty red colour. The iDrive gets a larger 25.8cm display with a trackpad on the controller, making things easier, slicker and more intuitive to use than before. The rear entertainment system comes as standard, with two screens to keep the rear passengers occupied while the driver is having fun behind the wheel. The M Sport package also includes front sport seats which are large and very supportive. The rear seats are spacious and very comfy too.
The 530d is powered by the same 2993cc six-cylinder motor, but it now makes 12bhp more than the old car; torque rating stays the same at 55kgm. The kick in the back you get every time you floor the throttle pedal makes the 530d feel even faster than the figures suggest. This is a quick car, whisking you to ludicrous speeds from as little as 1500rpm in one hard, linear shove and it’s only when you look at the head-up display that you realise that you’re going much faster than you anticipated. Like most diesels, the action is concentrated in the lower reaches of the powerband, yet this motor is very free-revving and visits to the redline are pleasurable. With fewer revs to play with than a petrol motor, all the gears are in constant use and that’s where the brilliant eight-speed automatic comes in. It makes the most of the engine’s power and nicely smoothens out the torque attack that this engine produces. In Sport mode, it hangs onto revs longer, kicks down faster, and in Sport Plus, through paddle shifters, you can hold on to every gear and decide when you want to shift.