BMW 5-Series 2004 review
With better performance and improved refinement, diesel power is more attractive than ever.
The twin-turbo 3.0-litre unit in the BMW 535d is one of the best engines we have ever sampled - diesel or petrol. With 272bhp and 560Nm of torque, this model is incredibly quick, yet amazingly refined. It may offer 35.3mpg economy, but in reality the BMW 535d is a performance car - and the price tag reflects this.
With better performance and improved refinement, diesel power is more attractive than ever. But it's still the promise of reduced fuel bills that is behind most motorists' switch to the black pump.
Choosing an oil-burner is generally a decision you make with your head rather than your heart - although when the BMW 535d arrives here in September, all that could change.
Despite what the badge on the car's bootlid says, the newcomer is powered by the same 3.0-litre six-cylinder unit as found in the 530d, albeit with one important difference. Instead of a single turbocharger, it has two.
This, plus a new exhaust and remapped electronics, has increased the power by 25 per cent to 272bhp, while torque is up to an incredible 560Nm, most of which is available from a mere 1,500rpm. BMW claims the 535d can cover the sprint from 0-60mph in 6.5 seconds, but from behind the wheel, this new model feels even faster than that figure suggests. As well as improving performance, the dual-stage turbocharger minimises lag - a common complaint of most oil-burners.
At the slightest touch of the throttle, the 535d instantly charges for the horizon. With supercar levels of thrust available throughout the rev range, there is no need to kickdown the six-speed automatic gearbox when overtaking.
Unusually for the firm that claims to build the ultimate driving machine, a manual transmission will not be available on this car. But that's no bad thing, as the self-shifter is well suited to the high-torque powerplant. Engineers say they have done nothing to improve the 3.0-litre unit's refinement, but the twin-turbo motor feels smoother and sounds quieter than that of its less powerful 530d sibling, even when revved to the 5,000rpm red line. In fact, this car is so effortlessly quick that it's all too easy to find yourself travelling at a faster speed than you had intended.
And it's this devastating pace, combined with the 5-Series' class-leading handling, which will make the 535d appeal to performance fans, as well as those seeking reduced fuel bills. However, with prices starting from £36,750 - that's £4,850 more than the similarly equipped 530d SE - this could be the first oil-burning model drivers will buy with their heart rather than their head.
