After neighboring country Romania greeted the new BMW 5 Series by showing a rear-wheel-drive 520i, Bulgaria welcomed the G60 with an xDrive-equipped 520d. Hitting the local market in October, the eighth generation of the luxury sedan made its local debut at a special event where it showed off its optional M Sport Package and Individual Tanzanite Blue metallic paint.
BMW decided to showcase the revamped 5 Series with the largest wheels available for its E-Class and A6 rival, a 21-inch set with a two-tone look. While the German brand tends to highlight cars with black accents, this diesel 5er did away with the M Sport Package Pro by keeping the silver trim. That said, both front and rear bumpers along with the side skirts still have plenty of glossy black surfaces. In 2023, you can have carbon fiber side mirrors on a 520d straight from the factory, but this example had the regular body-colored caps.
The 520d in rear- and all-wheel-drive configurations are the only diesel versions available at launch. However, rumor has it BMW intends to start production of the 540d exclusively with xDrive in July 2024. If you don’t want to wait until then for a diesel 5 Series, the lesser 520d uses a four-cylinder, 2.0-liter engine with 197 horsepower (145 kilowatts) and 400 Newton-meters (295 pound-feet) of torque.
The four-pot is a mild-hybrid diesel engine with enough punch for a 0 to 62 mph (100 km/h) in 7.3 seconds and a top speed electronically governed at 145 mph (233 km/h). The 520d xDrive is just as quick in the sprint but has a slightly lower maximum speed of 142 mph (228 km/h). Both flavors of the 5 Series diesel come exclusively with an eight-speed automatic transmission and a 60-liter fuel tank.
With the new 5 Series even bigger than its G30 predecessor, weight is a real concern. You should know the 520d tips the scales at 1,775 kilograms (3,913 pounds) without a driver whereas the equivalent xDrive model adds 55 kg (121 lbs) for a grand total of 1,830 kg (4,034 lbs).
Considering the gradual shift to plug-in hybrids and EVs, don’t be too surprised if this will be the last 5 Series generation to still have diesel engines. This type of engine has been falling out of favor across Europe in the aftermath of the Volkswagen Group’s messy Dieselgate. Stricter emissions regulations are also putting a nail in the diesel engine’s coffin, so it’s safe to say the clock is ticking on BMWs with “d” at the end of their names.
Source: BMW
