The all-new BMW 520i Luxury Line

In the middle of January, BMW Indonesia officially introduced the seventh generation BMW 5 series: the all-new BMW 520i Luxury Line.

The BMW 5 series first entered the Indonesian market in 1972, and this year, the German manufacturer introduced its latest all-new BMW 520i Luxury Line, which is fully assembled in Indonesia by PT Gaya Motor.

BMW claims the vehicle boasts the best materials in its class.

At first glance, it looks like a member of the BMW 7 series. This car also applies the BMW Efficient Light Weight concept adopted by the latest BMW 7 series, but there is a lot of technological improvements in the all-new BMW 520i Luxury Line through the use of high-strength aluminum and steel, making it 100 kilograms lighter.

By using the same engine and transmission as the BMW 530i Luxury Line, this car produces a lower output of maximum power and torque. This raises the question of whether the engine is powerful enough to propel the car’s bulky body.

The all-new BMW 520i Luxury Line uses a 1,998-cc four-cylinder Twin Power Turbo engine with valvetronic and double VANOS systems, as well as High Precision Injection with BMW Efficient Dynamics innovation.

It produces 184 horsepower at 5,000 rpm and 290 Nm maximum torque at 1,350 rpm, combined with an 8-speed Steptronic transmission for rear-wheel drive (RWD).

With the same engine capacity, the BMW 530i Luxury Line’s is able to reach a maximum power of 252 HP at 5,200 rpm, with a maximum torque of 350 Nm at 1,450 rpm.

According to BMW, the reduced maximum power and torque is meant to maximize fuel efficiency. But is that really the case?

As a premium business sedan, the all-new BMW 520i Luxury Line has a luxurious interior.

In the cabin, its aura of luxury is very vibrant, with attractive ornaments in light brown and black. Dakota upholstery details the dashboard, door panels and seats. There is ambient light crossing from door trims to the dashboard center, the color of which can be changed according to the buyer’s preference.

The front row has electric panels for adjustments and the cooling system covers four zones with AC touch control panels.

The all new BMW 520i Luxury Line also applies the iDrive 6.0 system, a 10.25-inch touch screen with the newest interface and a 20 gigabyte hard drive to store various kinds of entertainment.

The car’s latest BMW Professional Navigation System with 3D maps and voice direction is also available in Indonesian. Sadly, this car has no sunroof and touch monitor for back-row passengers.

Resembling the key of the BMW 7 series, the BMW Display Key of this variant has prominent features.

The fairly big key is fitted with a screen to display the car’s status data, ranging from fuel and distance coverage, to supporting facilities and time. It can also control a air cooling system from the outside, so that when the car is parked, the temperature inside is adjustable to maintain comfort.

For security, the BMW 520i Luxury Line is equipped with airbags in six different locations, seat belts in three spots for all seats and the Dynamic Stability Control (DSC).

Its brakes already apply the Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), along with the Brake Assist (BA) and Cornering Brake Control (CBC).

The Comfort mode is automatically activated when the engine is started. The steering wheel is very responsive. The engine control unit reads the vehicle’s smooth running condition, as well as its full-speed driving state.

In a trial run on the toll road from Jakarta to Bandung, West Java, this car was very stable to drive and handle. Its transmission is linked with the GPS system and the auto start/stop engine mechanism, adjustable to route and traffic conditions. So when the Cikampek toll road was congested, these systems worked properly and fuel consumption became more efficient.

By using both the Eco and active Comfort modes during traffic, the car’s suspension became pliable and soft. In the Sport mode, it turned tougher, but was still comfortable.

As the car left Cikampek and entered the Cipularang toll road, the Sport mode was applied, shifting further to Sport Individual with an automatic 8-speed Steptronic transmission.

The engine seemed to provide a fierce response in this mode, causing the car to dash off as the gas pedal was pressed down, running and maneuvering agilely on the toll road. This experience answered the previous doubt about the engine’s power to move the vehicle’s large body.

What’s certain was that this car was capable of reaching the speed of 100 km per hour in less than eight seconds.

The BMW 520i Luxury Line’s exterior is also quite stylish, with Active Air Stream Chrome Kidney Grilles and Air Breathers in the front, still coupled with aluminum-strip-coated door levers in high-gloss chrome finishing.

There are also Luxury Line panels on the fenders, adding an elegant image to the car with its two round tailpipes. Its headlights, boasting Bi-LED technology, also use LED cornering lights. For its tires, the car uses 18-inch V-spoke alloy wheel rims in 684 style and bi-color finishing.

At the end of the test journey, another concern was dispelled. The automobile, which costs Rp 1.009 billion (US$73,500) off the road, was able save fuel fairly well. One liter of gasoline allowed the car to travel a distance of approximately 18.5 km.

— Photos by JP/ R. Berto Wedhatama

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