Imagine what you get when you improve an already improved car. This 530 d is a model which is better than a car we all love; precisely speaking the outgoing 530 d was a true gem which didn’t give us many complaints that needed to be rectified. What BMW has done here is that it has brought in a whole new dimension of sheer Driving pleasure. With a better power to weight ratio, this feature rich BMW is all set to reclaim some lost ground in the luxury sedan market. Being a BMW, driving dynamics and agile handling needs a special mention, and what the previous model compromised in order to get top notch luxury, this variant best showcases what the brand stands for – which is to make a gizmo rich driver focussed car.
Exterior–It does share a lot of resemblance with the outgoing model and one can spot the differences only when you park it next to one. Although dimensionally bigger than the outgoing model, it’s the proportions of the car which can mistakenly make it look like a 3 series. But what seemed to be absolutely disproportionate, was the long bonnet and a longish boot which has now evolved into a more simplistic and compact design. This means the elongated stance of yesteryears has now taken a contemporary outlook with the roofline merging quite well with both the front and rear ends of the car. The car now adopts a wider and grounded stance largely because of its wider grille, wider headlamps and wider tail lamps. The tail lamps and head lamps also get LED as standard. The car gets 18 inch wheel (19’ and 20’ are optional) and although it is same as it was before, it does appear a bit smaller in comparison. The bumper upfront in the M sport is sportier in comparison to other 5 series variants and the fitments at the rear uplift the otherwise plain and simple character of the car. The car gets a nice set of 10 spoke alloys with blue coloured brake callipers.
Interior – This was an area where other brands like Mercedes proved to be a better bet simply because they innovate their designs with time. But this wasn’t the case with BMW, they had for reasons unknown stuck to a particular style of interiors which they exhibited over a wide range of models. That isn’t the case for this variant, as in many ways it seems to be inspired by its elder sibling (7 series). The centre console does not seem so driver centric as it used to, and there’s a smart placement of grey textured plastic on the dash. The cabin is well laid out with a smart use of materials for the switch gear found on the steering and for the windows. The seats on the M sport are comfy and comes with a wide set of adjustments. The rear although largely comfortable, it still doesn’t match the comfort levels found on the E – class. Unlike its European counterpart the boot has a 400l capacity and that is because it also accommodates a spare tyre and a toolkit, but none the less it can still manage to store a few suitcases and a bag. The equipment list on the fully loaded 530 d M sport is impressive, it comes withadaptive dampers, gearshift paddles, adaptive LED headlamps, four-zone climate control, automatic headlamps and wipers, powered steering column adjustment, powered front seats with driver-side memory, a 600W Harman Kardon hi-fi system, 360-degree surround cameras, auto-parking assistant, a wireless mobile charging mat, driving modes, and a sunroof. Along with this the M sport variant gets Two tiltable 10.2-inch screen with remote, Connectivity for MP3 players, game consoles and headphones possible, Interface ports HDMI, USB to connect external electronic devices.
Drive–Powering the top of the range 530 d M is a Twin Power Turbo Inline 6-cylinder engine which churns out 261 bhp@4000 rpm and 620 Nm@2000-2500 rpm. The refinement levels have reached new heights and the clatter which was evident in the 3 series and the X1 is very minimal in the 530 d. The gearbox is clever and quickly adapts to the throttle response. Gear shifts are early enough so the car does not wish to rev beyond 3000rpm, this in turn makes the car fuel efficient.
Engage the car in sports mode however and the whole system adapts quite well, the gears happily shift in order to give you the maximum power in between 3000 – 5000 rpm. There is a distant clatter while the car is at idle and when you push the car hard at the mid-range the sounds are evident but it’s an affirmative growl making you to push the car even harder. The Dynamic Damper Control allows for a smooth ride and depending on the mode it can behave either as a sports sedan or a suave luxurious saloon. Nevertheless whichever mode you find your car engaged in, it never loses character and is always going to provide you a sublime ride. Pushing it at sharp corners is not going to be a problem but it does remind you, of its luxurious sedan character.
Should you have one – This is one of those cars that prove to be an all-round delight. It definitely has the potency to shake up the market and will be at loggerheads with the competition. What’s tremendous about this car is the fact that it hasn’t compromised the driving dynamics in order to be a top class luxury sedan and that very ruggedness goes well to call this one a well packaged sports sedan.
