SA Road Tests

Welcome

This is the home of automobile road tests in South Africa. I drive South African cars, SUVs and LCVs under real-world South African conditions. Most, but not all, the vehicles driven are world cars as well, so what you read here possibly applies to the models you get where you live.

My most recent drive is on the home page. Archived reviews and opinion pieces are in the active menu down the left side. Hover your cursor over a heading or manufacturer's name and follow the drop-down.


Coming back: 2017 BMW 520d (G30) with M-Sport pack

Swift, comfortable, economical

Pics by BMW-presse
Posted: 22 November 2017

The numbers
Base price including M Sport pack: R823 756
Engine: BMW B47, 1995 cc, 16-valve, inline four turbodiesel
Power: 140 kW at 4000 rpm
Torque: 400 Nm between 1750 and 2500 rpm
Zero to 100 km/h: 7.5 seconds
Maximum speed: 235 km/h
Real life fuel consumption: About 6.3 l/100 km
Tank: 66 litres
Boot: 530 litres
Warranty: 2 years / unlimited km
Motorplan: 5 years / 100 000 km


BMW’s Five-series is set to return from near obscurity. That’s good because the modern day company owes its success to the sub-brand.

Let us explain: Back in the early seventies BMW tried to foist the butt-ugly Glas 1700 (rebadged as BMW 1800 but also called “Cheetah” – long story) upon us South Africans but we weren’t biting. It was a car the company inherited during a takeover and consumers hated it.

Eventually, in 1973, BMW let us have its first “real” big Beemers, 5-series sedans, as larger alternatives to the giant killing 1602, 1802 and 2002 mini-coupés. We were glad.

Sadly, after a successful reign as mainstays of BMW’s lineup in South Africa the company’s multiple offerings, in every possible market segment, swamped the Five-series until it became almost redundant. Evidence: Only four models remain although each can, at buyers’ discretion, be plumped up with different Lines, Packs and options creating almost infinite possibilities.

Today, monthly sales of new Five-Series cars in South Africa average around 30 units. Although it seems hardly worth the effort to continue offering them, it would be tragic to see them disappear. BMW is doing something about that.

Recently facelifted and uplifted to be more like its Seven-Series brothers, BMW sees Five as the way of the future. Chairman of the Board, Harald Krüger: “We see technological leadership, emotionally rich products and digitalisation as essential factors in achieving success. With the expansion of our model portfolio in the large-vehicle classes, we are satisfying the wishes of many customers. I’m in no doubt that the new BMW 5 Series will set new benchmarks technologically, but also have huge emotional appeal. It remains the epitome of the business sedan.”

Translated into everyday English that means that 5-series cars are big enough to use as mobile executive offices, haul growing families and their goods, meet current safety requirements and offer all the connectivity and technology you can handle. They also do so swiftly, comfortably and economically and at price levels one might not expect of BMWs: The entry-level 520d slots in at R770 956, while the top 540i starts at R990 316.

Our test rig was a 520d kitted out with M-Sport package that adds R52 800 to the car’s base price. This might seem extravagant but it adds all the expected badges (for cachet); tailpipe finishers; interior trims; doorsill garnishes; special pedals; eight-speed sport automatic transmission; Dakota leather sports seats offered in five colour combinations, with or without contrasting stitching; double-spoke alloy wheels with mixed runflat tyres (245/45 R19 in front and 275/40 R19 at the back); M Sport suspension (meaning it's lowered by 10 mm but otherwise standard); M- steering wheel and dynamics package; anthracite-coloured headliner and some no-cost trim options.

We mention the runflat, low profile tyres and sport suspension for a reason. Right now, most of you are going, “Ooo, ouch, hard!” Not so, unless you are blessed with exceptionally sensitive rear ends. We took the car to a popular Drakensberg resort in rainy weather and along 29 km of rather iffy dirt roads. Despite the suspension being completely mechanical, it rode as comfortably as most air-suspended SUVs.

We drove carefully in the worst parts because ground clearance is limited, at 144 mm, but we had no real cause for concern. The slushy patches posed no problems either because a side effect of all those ESP, VSC and traction controls you read about is that wheel spin, slipping and sliding are practically eliminated.

Back on asphalt it simply felt like any other large BMW with big, lazy power, effortless acceleration, solid build, responsive steering and stable road holding. Effective sound deadening means you have to stand outside the car if you want to hear that it’s a diesel.

The boot lid opens down to 62 centimetres to reveal a sill that’s 15 cm deep. The cavity is long, fairly wide and 53 cm deep at its highest point but narrowing suddenly to 44 cm at the shallow (forward) end. That’s because of a reinforcing beam. There are four rings, a bag hook, a light and a 12-volt socket. First aid kit, basic tools and towing eyelet, and a pump kit occupy special compartments. Because it’s a sedan there’s no direct access to the cabin.

Back seat occupants are treated to above-average headspace, luxurious knee room and enough space to park big feet below the fully lowered driver’s chair. There are repeater vents with a warm-to-cool adjuster in the central console, a further pair of power points, two seatback pockets and medium sized door bins. Spoiling the mobile office image slightly, the armrest offers only the usual pair of cup holders but no opening tray for pens or phones.

The space does provide a pair of ISOFix mounting points with top tethers, but the propshaft hump is high, so only small passengers can use the centre belt and head restraint. While on that subject, the restraints are large. While good from a passenger safety perspective, they interfere with the driver’s rearward view to the extent that we “lost” following cars from sight more than once. Blame the industry’s love affair with four-door coupé styling and resulting narrow windows for that.
 
A tall central console fitted with function controllers, electric parking brake, yet more power points and cup holders and the main gear lever separates driver and co-pilot. It’s cozy and purposeful. Adding to the aura of competition-readiness, an electric rocker switch adjusts side bolster support so you can choose between snug fit or loose-and-easy. We liked it.

As with any BMW, each person’s car can be individualised in literally hundreds of ways. That’s great for freedom of choice but, sadly, nearly all that extra money gets lost at trade-in time. Enjoy it in the interim and remember that, apart from 15 other BMW range choices, there is still a big, powerful and excellent saloon out there. It’s called “Five” and it deserves more attention than it gets.

Test unit from BMW SA press fleet

What We Do

This is a one-man show, which means that every car reviewed is given my personal evaluation and receives my own seat of the pants judgement - no second hand input here.

Every test car goes through real world driving; on city streets littered with potholes, speed bumps and rumble strips, on freeways and if its profile demands, dirt roads as well.

I do my best to include relevant information like real life fuel economy or a close mathematical calculation, boot size or luggage space, whether the space is both usable and accessible, whether life-sized people can use the back seat (where that applies), basic specs of the vehicle and performance figures if they are published. In the case of clearly identified launch reports, fuel figures are of necessity the laboratory numbers provided with the release material.

If ever I place an article that doesn't cover most things, it's probably because I have dealt with a very similar vehicle already, so you will be able to find what you want in another report under the same manufacturer's heading in the menu on the left.

Hope you like what you see, because there are no commercial interests at work here. There are no advertisers and no “editorial policy” rules. I add bylines to acknowledge sponsored launch functions and the manufacturers or dealerships that provide the test vehicles.  And, as quite a few readers have found, I answer every serious enquiry from my home email address, with my phone numbers attached, so you can see I do actually exist.

Comments or questions?
Want to ask a question, comment or just tell me you completely disagree with what I say? If you want advice or have a genuine concern, I will be happy to hear from you. All I ask is that you write something in the subject line so I know which vehicle you're talking about.