Test Drive BMW 5 Series. A sporty sedan that brings back the "joy of driving".

BMW530i
Reviews & Test Rides

One day, the BMW dealer called me.

My husband received a phone call the other day from a BMW dealer addressed to my husband. It was about anything.'Our previous representative has retired, and we invite you to visit our dealership to meet and greet our new representative and to take a test drive.'This was the case.

I mean, I haven't bought a single car from my previous rep...

My husband invited me to come with him. But unfortunately, my second daughter developed a fever on the day, so I had to stay at home.

However, when my husband came home from a previous test drive of the "new X3", his first comment was.That was not good - not a joy to run through at all!"So I thought that would be my impression this time, too. However, when my husband came home that dayIt was so much better than I thought it would be!"So I asked him a few questions about his impressions of the test ride.(This was only a first impression as it was only a test ride of a few minutes)

BMW 530i test drive

The current BMW 530i (2-liter 4-cylinder turbo engine) was tested this time.

(1) Interior/seat

This 530i test drive was a luxury version of the 530i.The interior quality was also high, with much less of the plastic-feeling elements of the old BMWs.Yes.

In addition, the BMW seats areVery good balance of hold, firmness, and comfort."Yes, and although it depends on the size of the husband, of course.BMW might be my favorite manufacturer when it comes to seats."He said.

(2) Driving performance

The car was quite quiet and seemed smooth from the beginning of the drive. He initially drove in comfort mode.I was impressed by how much more nimble and grounded it felt compared to the previous generation 5 Series (F10).He said.
My husband used to own a BMW 318is.(This ↓)

Compared to those daysI wonder if today's BMWs have forgotten the joy of driving.However, the new 5 Series was made with the "joy of driving" in mind, and the ride quality is very similar to that of the current 7 Series.

The torque is ample, and the car does not feel sluggish or faltering in the city. Also, theWithout any prior information at all, some people might not even notice that it was a turbo. The lack of turbo feeling was so well done that some people might not even notice the turbo if they had no prior information about it.Incidentally, he said, "I don't know about the brakes in detail because I haven't flown that much, but they were easy to control and I never felt uneasy.

(iii) Ride comfort

The car was very comfortable on a flat road surface, and he felt almost no resistance from the road surface. He also said that the car turned smoothly and without any roll when he made a sharp turn at an intersection.(The previous generation 5 Series Hybrid I test drove before had quite a bit of roll that made it feel wobbly when turning briskly.)However, when passing over rough road surfaces, the driver felt the firmness and weight of the run-flat tires.

I'm sure any car would feel some vibration if it were on a rough surface."I asked.

I felt that the frequency of each vibration was a little bit longer than that of normal tires. But I don't usually drive a car with run-flat tires, so maybe it was just me. ButThe 5 series is a car that rides well on flat surfaces and has a good suspension, so it's a shame!I thought.

He said.

H④Sport mode

He said that when he changed to the sport mode, the throttle was clearly better. He also said that the torque converter AT of recent BMWs is really wonderful.What's better?"if asked

The response and lack of dryness, especially in sport mode, is very well done. Also, when I push the accelerator pedal deeper, I start to hear the engine noise clearly, but there is no sport exhaust, so I can't really hear it.It was like BMW in that the exhaust sound was not loud and loud, but the mechanical noise made the sound pleasant."

He said. I was reminded of the 318is (E36) I used to drive in the past. This reminded him of the 318is (E36) he used to drive, and he couldn't help smiling. He said, "That's it!(You must really be a nerd to be smiling while riding in a car.)

Differences from Porsche

'I get that the BMW 5 Series was that good, but what did you feel was the difference between it and the Porsche?'When I asked, my husband had this to say.

I know... it's a matter of taste because of the different driving characteristics, but compared to the Panamera Turbo, I'm not so sure.Many people feel more at ease with the BMW 5 series if only for the comfort of the ride.I think."

He said, "The Panamera is more grounded. The Panamera is more grounded, gripping the road and twisting over uneven surfaces, while the 5 Series seems to flow smoothly. Continuing on.

."Porsche is not a sporty car, it's a pure sports car.I was reminded of this. But if you want to compare it to a Porsche, you should compare it to an M5 or something like that, not to a regular 5 Series, so it's not something you can compare on the same playing field."

He said.

BMW, buy?

This 530i is said to cost 8-9 million yen total for a new car. That's a pretty good price!(Is that how it's supposed to be?)

I asked my husband if he honestly thought I would want it, and this is what he said.

I thought it was a good car because it is a well-made, high-quality sporty sedan that can be used in both business and private situations, and its size makes it easy to handle and sporty..."However, when asked if I would like to take it for early morning runs on weekends in Rokko or Ashiyu, or to the race circuit, I don't think so. That is the difference from Porsche.There doesn't seem to be room in our car lineup at the moment."

I was somewhat relieved to hear that (laughs). I was somewhat relieved to hear that (laughs).

I have only driven BMWs on a test drive and loaner level. ...I can say on the premise that when I drove a BMW, I thought "BMW is a great car! but then I drove a Porsche.I'm still very much in love with the Porsche. I like Porsche."And I remember that it was a form of reaffirming the quality of Porsche every time.

Also, I see quite a few BMWs around town, so in that respect, the Porsche, which I don't see very often, is more appealing to me.

I can't speak highly of it, though, because I haven't had a chance to test drive it properly.

Mina.

Mother of three children, and the owner of the Porsche blog "A Porsche Came to Our House". Until a few years ago, I was not interested in cars at all, but when my husband bought a Porsche, I became...

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Hiro

I am Mina's husband. We don't drive cars for fashion or status symbols. We like cars that are fun to drive, are good industrial products, and have a sense of the maker's intention...

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  1. cara

    Your husband's story is really easy to understand and saves me from having to go for a test drive. m(_ _)m
    BMW, like Porsche, is a car that is a pleasure to drive.
    It is sad to see that due to the sales competition with Mercedes, the car has gradually lost its individuality in terms of its loading taste.
    However, BMW, as a long-established manufacturer of sports saloons, has also joined forces with Japanese manufacturers
    They seem to come up with some interesting things.
    I think the M series has been a little uninteresting for a while...
    There are so many different cars and individual preferences, it's funny!

    • Mina.Mina.

      cara acid
      Thank you for everything!
      >BMW, like Porsche, is a car that is a pleasure to drive. It is sad to see that BMW's cars are gradually losing their individuality due to the sales competition with Mercedes.
      I hear this really often from people around me. "The old BMWs were so nice..."

      My husband also said, "The next Z4 will be a joint development with Supra, so we'll have to see. I hope it won't be a Mercedes-conscious car again." I hope it won't be a Mercedes car again.

      Wow, cars really are deep...!

  2. speckled

    The current 5 are still decent.
    But still, the old days were good. I agree with the opinion that w
    We often say "BMW has gone.
    It used to be a proper sport. Now it's just a sport.
    The front suspension is softened, the rear is stiffened, and the initial input of the steering wheel seems to give it a sporty flavor.
    Well, this 5 is decent from that point of view, with a more rigid body and a bit of revival, but it was already too late.
     On the one hand, Mercedes used to be synonymous with comfort BMW used to be synonymous with suits, but Mercedes, which is also making great strides in F1, has recently become It has also become decent as a sport.
    The quality is perfect and it looks cool. I was told that BMW can't beat Mercedes anymore.
    As a result, in recent years, BMW's core fans have been leaving the company. However, BMW also has the highest global sales year after year w
    And, listening to the opinions of the public, people who don't know much about cars and just want to drive a cool car have been saying lately that they want to drive a BMW. They think it's sporty.
    Brand image is an amazing thing. So while it seems to be successful in branding, I am also worried about BMW's future as its core fans are leaving in the very long term.

    My own rule of thumb is that manufacturers that participate in F1 are the ones that are the most daring.
    The fast-rising Mercedes has gone from being the comfort maker of yesteryear to now having a decent AMGGTR. Project One is so pointy. It is unthinkable in the old Mercedes.
    Toyota introduced the LFA when it was competing in F1, Honda is reviving the NSX, and it is likely that the S2000 and other models will be revived in the future.
    BMW was even competing with Ferrari and McLaren for engine development in the first half of 2000. Come to think of it, it was BMW that recorded the highest engine speed in the 19,000 RPM range. It was at that time that the M5 sedan was equipped with a V10 engine.
    From such a pointy era, it really is a BMW has-gone.

    Sorry for the length of this post. My father has always owned 3 BMW's for the past 40 years since I got my license, and I loved BMW's too.
    My father, who was such a BMW lover, has changed to 0 BMWs w Mercedes and Porsche since 2 years ago. It is the lament of me who loved BMW.

    Next year? The year after that? Porsche will be participating in F1 from next year, so I have even higher expectations for Porsche's future.

    • Mina.Mina.

      speckles
      Thank you for your comment!
      I learned a lot just reading the comments.

      >BMW has gone.

      Sad but well expressed phrase...

      My husband has always been a fan of BMWs, so he used to
      I wish BMW would go back to the days of the E36 and E46. I haven't had the pleasure of driving through the last few years at all."
      He says ruefully.

      However, as Buchi-san said, there is still an image of "BMW is sporty" and
      I have the impression that people who drive BMWs are more into driving than those who drive Mercedes cars.

      Porsche's participation in F1 and how hybrids and cutting-edge technology will be used in production vehicles.
      Very excited about the future!
      Thank you for your continued support.