Coinciding with the world premiere of the new 5 Series yesterday, BMW Romania celebrated the local launch of the G60 by presenting a 520i. Not sold in the United States where the lineup begins with the more potent 530i, this version will be the base model in Europe and other markets. The show car came painted in Tanzanite Blue metallic and did away with the M Sport Package we typically see in press shots.
That’s not to say it’s the cheapest 5er money can buy in Europe since aside from the Individual paint, the 520i had optional 20-inch wheels with night gold accents like we’ve seen on the XM. The same satin finish is also noticeable on the kidney grille and window line, making the embossed “5” in the thick Hofmeister kink a focal point of the side profile.
In Romania, the 2024 5 Series kicks costs from €58,964 for the 520i and rises to €99,603 for the i5 M60. Between them sit the 520d with or without xDrive and a rear-wheel-drive-only i5 eDrive. The Dingolfing-built business sedan will hit the market in October and will be joined not much later by a more practical Touring with ICE, PHEV, and EV setups to live up to BMW’s “Power of Choice” slogan.
Being positioned at the bottom of the food chain, the 520i won’t set your heart on fire. That said, it’s not slow by any means since it’ll still do 0 to 62 mph (100 km/h) in 7.5 seconds. It should be enough for people looking to buy a large luxury sedan for its comfort and tech rather than how fast it laps the Nordschleife. It’s fitted with a mild-hybrid 2.0-liter turbo engine making 208 hp and 330 Nm (243 lb-ft) delivered to the rear wheels only through a new eight-speed Steptronic Sport automatic transmission.
In related news, the automaker’s Japanese branch has also introduced the eighth-generation model by launching a First Edition capped at 300 units.
Source: BMW Romania
