FOR years, it’s been a firm favourite with cost-conscious business car drivers but the fuel-sipping 520d EfficientDynamics is no more.
The change comes as part of a big programme of across-the-range changes at BMW that mainly affect the 5-Series.
there’s a new top petrol engine – a 4.4 twin-turbocharged V8
In effect, the 520d EfficientDynamics has been folded in to the standard 520d model which now matches its 119g/km CO2 emissions, thanks in part to aero tweaks that reduce its drag coefficient to 0.25.
In the new line-up, the BMW 520d SE Saloon will cost £31,530, and the BMW 520d SE Touring estate comes in at £33,855.
Some other manufacturers have already decided to “mainstream” the fuel-saving technology previously seen only in their specialised eco models by fitting it to a wider spread of cars.
For example, Volvo no longer sells separate DRIVe-badged cars but instead talks more generally about applying DRIVe principles to its products in general.
The dropping of the EfficientDynamics label from the 520d is the first sign that BMW may be going the same way, although the EfficientDynamics versions of the 1-Series, X1 and 3-Series continue, with the availability of a new “Business” option.
Any reduction in emphasis on the EfficientDynamics banner – which has served BMW extremely well over the last few years – would also give more market space for the company’s emerging “i” brand, associated with its new purpose-built electric and hybrid models, due to be launched in the UK later this year. (Read more about the i Series here.)
All 5-Series models now meet the Euro 6 emissions regulations due to come into effect in September 2014.
There’s also a new top petrol engine, a 4.4-litre twin-turbocharger direct-injection V8 for the 550i versions of the saloon, Touring and Gran Turismo. That’s more powerful but also more economical than the previous engine. As convincing a combination of performance and discretion as any business car driver could wish for.
Finally, there are enhanced ConnectedDrive functionality and small changes to the styling and suspension settings for all 5s.
