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2021 BMW 5 Series: prices rise by up to $6000

The BMW 5 Series sedan has come in for a mid-life update. Here are the key changes.


It will cost more to keep to keep up appearances in a 2021 BMW 5 Series sedan when the midlife facelift arrives in Australian showrooms in October.

The subtle redesign – including new headlights, grille, and tail-lights – coincide with tech changes including a larger infotainment screen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and engine power upgrades for a number of models.

There are six models in the new 5 Series line-up – in addition to the BMW M5 high performance sedan – and all now come standard with M Sport styling upgrades.

This announcement also confirms the end of the 5 Series Touring wagon in the Australian market. As confirmed in May, the 5 Series Touring had made up only 4.3 per cent of total 5 Series sales here since the current generation launched in 2017.

The 2021 BMW 520i starts from $95,900 (up $5000), the 530i is $115,900 (up $3000), the 530d is $125,900 (up $2600), the 530e plug-in hybrid is $118,900 (up $6000), the M550i xDrive Pure is $137,900 (up $3000) and the M550i xDrive is $152,900 (up $3000). On-road costs need to be added to all prices listed.

All petrol engined models now come with “high precision” fuel injection (up from 200 bar of pressure to 350 bar), while the BMW 530d now has two stage turbo charging for better torque at low speeds and better efficiency at high speeds.

The BMW 530e plug-in hybrid now has “XtraBoost” which provides an added power bump “on demand”.

BMW says the M Sport package includes 19-inch alloy wheels, M Sport suspension, BMW Individual High Gloss Shadow Line, sport seats, BMW Individual rooflining, M Aerodynamics Package, M leather steering wheel, M door sills, M designation on the front side panels, and tailpipe finishers in chrome with a trapezoidal design.

Furthermore, adaptive LED headlights, automatic high beam and Driving Assistant Professional are now standard on the base model 520i.

The BMW 520i is powered by a 2.0-litre inline four cylinder turbo petrol engine (135kW/290Nm) matched to an eight-speed automatic transmission and does the 0 to 100kmh dash in a claimed 7.8 seconds.

The BMW 530i gains more power from the 2.0-litre inline four cylinder turbo petrol engine (185kW/350Nm) and M Sport brakes (optional on the 520i) and does the 0 to 100kmh dash in a claimed 6.1 seconds.

The BMW 530e is powered by a 2.0-litre inline four cylinder turbo paired to a synchronous electric motor integrated in the gearbox.

A generator recuperates energy back into the high-voltage battery when coasting or braking – and can be driven in hybrid mode, electric-only mode, or petrol-only mode.

It has a claimed electric-only driving range of 67km.

The BMW 530e is equipped with a modern Type 2 charging port, and its lithium-ion battery is chargeable via three different methods: a domestic power socket with the supplied convenience charging cable, BMW i Wallbox, or public charging stations with Type 2 infrastructure.

In petrol-only mode, the BMW 530e has a claimed output of 135kW/300Nm, while the electric motor has a standalone output of 80kW/265Nm.

BMW says the new XtraBoost function “provides an added dose thrust under vigorous acceleration whereby the joint output of the two power sources can be increased by 30kW – up to 215kW – for up to 10 seconds”.

XtraBoost is fitted available “when the Driving Experience Control switch is set to Sport and the gear selector is moved into the M/S position”, says BMW.

In combined power mode, BMW says the 530e does the 0 to 100kmh dash in 5.9 seconds.

The BMW 530d – used by highway patrol in NSW and Victoria – has the same level of equipment as the 530i, however its 3.0-litre inline six cylinder diesel now has two-stage turbocharging and produces 195kW/620Nm. BMW says the model is now capable of the 0 to 100kmh dash in 5.7 seconds.

Both M550i xDrive models are powered by a twin turbo 4.4-litre V8 and a “rear-biased, fully variable … all-wheel-drive system for optimal traction in all situations”. The 0 to 100kmh claim is 3.8 seconds.

Specification detail for all new BMW 5 Series models is listed below:

2021 BMW 520i
M Sport Package
19-inch alloy wheels
Adaptive LED headlights
High Beam Assist
Driving Assistant Professional
Android Auto + Apple CarPlay
Ambient lighting
Comfort Access
Connected Package Professional
DAB Digital radio
Speed Limit Info
Electric seat adjustment
Head-Up Display
HiFi 12-speaker sound system
Sensatec instrument panel
Leather Dakota upholstery
Parking Assistant Plus
BMW Live Cockpit Professional
Wireless charging
Steptronic automatic transmission

2021 BMW 530i (in addition to 520i equipment)
Powered bootlid
Heated seats, front
Lumbar support, front
Adaptive suspension
harman/kardon surround sound system, 16 loudspeakers
M Sport brakes
Sports Automatic Transmission
Note: specification mirrored on 530d

BMW 530e (in addition to 530i equipment)
XtraBoost
eDrive Services
Convenience charging cable
Acoustic protection for pedestrians

BMW M550i xDrive (in addition to 530i equipment)
20-inch alloy wheels
xDrive
M Performance tuning
M Sport differential
Tyre repair kit
Adaptive M Suspension Professional
Automatic Air-Con, 4-Zone
M rear spoiler
Soft-close function for doors
Leather instrument panel
Ambient Air
Electric glass sunroof
BMW Laserlight
Metallic paint

The following items are removed for M550i xDrive Pure:
Roll stabilisation and Integral Active Steering
BMW Laserlight inc. BMW Selective Beam
Electric glass sunroof
Metallic paintwork
Soft-close function for doors
Instrument panel finished in leather
Ambient Air

2021 BMW 5 Series pricing for Australia

VariantEnginePowerTorque0-100km/h (sec)MRLP*
520i2.0-litre four cylinder petrol TwinPower Turbo135kW290Nm7.8$95,900*
530i2.0-litre four cylinder petrol TwinPower Turbo185kW350Nm6.1$115,900*
530e
PHEV
2.0-litre four cylinder petrol TwinPower Turbo & Synchronous electric motor215kW420Nm5.9$118,900*
530d3.0-litre six cylinder TwinPower Turbo diesel195kW620Nm5.7$125,900*
M550i xDrive
Pure
4.4-litre V8 TwinPower Turbo petrol390kW750Nm3.8$137,900*
M550i xDrive4.4-litre V8 TwinPower Turbo petrol390kW750Nm3.8$152,900*

Prices exclude on-road costs


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Joshua Dowling

Joshua Dowling has been a motoring journalist for more than 20 years, spending most of that time working for The Sydney Morning Herald (as motoring editor and one of the early members of the Drive team) and News Corp Australia. He joined CarAdvice / Drive in 2018, and has been a World Car of the Year judge for more than 10 years.

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