2015 BMW 535i Exclusive M Sport Review – The Velvet Hammer
The skinny: As far as large luxury sedans go, few have the enduring cachet of BMW's 5 Series in Australia. It might lag a little in sales behind the Mercedes Benz E Class, but its blend of handsome lines, potent performance, and generous interior space appeal to both private and hire car buyers alike.
It's an all-German battle for supremacy, but few cars command the attention of aspirational buyers like BMW and Mercedes Benz.
At the middle of the 5 Series range sits the 535i, with performance courtesy of BMW’s turbocharged straight-six. Despite having passed the midway point of its life-cycle, the 535i still delivers on spearing performance and prestige accommodation.
Vehicle Style: Large luxury sedan
Price: $121,240 (plus on-roads)
Engine/trans: 225kW/400Nm 3.0 6cyl turbo petrol | 8sp automatic
Fuel Economy claimed: 7.9 l/100km | tested: 11.2 l/100km
OVERVIEW
BMW’s executive sedan is in a pretty good place. It sells at almost double the rate of the Audi A6 and Jaguar XF, although the latter is deep into run-out.
In fact the only car that outsells it in the category is the E-Class, from the rampant and seemingly unstoppable Mercedes-Benz.