BMW 535d M Sport review - price, specs and 0-60 time - Evo
The latest version of the car that did more than any other to make the idea of a performance diesel acceptable: the BMW 535d. It still uses a twin turbo version of the 3. 0-litre straight six, but power is up. Unfortunately so are both the weight... Engine and performance In this car it has to be the engine – very few other companies have bothered with the idea of a sporting diesel. On the surface the 3. 0-litre twin turbo diesel doesn’t seem to have moved on that much since it was first introduced with 268bhp and 410lb ft at 2000rpm back in 2004. Now it has and extra 27bhp and 32lb ft (delivered 250rpm sooner). Compared with the Jag XF the BMW’s engine was lacking refinement. It’s still not particularly feelsome through corners, but the M Sport mods (developed By M division) do make the saloon more agile when changing directions. It’s a crisper car – still not as biddable and engaging as an XF, but close. Noise levels have dropped, smoothness has improved and the drive through and out of corners means there’s more to enjoy about this car than the claimed economy figure of 46. 3mpg (we easily got 38mpg). Rivals Audi and Merc still have nothing to compare to the 535d, so it’s only natural rival is the Jaguar XF Diesel S. I have to say that’s a very close run thing and unless I needed the BMW’s extra space, I’d. Source: www.evo.co.uk
