BMW ActiveHybrid 5 - AutoExpress
In isolation, the ActiveHybrid 5 is fast and smooth to drive, with impressive CO2 and economy figures. Outside of BMW’s own diesels, rivals such as the Mercedes E300 BlueTEC – which combines hybrid tech with diesel technology – may prove a better proposition. BMW has taken the 535i’s 302bhp 3. 0-litre turbocharged six-cylinder engine and ZF eight-speed automatic transmission and combined them with a 54bhp electric motor and lithium-ion battery pack. The ActiveHybrid 5 has two drive modes: pure electric and a parallel ‘boost’ mode in which the petrol and electric motors are both in use. In normal mode, the ActiveHybrid 5 isn’t quite as rapid as there’s no extra battery power – we would estimate the 0-62mph time to be around 7. 5 seconds. To maximise economy, the ActiveHybrid 5 debuts BMW’s Intelligent Energy Management software as part of the optional Navigation Professional system. The ActiveHybrid 5 comes with 17-inch low-resistance tyres as standard, but our test car featured optional 18-inch Streamline alloy wheels. In a 535d diesel we would expect to be getting nearer 40mpg in regular driving. The lithium-ion battery pack is positioned over the rear axle, adding 140kg to the weight of the 5 Series. Unfortunately, the pack reduces luggage space to 375 litres – a drop of 145 litres. Source: www.autoexpress.co.uk
