BMW has launched the BMW 520d M Sport in India, priced at Rs 54 lakh (all India ex-showroom). The 520d M Sport is essentially an affordable version of the 5-series M Sport variant, earlier available only in the top-spec 530d M Sport.
The model is to be locally built at BMW’s plant in Chennai, and continues to be powered by the same 190hp 2.0-litre diesel engine as the standard 520d. The engine is mated to an eight-speed automatic gearbox that is available with steering-wheel mounted paddle shifters. The manufacturer claims the car can go from 0-100kph in 7.7 seconds and has a top speed of 233kph.
The 520d gets the M aerodynamics package as standard, including 18-inch M light alloys with a double-spoke design, side skirts, sport bumpers, exhaust pipe finishers in Dark Chrome, and diffuser finished in Dark Shadow metallic. The car also sports adaptive LED headlights, ‘M’ badge on the front wings and 'M' designation on the door sill strip. Inside, it features electrically adjustable sports front seats, leather upholstery, M multifunction steering wheel, aluminium hexagon interior trim strip and BMW Individual headliner Anthracite.
Additional features on the 520d M Sport include Auto Start-Stop, ECO PRO modes (ECO PRO, Comfort, Sport), Brake-Energy Regeneration, 50:50 Weight Distribution, and other technologies. The car also gets a multifunction instrument display, BMW iDrive with 10-inch colour display and Navigation system Professional with 3D maps (integrated Global Positioning System-GPS), BMW apps, Park Distance Control, rearview camera and connectivity through Bluetooth and USB devices.
As for safety features, the car comes with six airbags, Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) including Dynamic Traction Control (DTC), Cornering Brake Control (CBC), Hill Descent Control (HDC), side-impact protection, electronic vehicle immobiliser, emergency spare wheel and a crash sensor.
The BMW 520d M Sport rivals the likes of the Mercedes E-class and Jaguar XF.