BMW 540i Review - Petrol 'six Plays Second Fiddle To The Diesel

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The new car can now be ordered with BMW’s xDrive four-wheel drive system on all models – in fact, variants such as this 540i are only available as xDrive models in the UK.

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At launch, the 540i is the most potent petrol-powered models offered in the UK, with the four-cylinder 530i at the foot of the range. These are the latest modular family of engines, all turbocharged. BMW has released details about the new M550i which will join the range in March 2017.

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> Click here to read more about the BMW M550i xDrive

There is no manual gearbox option in the UK, at least for the moment, with all models using the excellent eight-speed Steptronic ‘box, while the car’s braking ability can be uprated with an M Performance brake option – as fitted to our 540i test car.

What else? Well, too much to mention, frankly. Autonomous driving seems only a few steps away as the Five can drive itself at speeds up to 130mph, even executing a lane change, as long as you keep touching the ‘wheel to assure it you haven’t dozed off. The luggage compartment is larger, there’s usefully more room in the rear of the passenger compartment, and while the new Five’s driver-centric interior doesn’t quite match the wow factor of the current Mercedes-Benz E-class, the perception of quality it exudes, the general solidity of it, the materials, are all hugely impressive. At the core is a new iDrive system, featuring a 10.25in display that now supports touchscreen operation and gesture control as well as the traditional operation via the centre console placed controller.

Engine, performance and 0-60mph time

Petrol-engined Fives are predicted to account for just 5% of sales in the UK, and while that might make the enthusiasts amongst us sad, it’s actually not a great loss: this isn’t the best G30.

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