Super TestCar reviews - BMW - 5 Series - 530i TouringBMW modelsOverviewKeen drivers line up because BMW unleashes one of the sportiest wagons yet28 Jun 2005 BMW has sold wagon versions of its mid-sized 5 Series since 1992, developing a small but keen following along the way. The previous E39 edition is regarded as a classic, setting a very high standard for the latest E61 edition. Virtually nothing has been carried over from before, while the wagon also debuts the new Valvetronic 3.0-litre straight six engine. It's also the first BMW load lugger (not including the X3 SUV) with 'flame surfacing' styling. So how does the new 530i Touring shape up? Model release date: 1 June 2005 to 1 February 2007 All car reviewsAlfa Romeo Abarth Alpine Alpina Audi Aston Martin BMW Bentley Chevrolet Chery Citroen Chrysler Dodge Cupra Ferrari DS Ford Fiat FPV Foton GWM Great Wall Holden Haval HSV Honda Hyundai Hummer Isuzu Infiniti Jeep Jaguar Lamborghini Kia LDV Land Rover Lotus Lexus Maserati Mahindra McLaren Mazda Mercedes-Benz Mercedes-AMG Mini MG Nissan Mitsubishi Peugeot Opel Proton Porsche Renault Ram Rover Rolls-Royce Skoda Saab SsangYong Smart Suzuki Subaru Toyota Tesla Volvo Volkswagen Previous modelARGUABLY the best luxury wagon ever sold in Australia, the previous E39 5 Series edition combined classic BMW styling, a practical body shape and class-leading dynamics in a package that still seems fresh and formidable. The 142kW 528i Touring touched down in early '97, and continued as the sole '5' wagon until the Series II facelift 530i version, complete with a 170kW 3.0-litre 'six', usurped it in late 2000. Two models were sold, the Executive and Sport. Sadly none of the V8 or turbo-diesel variants sold abroad made it to Australia. Nevertheless, as a second-hand proposition, the E39 Touring is extremely hard to beat. |
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