1997 BMW 5 Series Review

BMW has been regarded for decades by Americans as being a light-hearted, sporty automaker--while Mercedes-Benz generally has been viewed as a producer of solid but staid cars for older, less adventuresome folks.

BMW definitely has offered sportier cars than Mercedes here since the late 1960s. You could get them with a manual transmission for more driving kicks long after Mercedes only put a manual in its frugal diesel models, which were too slow with an automatic transmission.

Mercedes is working to lighten its image, while BMW continues to build on its reputation for making zestful cars.

One such BMW is the 1997 mid-size 528i luxury/performance sedan, which recently went on sale. It is revamped, with items such as a sleeker body that sits on a slightly longer wheelbase and a slightly larger six-cylinder engine more suited for American driving conditions.

BMW's original, 1972 5-Series sedan was one of the first ``executive express'' models for rising executives who wanted sedans packed with style, class and speed. Japanese and American automakers didn't begin introducing such sedans until the late 1980s.

The roomy new 528i has exceptional steering, handling and braking. Its supple ride over punishing pavement shows BMW has world-class knowledge of suspension design.

The new 528i is slightly larger on the outside, but roomier inside. Four 6-footers fit comfortably--especially in the deep front bucket seats--and the trunk is reasonably large.

Although it has a stronger body, the new 3,450-pound model is a bit lighter, thanks to new aluminum suspension and brake systems. The 528i has a larger, 2.8-liter engine but delivers fuel economy that is equal to (with manual transmission) and better than (with automatic transmission) the 525i model it replaces. The old model had a 2.5-liter six-cylinder.

The 528i delivers an EPA-estimated 19 m.p.g. in the city and 28 on highways with manual and 18 and 26 with the $975 automatic. BMW offers the easy shifting five-speed manual as standard for the 528i in keeping with its tradition of offering a ``driver's car.'' Archrival Mercedes-Benz offers no comparable model with a manual.

The base price of the 528i with the manual is $37,900, but the quiet, tightly dimensioned 528i sedan looks and drives so well that it feels like a $40,000-plus auto.

The new 528i has optional front side air bags in a $3,800 option package that includes leather upholstery. Those bags are standard in the hot rod V-8 version of the new 5-Series BMW--the $51,950 540i, which features a 282-horsepower eight- cylinder and more equipment than the 528i.

Not that the 528i suffers from a shortage of equipment; standard are regular dual front air bags and everything from anti-lock brakes and cruise control to air conditioning with dual climate controls, power front seats and a 10-speaker, anti-theft AM/FM/cassette.

This is a rear-wheel-drive car, so the standard traction control system will keep wheels from spinning on slippery winter roads.

You can even get a heated steering wheel if you order the $400 heated front seats.

The best performance from the butter-smooth 190-horsepower six-cylinder is obtained with the smooth-shifting manual, which works with a light clutch. The 0-60 m.p.h. time is about 7.7 seconds with the manual and 8.5 with the efficient four-speed automatic.

The sophisticated ``six'' has dual overhead camshafts and four valves per cylinder and produces more torque at lower r.p.m. levels for better response at the low- to mid-range speeds most used by Americans.

Still, a 2.8-liter six is a bit small for this fairly large, 3,400-pound car, so a fair amount of shifting is needed. A downshift from fifth gear to third is a must for the best 65-75 m.p.h. vehicle passing time.

The previous-generation 5-Series model debuted in 1989 and was such a big success that BMW thought carefully before reworking the new model. This fourth-generation 5-Series car definitely is the best.

Think of it as a four-door sports car.