Midrand. The BMW 520d has once again cemented its position as the ultimate benchmark for efficiency in the upper midrange segment. The luxury sedan was named the winner of Class L in the 2011 Total Economy Run, which took place at the weekend in and around Thaba ‘Nchu in Free State. Since the 1970’s, the Total Economy Run has been regarded as the only legitimate and unbiased barometer of fuel efficiency in passenger vehicles in South Africa.
This is the second time that the BMW 520d has won the Total Economy Run. In 2009, the BMW 520d was a class winner in the 2,0-litre diesel class with a consumption of 5,2l/100km and achieved overall honours for the diesel division with an Index of Fuel Efficiency of 2,7l/100km per ton. In the 2011 competition, the BMW 520d competed with three other vehicles in its class and recorded a staggering fuel consumption figure of 4,9 l/100km, less than the claimed EU test cycle consumption figure of 5.2 l/100 km.
Representing the epitome of supreme driving pleasure, the 2.0-litre, four-cylinder diesel engine in the BMW 520d generates maximum output of 135kW and peak torque of 380Nm. This hi-tech diesel engine, in conjunction with an 8-speed automatic transmission, is capable of accelerating the new BMW 520d to 100 km/h in 8.1 seconds and on to a top speed of 220 km/h.
The secret to the BMW 5 Series incredible fuel economy lies in the standard BMW EfficientDynamics technologies found on every BMW, such as Brake Energy Regeneration with recuperation display, intelligent lightweight construction, on-demand operation of ancillary units, Electric Power Steering (EPS), detachable air-conditioning compressor and tyres with reduced rolling resistance.
With EfficientDynamics, BMW has established a close connection between driving performance, fuel consumption and weight. Maximum performance at minimum consumption is the goal for each engine and each vehicle BMW develops.
The all encompassing nature of EfficientDynamics means that BMW has had a much greater impact on fuel and emissions reduction than it would have had with a niche ‘green’ car. In fact, BMW is now best in class when it comes to climate protection and performance.
Today, BMW’s European fleet has an average carbon emission of just 159 g/km. This corresponds to a fuel consumption of 5.9 liters per 100 kilometers. These low emission values are achieved despite an average performance of 132 kW. These figures are, in fact, lower than those of many manufacturers of mainly small cars.
