- The 2012 BMW 528i sedan will use a twin-turbo 2.0-liter four-cylinder.
- The 240-horsepower turbo-4 is mated to an eight-speed transmission.
- All-wheel drive is added to the 528i's option list.
WOODCLIFF LAKE, New Jersey — BMW announced today that its 528i sedan will drop its current inline six-cylinder engine in favor of a twin-turbo 2.0-liter four-cylinder for 2012. With 240 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque, the 2.0-liter engine offers identical power and an additional 30 lb-ft of torque compared to the 3.0-liter engine in the outgoing 2011 BMW 528i.
The new turbo-4 will be mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission only. BMW says the 2012 528i will sprint from zero to 60 mph in 6.2 seconds, 0.4 second quicker than the 2011 model.
Also new for the 2012 528i is a standard start/stop system. This feature switches off the engine when the car is stationary at traffic lights or in slow-moving traffic. An Eco mode, which is activated by the driving experience switch, adjusts the engine map, heating, air-conditioning and mirror/seat heating to minimize fuel consumption.
Combined improvements are said to deliver up to 15 percent better fuel efficiency (final EPA results are pending). The 2011 528i is rated at 22 mpg city/32 mpg highway and 25 mpg combined.
BMW's xDrive all-wheel-drive system will also be an available option on the 528i for 2012. Currently, all-wheel drive is only available on 535i and 550i models.
The 2012 BMW 528i will arrive at U.S. dealers this fall.
Inside Line says: BMW is betting that added power and efficiency will be enough to overcome the idea of a four-cylinder 5 Series.
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jj_01 says:
04:16 PM, 11/16/2011
I just traded my 3 series in before its first oil change due to lack of power, i got bored.
I bought the new 2012 5 series 2.0 twin turbo.
All i can say is WOW!!!! awsome car fast fast fast!
I took it around a turn in sport mode at speeds excessive of 65mph, wit no prob, no slip at all..
0-60 in 6.2 sec. while driving 45-50 mph throw it in sport mode and punch it, you fell like you got
whiplash..
I stongly recommend this car to any one looking for a thrill and a comfortable ride...
Happy speeding to all!!!
k55 says:
09:08 AM, 07/08/2011
cant wait to see this turbo 4 cylinder in a 1 series or 3 series. The ligher weights should only improve the numbers .......and the price tags.
raylo993 says:
08:23 AM, 07/05/2011
@bestjinjo,
In your post.
" Most BMW buyers don't even know how many cylinders their car has in the first place... "
One of the most hideous comments I came across here. What? Have you done a survey of BMW owners by yourself?
It never ceases to amaze me how some of these people who pretend that they know just about everything, anything about whatever.
tbone85 says:
04:29 PM, 07/04/2011
"They already bought most of the European brands."
Most, as in the majority? They bought Saab, Land Rover, Jaguar, and Volvo. That leaves Porsche, BMW, Mercedes, Audi, Volkswagen, Peugeot, Citroen, Ferrari, Alfa Romeo, Fiat, Lamborghini. I probably missed a few on both sides, but this hardly sounds like the majority of European brands are Asian owned.
snoseattle says:
02:20 PM, 07/03/2011
@jeremy_c: I really, really highly doubt that. BMW is one of the most acclaimed luxury and performance manufacturers there is, I'm sure they can defend themselves if someone tries to buy them.
kosmo69 says:
10:48 AM, 07/03/2011
more choices is great.
jeremy_c says:
10:25 AM, 07/03/2011
Next thing you know, an Indian or Chinese company will own BMW. They already bought most of the European brands. And yes, contrary to what most BMW fanboys believe, BMW runs the busniess for profit and if the price is high enough, it can happen.
stephen987 says:
04:17 AM, 07/03/2011
True. In European markets, that is.
There's never been a four-cylinder 5-series in the US, though, and most Americans don't pay much attention to other markets unless there's something really desirable that we can't get.
On that subject: BRING ON THE DIESELS.
1198sp says:
12:29 AM, 07/03/2011
The base model 5-series has ALWAYS been a 4-cylinder. From 1972 until about 10 years ago it was a 4-cyl gas motor, then a 4-cyl diesel.
topdog240 says:
11:42 PM, 07/02/2011
It's not that I'm not open to new ideas. I've owned a couple of BMW 4 bangers over the years.
I guess it's just the sign of the times. I remember when BMW was a rare bird. M-Benz was the standard for many people. The days before Lexus and Infiniti came on board.
I can see the point many of you have pointed about about the base model BMW and the typical buyers looking for just the name plate. For me, the I-6, is just a beautiful motor, and one of the last special features of BMW. Toyota, BMW,Benz, just examples of companies who made wonderful I-6's for their passenger cars. Platform sharing came around, and V6's became more in favor.
Still, my major concern about this turbocharged 4, will it have the same issues the N54 units had? Out of the handful(6 people) of friends/co-workers,etc that all purchased/leased BMW's with the N54 units, I woul say well over half of them had issues with them. I will not purchase a 5 anyway, due to Idrive. At this rate, the only non turbo motors for the 5 will be V8's, and well about the price range for many people.
But, it's not that I feel this way about BMW's turbocharging, ( yes, I know the technology has improved over the years), I'm concerned about long term reliability, as many car/truck makers are turning to turbocharging due to the CAFE standards. For the few of us who like to keep their cars a little longer, this is a concern. It's nice that Hyundai provides 100K protection on their turbo powertains as well.