BMW M550i coming to Oz
Aussie appetite for performance BMWs sees new 390kW V8 sports sedan join 5 Series rangeThe BMW M550i xDrive M Performance has been confirmed for Australia, a vehicle previously unavailable here due to being left-hand drive only.
Powered by an updated 4.4-litre twin-turbo petrol V8 (390kW/750Nm) from the M850i benefitting from the bigger turbos and optimised crankcase, the new model is set to arrive in Aussie showrooms from around October, 2019.
It will slot in between the BMW M5 Competition ($229,900) and the BMW 540i ($142,300) as part of a renewed focus on high-performance models driven by customer demand. Pricing has not yet been confirmed.
"M Performance models represent a big growth segment for us," said Adam Davis, BMW Australia's product communications manager.
Davis noted that the BMW X3 M40i is the best-selling M or M Performance model in Australia at present and that increased demand has meant the company can now look to wider range of high-end models, such as the BMW M550i xDrive M Performance.
Compared to the previous BMW 550i, the new model ups power and torque by 50kW and 100Nm. The engine drives through an eight-speed ZF automatic transmission and can achieve fuel economy as low as 9.9L/100km, according to the European press release.
Performance times haven't been announced but expect it to be a very fast sedan. It's not clear if the model will be offered in the 5 Series Touring wagon body style, which at present can only be had with four-cylinder petrol and diesel engines in Australia.
The updated M550i is part of mild update for a number of BMW 5 Series models set for a July launch in Europe. This includes a revised BMW 530e plug-in hybrid model which adds 'intelligent' all-wheel drive and an increased all-electric cruising range.
Laser headlights with a massive 650-metre main beam range will be available on the M550i xDrive (and M550d xDrive) as an individual option or when the 'Innovations Package' is added.
It isn't clear whether the mildly-updated BMW 5 Series will benefit from the latest iDrive (7.0) operating system or if it will get the advanced driving assistants and 12.3-inch digital instrument display from the likes of the new BMW X5.
Given the vehicles are based on the same CLAR platform architecture, the infotainment upgrades are certainly a possibility.
Sales of the BMW 5 Series are motoring along in Australia, up by 67 per cent for the first four months of 2019 compared to the same period the year before, 480 sales versus 286. That makes it the most popular car in the large luxury segment, pipping the Mercedes-Benz E-Class's 471 sales.
Overall BMW sales are still down by 4.2 per cent in 2019 thus far. The brand recorded a big sales slump in 2017 and a flat 2018.
How much is the BMW 5 Series?
BMW 5 Series sedan
520i - $89990
520d - $94900
530i - $111900
530e - $111900
530d - $122300
540i - $142300
M5 Competition - $229900
BMW 5 Series Touring Wagon
520d - $94900
530i - $111900
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