Diesel Power Quietly Returns to 2018 BMW 5 Series Lineup

The 2018 BMW 5 Series lineup has added another member in the form of a diesel-powered variant. Unlike the previous generation, the new diesel-powered 5 Series, dubbed the the 540d xDrive, comes standard with all-wheel drive and starts at $62,995 including destination. This makes it $1,500 more than a 540i xDrive, which isn’t very much. However, the diesel-powered model is $8,800 more than a rear-drive 530e iPerformance and $7,050 more than a 530e xDrive iPerformance, both of which are currently the most fuel efficient 5 Series models available.

Under the hood is a new 3.0-liter turbodiesel I-6 with 261 hp and 457 lb-ft of torque, an increase of 6 hp and 44 lb-ft compared to the outgoing 535d. An eight-speed automatic is the only transmission available. Despite the extra horsepower and torque, the 2018 BMW 540d xDrive is one of most efficient 5 Series variant with an EPA rating of 26/36 mpg city/highway. The 530e iPerformance, which is a plug-in hybrid that features a 2.0-liter turbo-four coupled to an electric motor, is EPA rated at 29 mpg combined and can travel 370 miles on a full tank and a full charge in rear-drive guise or up to 16 miles solely on electric power. The 530e xDrive is slightly less efficient at 28 mpg combined for a total range of 360 miles and an electric only range of 15 miles. All the efficiency of the hybrid does come at the cost of total output because the 530e is rated at 248 hp and 310 lb-ft combined.

Standard features on the 2018 BMW 540d xDrive includes leather upholstery, 16-way power adjustable front seats, 40/20/40 split-folding rear seats, LED headlights and fog lights, a 12-speaker audio system, Bluetooth, BMW’s iDrive interface with a 10.2-inch touchscreen, navigation, an 8.8-inch digital instrument cluster, a rearview camera, adaptive cruise control and two USB ports. Options include a 360-degree camera system, soft-close doors, Nappa leather upholstery, multi-contour seats, a wireless charging pad, a rear-seat entertainment system, Apple CarPlay, premium audio systems from Harman Kardon or Bowers & Wilkins, active steering, dynamic dampers, active roll stabilization, an adaptive drive system, active park assist, and a head-up display. Active driver assistance features such as blind spot warning and lane departure warning are available as part of the Driver Assistance package. Tick the box for the Driver Assistance Plus package and you get the Active Driver Assistant Plus, which bundles together forward collision warning, pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, and lane departure warning.

European-spec 530d xDrive pictured.

Source: BMW

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