Driving report BMW 520d xDrive

It is unfortunate that the diesel engine has lost its reputation. A state-owned limousine with a capacity of 6.6 liters can only be driven in daily life with a diesel engine. And almost everything else in the new 5 Series fits the bill.

WWhen a full-size sedan uses as much fuel per 100 kilometers in our 14-day test, or better yet, as a small Volkswagen Polo with a one-litre petrol engine, it makes you sit up and take notice. The diesel engine, which was declared dead, has once again proven how economical and therefore environmentally friendly it is. The aforementioned 6.6-litre was in BMW's new 5 Series in the form of the 520d, which also drove all four wheels with xDrive, meaning an additional tenth or two were required. We love Rudolf Diesel because he brought us this engine concept, which in the 127 years since its implementation has reached a level of maturity that is difficult to consider possible.

All the drawbacks (lame and smelly) have long since turned into absurdities, the diesel engine has experienced an unimaginable rise in popularity, and there were years when almost half of new German cars had one, until suddenly NOx emissions, which were probably in Initially he was underestimated, came into the public eye and Diesel was sidelined. This is a wrong belief, as many believe. However: Diesel engines accounted for only 17 percent of all new registrations in Germany in 2023. 5er odds are still almost two-thirds. Frequent travelers already know why.