BMW's 5 Series floats like a butterfly but does it still sting like a bee when you stick a smaller engine under its bonnet?
When the 523i was launched in July as the new baseline of the range we feared that the Five's sporty driving characteristics - so ably demonstrated by the more powerful 530i, 530d and 545i models - might be diminished by a half-hearted six-cylinder engine.
We braced ourselves for some sleepy performance but thankfully that wasn't entirely the case. True, the 523i is no high-performer, but neither is it particularly under-endowed.
It's enough for a buyer moving up into 5 Series territory for the first time who isn't overly obsessed with g-force.
The 523i gives corporate climbers the opportunity to get into the car market's mid-executive league for around 350 grand.
The 523i six-speed Steptronic auto costs R358 000, a notable saving over the next higher automatic model in the range, the 525i which retails for R398 500.
It's competitively priced against rivals such as the Mercedes-Benz E200K Elegance (R358 000) and the Audi A6 2.4 (R362 000).
The 523i badge actually under-sells the car; the engine is a 130kW/230Nm 2.5-litre unit, a detuned version of the same-sized 160kW/ 250Nm engine powering the 525i.
Both are part of the new generation of NG6 in-line six-cylinder petrol units recently introduced in the 5 Series and offering improved performance and driveability.
BMW says they're not only more powerful but also use, on average, seven percent less fuel.
These engines are made of aluminium and magnesium and have with second-generation Valvetronic valve timing, allowing them to run to a higher speed of 7000rpm (500 revs more than before), improving engine response and producing a better spread of power.
Bavaria's baseline Five doesn't need frantic revving to deliver its best; its smooth and free-revving engine produces 90 percent of its maximum torque from only 1500rpm.
It's not desperately quick off the mark but the 523i makes a decent high speed tourer, topping out at an impressive 235km/h. It'll spend more time in the lower gears when accelerating and overtaking than its more powerful 5 Series stablemates but once up to cruising speed the 523i comfortably maintains a swift pace - fast enough for you to be thankful it comes with cruise control that allows you to lope along without worrying about greed traps.
The 523i cruises quietly, with a low-key hum from the engine and very little wind noise. It's endowed with all the quiet sophistication of the higher 5 Series models and there's nothing loud or brash about the car.
Elegant ambience
Occupants are pampered in comfortable leather seats and enjoy plenty of legroom, along with automatic air conditioning, electric windows and most of the other comfort paraphernalia. Rear seat passengers also get their own adjustable air vents.
The interior ambience is elegant, if not quite as good as an Audi A6 in terms of classy finish and eye-catching design.
There are many functions to control in this feature-stuffed car and most of them are combined into the i-Drive system - a mouse-type controller between the front seats with a digital monitor on the fascia.
It's a simplified, easier-to-use version of the i-Drive first introduced in the 7 Series and now has a return button to bring you back to a starting point in case you get lost in the digital labyrinth.
The primary ventilation controls can still be operated by old-fashioned knobs on the dashboard but it would be nice if the air direction (feet, face, windscreen) could also be adjusted without going through i-Drive.
Sharp steering
From the driver's seat the entry-level Five delivers all the sensations you expect of a BMW: it feels lighter than it really is, it steers sharply, and it handles with great poise.
The Servotronic steering feels light at looking-for-parking speeds, but gets heavier at higher speeds to improve directional stability.
Active steering is available as an extra-cost option; it also varies the number of turns lock-to-lock according to driving conditions.
The 523i is an entertaining drive through a series of corners, even with its unspectacular power; it has taut- but not-uncomfortable suspension and plenty of confidence-boosting grip.
BMW has done a great job of finding a balance between a comfortable, bump-soaking ride and sharp handling.
It's forgiving of driving mistakes, and you can stomp on those ABS-assisted brakes late into a corner without unsettling the chassis too much, also thanks to the traction control system.
Runflat tyres
Dynamic safety is backed up by a raft of crash bags and seatbelts with pre-tensioners. Runflat tyres are also standard, enabling you to drive with a puncture to a place of safety.
Options available for the 5 Series - if your pockets are deep enough - include heated and ventilated seats, see-around-corner headlights, active cruise control, satellite navigation, head-up display and many more.
An optional M Sports package gives the 5 Series more road presence and sharper handling while the M Sports aerodynamics package sharpens the car's looks with 18" M double-spoke alloy rims and lowered sports suspension.
It includes an anthracite roof lining and aluminium interior trim strips, an M Sport steering wheel and sports seats.
Summary
This is the most affordable way to get your bum into a 5 Series; this least powerful derivative is a little sleepy off the mark but not lazy and it's a great cruiser with all of the sophistication and most of the driver appeal you expect of a Beemer.
Mind you, similar money buys the much more powerful 190kW BMW 330i. Hmm, what a quandary: the 330i's far beefier performance versus the 523i's extra legroom and prestige I know which I'd choose, but then not everyone's a sucker for g-force like me. - Star Motoring