Maybe it's because I'm getting on a bit but my taste in things automotive has clearly begun to move to the somewhat roomier, more automated side of the wheel world.
I have begun to forget things such as switching off headlights and I'm a bit slow on the uptake when it comes to all kinds of computer gizmos.
This is possibly why I'm a bit more critical of pocket rockets, clutches and manual gearshifts with more than five gears and it must be why I'm so happy with BMW's latest generation i-Drive.
The BMW 520D Steptronic certainly can't be described as a pocket rocket. In fact, it can't really be described as a rocket at all although it does offer its driver a decent amount of acceleration.
No, I'd say the 520D accelerates like a steam train, rather than a rocket, feeling solid and sort of unstoppable rather than wild and at the cusp of self-destruction.
The car that came my way for test was a glorious, gleaming black with a metallic blue tint depending on how you looked at it in the sunlight. The car not only feels solid, it looks solid and it handles with solid confidence, probably because of its size, not despite it.
The truth is that pocket rockets handle well despite their size, not because of it. A shorter wheelbase is often a negative rather than a positive when it comes to agility, because short wheel-bases tend to be more jittery than longer ones.
That's why, for example, BMW's 3 Series is its preferred saloon car racer rather than the 1-Series. And it's why Audi races its A4 rather than its A3.
The 5 Series, with all its added gizmos and luxuries is, of course, a fairly heavy car, hence the solid feeling. I also found it to be a rather well-built car with good detailing.
The body is beautifully rigid and over bad roads, an all too common thing in our country these days, absolutely nothing rattled or squeaked. And all the while you are seated in luxurious surroundings.
But the main feature of this car is the engine. Developing 130 kW and 350Nm, the BMW comes across as quite energetic enough for a car of this class.
CLASSY PRODUCT6
It accelerates in 8.6sec to 100km/h and on to 223km/h. I consistently achieved a fuel consumption in town of 6.8 litres/100km and am sure the Beemer would have come close to the claimed European-derived mixed cycle average of 5.6 on the open road had I had sufficient occasion to do so.
The BMW 520D is a classy product with a lot going for it in a segment that, sadly, does not attract as much interest from South African motorists as it should.
But then again, even if competitively priced for its market at R438 900, it's not exactly cheap.
ENGINE
Cylinders:
4.
Capacity:
1995cc.
Fuel system:
Second-generation common-rail fuel-injection with electronically controlled variable geometry turbocharger.
Max power/torque:
130kW at 4000rpm/350Nm at 1750rpm.
TRANSMISSION
Type:
Six-speed Steptronic semi-automatic transmission; rear-wheel drive.
SUSPENSION
Front/rear:
Double-wishbone front and multilink rear suspension with coil springs and hydraulic shock absorbers.
STEERING
Type:
Power-assisted rack-and-pinion.
Steering-column adjustment:
Height and reach.
BRAKES
Front/rear:
Vented discs with anti-lock and stability control system.
WHEELS/TYRES
Rims:
16" spoked alloy.
Tyres:
225/55 radials.
DIMENSIONS/WEIGHT
Length:
4841mm.
Width:
1846mm.
Height:
1468mm.
Mass:
1585kg.
FUEL TANK/CONSUMPTION
70 litres/5.6 litres/100km.
231km/h (claimed).
ACCELERATION
0-100km/h:
8.3sec (claimed).
STANDARD EQUIPMENT
Remote central locking, cruise control, cup holders, trip data computer, automatic air-conditioning, power windows and mirrors, power-adjustable seats, interior mirror with automatic anti-glare action, light and rain sensors, "see you home" headlight function, leather-trimmed multifunction steering wheel, MP3-compatible radio/CD player, leather upholstery.
SAFETY EQUIPMENT
Dual front, side and curtain crash bags, runflat tyres, tyre pressure monitoring system, electronic stability programme with dynamic traction control, hydraulic brake assist.
MANUFACTURER SUPPORT
Three-year or 100 000km warranty, five-year or 100 000km maintenance plan with BMW On Call roadside assistance.
SERVICE INTERVALS
20 000km.
PRICE
R438 900.
RIVALS
R373 500 - Volvo S60 D5
R464 000 - Mercedes-Benz E220 CDI
R472 500 - Audi A6 2.7TDI Multitronic
R540 000 - Jaguar XF 2.7d