FULL REVIEW: E39 BMW 528i Touring

Model release dates: April 1998 - November 2000. Later no more 528i, replaced by 530i.

OVERVIEW:

BMW's high-roller 528i Touring is a member of an exclusive club, alongside Mercedes, Audi, Volvo and now Saab. The 528i Touring is the station wagon you drive when you really wanted a luxury sedan. It inherits all 5 Series strong points and adds station wagon versatility. Not as big as a Volvo nor able to go places the Swedish four-wheel drive V70R version can, the BMW nevertheless is one of the most driver-oriented wagons.

THE CAR: 528i touring


In 1999 the Touring (station wagon) body style were introduced and joined the sedans in both 6-cylinder and V8 editions. Added options for 1999 were brighter xenon headlights, Park Distance Control that warns of obstacles when the car is getting too close to other cars and walls etc, is standard, and self-leveling rear suspension for wagons. Standard on V8 models and newly optional for 528i versions was BMW's Dynamic Stability Control, designed to aid control in fast turns.

The 2.8-litre, twin camshaft, six-cylinder engine develops 142kW at 5300rpm and 280Nm of torque at 3950rpm. It mates to a five-speed automatic transmission.

For the Touring, The rear suspension's dampers lie almost flat to maximise cargo load space. It also features a self-levelling system. The window in the tailgate can be opened separately. A lamp on the bottom edge of tailgate illuminates the area beneath the open door. The five-door 5 Series has a low 0.30 co-efficient of drag.

INTERIORS:

All five seats come with height-adjustable headrests and three-point seatbelts. Unlike the Mercedes E-class, the Touring can only seat five. The rear headrests do not have to be removed when the seat is folded forward. Dual front and side airbags are fitted as standard. The rear seat features integrated child seats. The Touring can carry 1525 litres of cargo, weighing up to 630kg. Most E39 5 series came with DOUBLE Electric silding SUNROOF.

The wagon is only 30mm longer than the sedan. A luggage compartment cover and safety net are included. Like other 5 Series models, the Touring features double glazing on side windows. Also, Roof rails are standard.


MECHANICALS (Source from:
http://www.autozine.org/Classiccar/html/BMW/5er_E39.html. Copyright© 1997-2005 by Mark Wan)

Engine was one of the strength of BMW. Although the 5-series brought no new engines at launch, its six-cylinders (170hp 2.5-litre for 523i and 193hp 2.8-litre 528i) and V8 (235hp 3.5-litre 535i and 286hp 4.4-litre 540i) were the top engines in the world then. I especially preferred 528i, the core model of the range. Like all BMW inline-sixes, it was silky smooth, eager and flexible. On paper, its power was limited by the need to satisfy German insurance companies. In reality, its superior torque from the longer stroke and Double-Vanos gave 528i remarkable performance - Autocar recorded 0-60 mph and 100 mph in 6.8 and 18.0 seconds respectively. This simply matched some V8 rivals. On the other hand, it managed to reduce fuel consumption from its predecessor. In 2000, the 2.8 engine was replaced by the much improved 3.0-litre engine with 231hp on tap.

RIDE AND HANDLING

E39 could handle and ride so well because of several reasons. Firstly, its chassis was made immensely strong - 80 percent stiffer in torsion than its predecessor ! this was by far the stiffest car then. So stiff that BMW found it unnecessary to raise chassis rigidity anymore in the subsequent E60. The chassis was also much safer under crash. You might think it must be very heavy, don't you? Wrong. The chassis needed just 10 extra kilograms to achieve the vast improvement of rigidity and crash worthiness. To scare you more, the whole car actually weighed LESS than the old generation, thanks to the use of all-alloy engine, aluminum transmission case and aluminum suspensions. Take a 528i for instance, BMW claimed it was 35 kg lighter than the old 525i. The E39 comes with either a 5 speed steptronic gearbox or 6 speed manual.

The suspensions of E39 was a technical milestone. On the one hand, it gave up the old fashion semi-trailing arm rear suspensions and switched to a new Z-axle multi-link setup, which had superior wheel control. On the other hand, the Z-axle and the MacPherson strut front suspensions were made almost entirely of aluminum alloy - a first in mass production car. Basically, except the wheel bearings, all suspensions parts were aluminum, such as mounting sub-frames, control arms, strut tubes and steering knuckles. This saved 44 valuable kilograms of unsprung weight, benefiting ride quality a lot. No wonder British magazines praised its ride comfort over their rough roads while German drivers appreciated its composure over fast bumps. Few other cars were so widely acclaimed.

E39 was also the industry leader in the field of NVH engineering. It was one of the first cars to mount all suspensions on sub-frames and via rubber bushings to isolate NVH from the chassis. To deal with wind noise, BMW worked in its acoustic lab to tune its aerodynamics and eventually added triple sealing to the doors and noise-absorbing foam to the window pillars. No wonder it set new standard in cabin quietness and refinement. However, BMW didn't take all noises away. It deliberately left the engine noise untouched. Normally under civilized use, the inline-6 revved quietly. Once floored down the throttle, the beautiful roar of the 6-pot engine inducted into the cabin and raised the pulse of its driver.

The same driver involvement could be found in handling. As all petrol six-cylinder E39s achieved 50:50 percent front to rear weight distribution, they turned into corners neutrally and eagerly. They set benchmark in dynamics for the executive car class, bringing small-car agility to the class for the first time. The steering was beautifully weighted and very feelsome. Other human interfaces were also tuned to near perfect - slick gearshift, perfectly sited driving position, pedals and instrument, comfy seats… superb ergonomics combined with impeccable build quality and beautiful dashboard design, how could BMW make further improvements from this? the answer is no. Its successor E60 actually failed to match it in a number of key areas.

Traction control is also part of the long equipment list that includes front and side airbags, climate control air- conditioning, remote central locking, park distance control and leather trim.

The Touring is a welcome addition to the 5-Series range, providing a well equipped, practical vehicle. But if it is ultimate space you are looking for, the gargantuan Benz is the better bet.

We like (+ve)
Sedan-like performance, full equipment list

We dislike (-ve)
Restricted load space

Did you know?
The tailgate has power opening and closing instead of a conventional handle. To close it, a slight push against the lock activates an electric motor which pulls the tailgate shut.

- Article partly sourced (non-italics text)from: Automotive NetWorks 08/07/1999

CONCLUSION:

The E39 5-series was definitely a masterpiece of its time. It raised the standard so high that arch-rival Mercedes E-class took 2 generations to surpass it - and just marginally. It also forced the engineers responsible for E60 to go to the extreme, employing some pre-matured technologies such as active steering, aluminum front structure and i-Drive, just wanted to better the E39. Unfortunately, the new car still fails to match the integrity of E39, especially in subjective aspect like steering and design. Perhaps this is the best testimony for the greatness of E39.

IN MALAYSIA:

It's very RARE to find E39 5 series touring. An estimation of 60 units examples of E39 5 series available in Malaysia only. I prepared a review for this model because E39 528i touring is one of my DREAM CAR. Any owner of E39 528i for sale?
I'll definitely buy one if say 1st batch model (1999) priced below RM100,000. DREAM ON! I know...


BRIEF SPECIFICATIONS:

ENGINE:
• In-line, six-cylinder, 2.793-litre, double overhead camshaft, four-valves per cylinder
• Bore/stroke: 84mm/84mm
• Compression ratio: 10.2:1
• Power: 142kW at 5300rpm
• Torque: 280Nm at 3950rpm

TRANSMISSION:
• Five-speed automatic

SUSPENSION:
• Front: Independent, multi-link
• Rear: Independent, multi-link

STEERING:
• Rack and pinion
• Turning circle: 11.3m
• Turns lock to lock: 3.0

DIMENSIONS:
• Length: 4805mm (4775 sedan)
• Width: 1800mm
• Height: 1440mm
• Wheelbase: 2830mm
• Track front: 1512mm
• Track rear: 1522mm
• Kerb weight: 1580kg

FUEL ECONOMY:
EPA City/Highway: 21mpg/29mpg

PERFORMANCE:

Top speed: 146mph (233km/h)
0-60mph (0-100km/h): (-NA- Anyone can contribute?)

STANDARD EQUIPMENT:
• Dual and side airbags
• Anti-lock brakes
• Engine immobiliser
• AM/FM stereo radio/cassette
• Power steering, windows and mirrors
• Climate control air-conditioning
• Traction control
• Park distance control
• Remote central locking
• Rear window wash/wipe
• Luggage cover and safety net