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With turbo-diesel power widely available across its range of luxury passenger sedans and Sports Activity Vehicle models - including the 120d, 320d, 530d, X3 2.0d and 3.0d, and the X5 3.0d - BMW clearly leads the premium diesel market in Australia.

Now, BMW firmly stamps its mark on the luxury segment with the arrival in November of the new 520d turbo-diesel sedan.

Joining the recently announced X3 2.0d Sports Activity Vehicle, the 520d uses the same all-alloy 2.0-litre engine, adding another turbo-diesel option to the range and supplementing the six-cylinder 530d.

The new 520d’s high-torque, four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine boasts powerful and spirited performance along with ultra-low fuel consumption and exhaust emissions.

With its second-generation common rail fuel injection and variable-geometry turbocharger, the 520d engine produces 125 kW at a relaxed 4,000 rpm, as well as a surging 340 Nm of torque that is available from as low as 1,750 rpm to provide impressive pulling power.

Equipped as standard with BMW’s six-speed automatic transmission and capable of accelerating from zero to 100 km/h in 8.6 seconds, the new 520d is endowed with the sporting all-round performance that is central to the BMW philosophy.

Yet, with a fuel consumption of merely 6.1 litres/100 km on the combined cycle, the 520d offers small-car fuel consumption.

This frugality is augmented by low exhaust emissions, with the CO2 output of just 162 g/km made possible with the combination of advanced BMW engine management and the standard exhaust system particle filter.

Accompanying the sparkling efficiency and on-road dynamics of the new BMW 520d are the high levels of luxury and passenger comfort that have made the 5 Series an outstanding world-wide success.

As well as advanced BMW safety technology that includes anti-lock brakes (ABS), Dynamic Brake Control (DBC), Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) with ASC+T (Automatic Stability Control Plus Traction) and eight airbags, the 520d is equipped with 16-inch star spoke alloy wheels, high-gloss wood interior trim in Bamboo grain, Poplar brown or Poplar light, Dakota leather upholstery, Control Display with 6.5" colour monitor and Radio Navigation, Bluetooth preparation, BMW Professional radio with in-dash CD player and CD changer in the glove box, USB/Audio interface, dual automatic climate control, automatic anti-dazzle interior mirror, multi-function leather steering wheel, on-board computer with outside temperature display and controller on centre console, and power adjustment for front-seat backrest angle and height.

The new BMW 520d Automatic is priced from $79,900 and makes the brilliant 5 Series accessible to an even wider range of Australian luxury car buyers.

New Sports Automatic Transmission adds zest to BMW 5 Series

Exceptional dynamic prowess coupled with supreme passenger comfort and the highest levels of safety are already a given with the recently updated BMW 5 Series range.

Now, the driving dynamics of 530i, 530d and 550i models can be augmented by the optional six-speed Sport automatic transmission that takes the crisp-shifting nature of the regular transmission to new levels.

At the press of a button, the driver can change not just the shift characteristics of the Sport automatic transmission, but also the accelerator response.

In Sport mode, the shifts are faster, and accelerator response more instant, adding to the innate liveliness of the BMW 5 Series.

The driver can also choose to change gears manually, via either the steering wheel paddle shifts, or the lever on the centre console introduced exclusively for the Sport transmission.

The Sport automatic transmission option is available for 530i, 530d and 550i models and is priced at $1,000. The option also includes a multi-function sport leather steering wheel, featuring paddle shifts.