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      09-23-2011, 12:56 PM   #1
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Post First Review of 2012 528i With 4-cylinder N20 Turbo

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First Review of 2012 528i With 4-cylinder N20 Turbo
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The 2012 528i will introduce BMW's Twinpower Turbo 2.0L inline 4-cylinder Motor (N20) to the 5-series lineup. The N20 powered 528i is rated at 245 hp and 258 lb-ft.

This new engine was also recently introduced in the 2012 Z4 sDrive28i and the first reviews of the N20 powered Z4 were positive. Now the first of the review for the N20 powered 528i is in, via Automobile. What do they think of it?

Quote:
Is the new, downsized, four-cylinder BMW 528i a home run? Almost -- let's call it a triple. Even though the turbo is responsive enough in normal driving that you don't even notice its existence (oh, but you do hear lots of delicious turbo sounds with the windows down) you can occasionally catch the entire powertrain sleeping.
Quote:
The 528i isn't all about isolation, either. Refinement is more the word, because once the revs start climbing, you can very clearly hear the engine. What you hear, though, is all sweetness and light until about 6000 rpm: up until that point, the sound is unmistakably four-cylinder, just with all the bad bits removed. It sounds throaty, purposeful, and completely and totally in line with what the buyer of a base-model BMW 5-series would expect.... And it's more than quick enough with the 2.0-liter, as will be the sedan.
Quote:
Final EPA numbers aren't in, but BMW says to expect a significant improvement over the 528i's already stunning fuel economy numbers. (The 528i sedan with the normally aspirated 3.0-liter six already achieves 32 mpg on EPA highway testing.) Expect that number to improve slightly with more of a gain on the 22-mpg EPA city number.

With significantly more torque (over a far larger rev area) and no real loss of refinement in driveability, we're easily sold on the N20-powered F10 5-series.
Full review at Automobile - http://www.automobilemag.com/reviews...ive/index.html


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