2021 BMW 530e: A stellar luxury sedan

German automaker Bayerische Motoren Werke AG, commonly known as BMW, is mostly popular for its sports sedans; not to mention the brilliantly engineered sports cars such as the BMW M3 and the M5.

Back in the day, the company used to receive severe backlash for many reasons; a common one being the unreliability of their cars. However, the automaker now seems to have learned from its past mistakes making modern BMWs much more durable. 

While cars of the BMW M series are made keeping enthusiasts in mind who want maximum power and driving pleasure, the German car manufacturer still tries to make its non M series cars fun to drive. 

Perhaps, the new 2021 BMW 530e is one of the finest examples! 

For 2021, BMW's popular 5 series was redesigned; "Life Cycle Impulse" (LCI) as BMW likes to call it. This upgrade is a lot more than just a minor facelift. The latest 530e was given an electric power boost along with the new cosmetic makeover.

Its overall shape has barely changed from the outside; retains more or less the same silhouette of the light both in the front and the rear. However, the headlights are now more angular inside with "L" shaped daytime running lights which beautifully pair up with the car's refreshed front bumper.

Also, probably for the first time in recent years, BMW has not ruined the grille of any of its new cars. Compared to the horrendous looking grilles of the newly released M4 and M8, the slightly enlarged grille of the new 530e does not really look too bad or out of place. 

At the back, this sedan got a redesigned bumper and a gorgeous set of new blacked-out LED tail lights which undoubtedly enhance the overall aesthetic of the car and in my opinion, make it look like a proper 2021 BMW. 

When it comes to performance, the petrol-powered BMW 530e comes with a 2.0-litre, inline-four, turbocharged engine; the same engine found under the hood of the new 2.0 litre 2021 Toyota Supra. 

However, unlike the new Supra, the 530e has a hybrid powertrain paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission which comes standard with all trims of 2021 530 and leads to a combined power output of 288 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque.

This is a power boost from the previous 5 series and it is mostly from the hybrid powertrain with a feature called Xtra Boost. This gives the 530e an additional 40 horsepower for up to 10 seconds if anyone floors the accelerator. 

Even the size of the battery tucked beneath the rear seats has been increased to 9.1 kWh but this leads to a lower boot space of only 410 litre at the back; pretty small compared to other luxury sedans of the same class. 

The combined power output along with the help of Xtra Boost makes the luxury sports sedan go from rest to 60 mph in about 5.2 seconds with a 64 MPGe fuel economy (claimed by the company). Albeit, it is going to be slightly lower if not significantly lower due to Bangladesh's poor quality gasoline. 

Moving on, this luxury sedan will fail to bore anyone stuck in traffic jams as it comes with all the necessary features such a car should have in today's time. 

The dashboard has been redesigned and equipped with a new infotainment system. The size of the touchscreen display has also been extended from 10.3 to 12.3 inches. The sound system is also nothing short of marvellous. 

Other features include ambient lighting, dual air conditioner with climate control, an optional sunroof, and amazingly comfortable leather seats. Even the headroom along with the legroom is more than enough for average-sized Bangladeshis.

The 2021 BMW 530e is directly competing with the new Audi A6, the Mercedes E-Class, and even the new 2020 Toyota Crown in Bangladesh's car market. 

While the options offered by competitors might have more features and even power output in some cases, nothing will come close to the ultimate driving pleasure of the 530e thanks to it being a BMW. 

The new facelifted BMW 530e has been brought to the country by Executive Motors Limited and was released at their showroom in Tejgaon, Dhaka on February 16, 2021. 

It starts at a price of Tk1.18 crore and goes up to Tk1.25 crore for the top-of-the-line 530e that is equipped with all the extra luxury options and features.