BMW 525I Information
The BMW 525i is manufactured by BMW AG and is part of the fifth-generation 5 Series family which launched in 1973. It was designed as a mid-sized executive car as a sedan or wagon. The 525i and the all-wheel drive 525xi sit in the middle of the trim range and are powered by an inline 6-cylinder engine. The 518 ranks below the 525 with 4-cylinder power plants, while the 530 and higher models could be equipped with V-8s.
Other People Are Reading
-
5 Series Beginnings
-
The 5 Series family was designed by Marcello Gandini, who conceived his car based on the 1970 BMW Garmisch 2002ti that was styled by the Bertone design studios in Italy. Gandini also was responsible for the Alfa Romeo Alfetta and the Fiat 132, hence the Italian flourishes seen on the early 525s and its siblings.
Identification
-
The first number of the 525i denotes the 5 Series model with the "25" identifying its 2.5-liter engine size. The lower case "i" labels it as fuel-injected. The lower case "x" in the 525xi indicates it's an all-wheel drive, although these models were rare in the 1970s.
-
Price Tag and Mileage
-
By 2007, the 525i and 525xi became quite pricey but were nowhere near the higher-end models, the 530s and 540s. The 525i sold for $43,500 and the all-wheel drive version for $45,700. The 525i with a manual transmission got fairly good gas mileage for a luxury vehicle of its size with 20 mpg in the city and 29 on the highway. The automatic transmission 525i model obtained 21 in city driving and 30 on the highway.
Initial Power
-
In its debut year of 1973, the 525i was equipped with an inline 2494cc 6-cylinder engine that generated 143 horsepower. In 1976, the same engine was tuned to provide 150 horsepower. By 2004, the 525i came equipped with 3-liter 6 (which now made the 525 designation inaccurate) that provided 215 horsepower. By 2006 horsepower was up to 255 horsepower.
Platform
-
The 525i was placed on the BMW E12 platform through 1980, then replaced with the E28 version, followed by the E34 in 1989. These versions featured as standard equipment power windows, air-conditioning, cruise control, central locking, a power sunroof, fog lamps and alloy wheels. Leather upholstery was a trim option.
Dimensions
-
The 1982-88 525i sedans measured a modest 103.3-inch wheelbase with an overall length of 189 inches and a height of 55.7 inches. By 2003, the wheelbase had grown more than 10 inches to 113.7, but overall length remained at 190.7 inches. Its height, though, grew more than two inches to 57.8 in 2007.
Today
-
The 525i is now on an E60 platform with its body designed by Chris Bangle, who garnered some criticism with complaints that the fifth-generation 5 Series was over-sculpted and its headlamp assembly too stylized. However, the car is loaded with options, including computerized "Active Steering" and "Active Cruise Control" systems, along with a program to stabilize the towing of a large trailer.
-
Resources
- Photo Credit BMW AG
