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BMW 530e Drops iPerformance Suffix In Geneva, Adds xDrive For European Market

BMW has its intricate ways of naming models, and this is all too apparent by dropping iPeformance from the nomenclature. On the upside, the 530e will add xDrive in Europe in addition to rear-wheel drive. Starting from July 2019, the fourth generation of lithium-ion batteries will complement the plug-in hybrid 5 Series with 12-kWh.
BMW 530e 23 photos
Photo: Stefan Baldauf/SB-Medien
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Almost 3 kWh more than before, the battery promises an electric range of up to 64 kilometers (40 miles) if driven like grandma does to Sunday church. That’s 30 percent more than before, and given time, the 530e will welcome the Touring station wagon to the lineup.

Customers can spruce things up with goodies such as the M sports package and wider tires, but let’s focus on xDrive for a moment. Going for all-wheel drive takes its toll on electric range, rated at 57 kilometers (35 miles) because of the additional weight. Nevertheless, the 530e with or without xDrive takes in the ballpark of 6 seconds to accelerate to 100 km/h (62 mph).

Sharing the B48 four-cylinder turbo and electric motor with the 330e, the 530e relies on the ZF 8HP automatic transmission with Anticipatory Hybrid Drive. 248 horsepower (252 PS) and 310 pound-feet (420 Nm) will have to suffice, but when you’re feeling like overtaking, XtraBoost calls up 289 horsepower (293 PS) in a split second.

The 530e without the upgrades shown in Geneva retails at €56,000 in the automaker’s home market, and pricing for the 330e is nowhere to be seen. Over in the United States where xDrive is already available, you’re looking at $53,400 and $55,700, respectively, excluding $995 for destination and handling.

It would be interesting to see BMW switch the B48 with the B58 in the 5 Series, turning the 530e into the 545e. But as a consequence, the 7 Series in 745e flavor would become a hard sell given the more affordable price of the 545e mid-size luxury sedan with plug-in hybrid assistance.

On that note, do you feel like xDrive is a necessity in the 530e or would you take your fuel-efficient 5 Series with rear-wheel drive?
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About the author: Mircea Panait
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After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well.
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