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Sad Trumpet Noises: BMW 520e PHEV Will Be Discontinued This April

Introduced with great pomp and circumstance in January 2021 along with the 320e, the rear-wheel-drive 520e is going the way of the dodo in April 2022. The base plug-in hybrid powertrain is currently joined by two siblings: the rear- or all-wheel-driven 530e and the 545e xDrive.
BMW 520e PHEV 7 photos
Photo: BMW
BMW 320e and 520eBMW 320e and 520eBMW 320e and 520eBMW 320e and 520eBMW 320e and 520eBMW 320e and 520e
The Munich-based automaker will discontinue the sedan and station wagon alike based on the most recent brochures for the German market. Both read “modell verfügbar bis April 2022,” leaving only the 530e and 545e to soldier on. The sedan in 520e specification currently starts at 54,900 euros (make that $62,675) while the station wagon costs 57,100 euros ($65,185).

Why did it fail, though? For starters, the internal combustion engine produces only 163 PS (161 horsepower) while total system output is rated at 204 PS (201 horsepower) and 350 Nm (258 pound-feet) of torque. It’s not exactly terrible, but it’s not great either for a mid-size vehicle from a premium-oriented marque. Secondly, the 520e badge simply doesn't have the magnetism of higher specs like the aforementioned 545e.

Codenamed G30 for the sedan, the seventh-generation 5 Series is on its last legs, given that it entered production almost six years ago. BMW is currently putting the finishing touches on the G60 family that will include the G61 station wagon. What's more, the i5 EV is coming as well.

Expected to launch in 2023, the all-new 5er is rumored with two high-performance PHEV options. The first of the lot is tentatively dubbed 550e. In combination with a B58 straight-six turbo engine, this variant may produce in the ballpark of 450 horsepower. The second high-performance PHEV should come in the guise of the M5, which is expected to feature the S63 twin-turbo V8 of the BMW XM with 750-odd metric ponies on deck.

Torque is estimated at 1,000 Nm (737 lb-ft), which falls short of the 1,470 Nm (1,084 lb-ft) rating of the Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S E Performance.
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Editor's note: Gallery also shows the 320e.

 Download: 2022 BMW 5 Series brochure for the German market (PDF)

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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