BMW 545e: 6 Inline (Morally Correct) Fun
Environmentalists would say every car needs to be electrified where automotive purists solely want to hold onto combustion engines. But what if these two worlds would meet? Well, you still wouldn't end up with the BMW 545e! It benefits from all the good of a PHEV drivetrain, yet this car isn't here to save the world. Admittedly it can be a decent, morally correct PHEV, but BMW has another reason to offer their iconic inline 6 in the 545e. To make it more effective? Not so, as you won't get as far as in the 530e. For fun? Ohh yes they did!
What is it?
BMW has a legacy when it comes to the 6 inline engine, one dating back decades. The same goes for the joyful combination of the 5 Series and that engine setup, which dates back to 1980 with the e12 M535i. So how does a brand take a performance legacy like that into the future? By joining the 3 liters of displacement with a synchronous electric motor! Resulting in the BMW 545e that should be able to drive almost 50 kilometers on a single charge. It also results in the car being cheaper than the 540i xDrive in countries that tax their cars heavily on CO2 emissions.
No, the 45e drivetrain isn't new but it is premiering in the BMW 5 Series. Before this car came to life, BMW only slapped this drivetrain into the X5 and 7 Series. As with those cars, the combined output peaks at nearly 400 horsepower and 640Nm. This power comes at a cost of added kilograms as the integration of the hybrid technology adds 200 kilograms compared to the 540i Xdrive. Performance doesn't suffer, no BMW made sure there's nothing to complain about in terms of these bragging rights. Zero to a hundred is claimed to be hit in 4.6 seconds, that’s a full 1.5 seconds quicker than the 530e xDrive sedan. And it hits 200 in 18.6 seconds. Compared to that 4-cylinder sibling, the 545e only adds 70 kilograms to the scale.
Where it gets interesting on paper is when you consider the effect of the compact size of the BMW 545e compared to the X5 45e and 745e. A powerful 6 inline aided by an eager electronic engine that pushes a car built by a carmaker that is renowned for well-handling chassis... That sounds promising and it also sounds like them staying true to their roots, doesn’t it? How does that work out in real life? We'll get to that in a bit.
Some of BMW's current models aren't praised for their looks as often an enthusiastically shaped grille being to blame for that. For the 5 Series LCI, BMW managed to show restraint and managed to stay true to the business sedan concept. With the LCI a slightly tuned facia and booty, all lines restyled with an effort that shows a conservative approach rather than squeamish angles. A set of new lights front and back make the BMW 545e of the best models in the Munich-based brand.
BMW Kalfsbeek specced their car heavily with M Sport parts, which make the car a real head-turner. The package gives the front openings black gloss elements that make them look larger. A similar trick is applied to the rims. Just look carefully at the photos and you'll spot that the outer ring isn't really the outer part. All these tricks benefit the car’s drag coefficient, minimizing the impact they have on airflow. At the rear, this translates into a busy-looking reworked bumper with small louvers. This is the only part of the car I'm criticizing, the rest is spot on.
Solace inside
Okay, I could complain a bit more and that's down to the infotainment system and dashboard. That is the same issue as I encountered with the BMW X7 (review here) and with the BMW 218i (review here): it seems unstructured and isn't user-friendly. Spend some time with it and you'll get used to it, but I keep wondering why this doesn't look better for a car in this part of the segment. After this I'm done complaining, I promise! Because the rest of the interior is top-notch quality.
Everything in this BMW 545e gives all of your senses a premium experience. Sound insulation perfectly creates a silent surrounding when you don't long for the 6 inline hums. M-Sport seats support you gently whilst the steering wheel feels like it could last 100 years. Behind that wheel is a set of metal paddle shifters that operates the gearbox, again giving a rewarding experience. Eyes peer at details like color stitching and bright ambient light. Everything but that infotainment is operated with ease. At the press of a button, sunscreens pop up behind you, press another one and the panoramic roof slides open. And no that wasn't a typo, I'm talking about real buttons here so no touch-based surfaces!
There's one downside to the PHEV version of the BMW 5 Series and that's the positioning of the battery. Sure, it's tucked under the back seats but this transforms the available space into a relatively thin shelf-like space. then again, the seats fold down and practically presents itself once again. It's a German car after all, so it would be weird if this wasn't the case. Bear in mind that the Mercedes-Benz E Class PHEVs have a similar issue.
Operation
PHEVs come with a greater variety of drive modes than their unelectrified sibling, the BMW 545e being no exception to that rule. Yet BMW hasn't made it a mishmash of settings. No, they didn't divert from what their other PHEVS offer. You get the fully electric mode, hybrid, hybrid 'eco pro', and the top tier setting: sport. They all speak for themselves but the latter is where the electric engine and 294 hp petrol engine work in full harmony to produce the maximum output mentioned earlier.
Fully electric is a mode that can be triggered by geolocation as BMW has programmed the car to recognizes these zones and drop from whatever mode straight to EV mode. I never got further than 35 kilometers on a single charge, but it freezing outside was debit to that. In the electric mode, the BMW 545e can however reach speeds of up 140 kph before switching on the 6 inline. Please don't try this in a city though. Hybrid mode predominantly runs on the synchronous electric engine, but if you push the car a bit harder: and the straight-six jumps in smoothly. Very, very smoothly I must admit. Souplesse seems to be a key-value when it comes to this engine, whether it stands alone or in a PHEV setup. Switch to 'sport' and the 2 metric tonne sedan turns into a rocket. It feels unreal just how effortlessly the weight is pushed forward. Unreal how precise the power can be dosed.
There's a very linear power build-up in this drive mode, but yet it offers a very emotional feel. A crisp amount of torque keeps you company while the engine note is enhanced through the speaker. Fake noises don't have my blessing, but BMW collaborated with composer Hans Zimmer to make them. Resulting in a very genuine sound and I should know, as I used to own a straight-six 5 Series. Using this drive mode does kill the battery range quickly but the 545e can charge itself if you command it to. You'll always have battery juice when you want to, but it doesn't really feel morally correct to charge in this fashion. But waiting 3 and a half hours to charge again is challenging.
Moral and ethics are a bit hard to maintain when driving this car, I'll admit that. A drivetrain this refined is simply something that taunts you into exploiting it fully. Add to the mixture a chassis that can switch from comfortable to highly communicative in the blink of an eye and you'll find speeding tickets all too often on your doormat. Grip seems endless, even with temperatures below freezing point as I discovered. The latter is created by the xDrive and probably due to the tires not being tremendously wide at only 225 all around. Braking the 545e was a bit scary though, the 4 pistons set up at the front could be aided by 2 additional pistons.
Concluding
BMW wanted to take their 6 inline with them into the future and they successfully have done so with the BMW 545e. As the PHEV variant emits less CO2 than its pure petrol-based, straight-six siblings, it is cheaper in many markets too. It is far more than a simple bargain or trick to get sales back up though. It is their legacy of the 5 Series transformed into a future proof package, one that is profoundly well refined and more fun than it ethically should be. In the Netherlands and in Belgium prices of the BMW 545e start at around € 75K, the car tested hovered around the 100K mark though. But damn does it look good...
Want to use a PHEV for the true purpose of being more eco-friendly? Then opt for the 530e. I never managed to get the 545e below 6.5l/100km resulting in a range of around 550 kilometers, whereas the 530e can easily get you around 700 kilometers fully loaded. Then again...no one is buying a 545e for the sake of being eco-friendly and they shouldn't, as this what Munich does best: straight-six fun in a big and comfy sedan.
Thanks for lending us the keys to this gem, BMW Kalfsbeek!
