BMW Group Malaysia has officially launched the plug-in hybrid variant of the world’s most successful business sedan, the G30 BMW 530e Sport. It is the fifth model BMW iPerformance model to be introduced in the country following the F30 330e.
Thanks to the Government’s Approve Hybrid Incentive, the locally assembled 530e Sport is priced at RM343,800, netting RM45k savings over the BMW 530i M Sport. Curiously the 530e is also priced considerably lower than its German rival, the Mercedes-Benz E 350 e which retails from RM393k. The Bavarian sedan also undercuts the Volvo S90 T8 by some RM26k.
QUICK FACTS
| Name | G30 BMW 530e Sport |
| Engine | 1,998cc; 4-cylinder BMW TwinPower Turbo |
| Transmission | 8-speed automatic |
| Max Torque | 181 hp @ 5,000 – 6,500 rpm |
| Max Power | 290 Nm @ 1,350 – 4,250 rpm |
| Electric Motor | 111 hp & 250 Nm |
| Combined Output | 248 hp & 420 Nm |
| 0 – 100 km/h; Top Speed | 6.2 seconds; 235 km/h |
| Price (OTR without insurance) | RM343,800 |
Like the 330e range, BMW Malaysia first rolled out the 530e dressed in the Sport line trim. The Sport line bags a more elegant body kit, dual exhaust outlets in black chrome, front ornamental grille with Active Air Stream. It rides on 19-inch 635 V-spoke style alloys wrapped in Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 3 sticky rubbers – 245/40 profile front and 275/35 profile at the rear. BMW Malaysia has omitted the adaptive LED headlamps in favour of simpler high-performance LED units.
BMW Malaysia has expressed that the 530i M Sport will be positioned as the flagship model in the G30 line up and therefore will not offer the 530e in the M Sport trim for the time being. However, customers can still spice up their PHEV with the M Performance kit.
Inside, the 530e gets the same kit as the petrol only variant – Dakota leather upholstery, Sport leather steering wheel with paddle shifters, powered front seats with memory function, 10.25-inch touchscreen iDrive system, 11-colour ambient lighting, powered boot, quad-zone climate control and powered rear sun blinds.
Unique to the 530e are the iPerformance-specific 12.3-inch full LCD instrument cluster, 205W 12-speaker HiFi system and eDrive designation trims. Items such as Harman Kardon sound surround sound system, gesture control, BMW Display Key and powered sunroof have been omitted.
Motivation comes from BMW’s famed eDrive system that marries a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder with 181 hp and 290 Nm of torque paired to an electric motor that serves up 113 hp and 250 Nm of torque. All the combined output of 248 hp and 420 Nm of twisting force gets sent to the rear wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission. Adaptive dampers are also thrown into the mix.
The 530e boats a century sprint time of 6.2 seconds onwards to a top speed of 235 km/h. BMW claims that the car will only sip 2 litres of fuel for every 100 km travelled. Under the rear bench, you’ll find a 9.2 kWh lithium-ion battery pack that takes just under 5 hours from a standard domestic power socket or under three hours when plugged into a BMW i Wallbox. The 530e can travel 46 km on pure electric at a maximum speed of 140 km/h.
Safety kit reads six airbags, ABS, EBD, Dynamic Stability Control (DSC), Dynamic Traction Control (DTC), Cornering Brake Control (CBC), Dynamic Brake Control (DBC), ISOFIX mounting points and flat tyre indicator. Other Driving Assistants include Lane Departure Warning, lane Change Warning, Cross Traffic Warning and Parking Assistant for parallel and perpendicular parking.
The BMW 530e comes in four exterior shades – Bluestone Metallic, Mediterranean Blue, Alpine White and Black Sapphire. Like all models sold through BMW Malaysia, the 530e comes with a 5-Years Unlimited Mileage Warranty with free-scheduled service and BMW tyre warranty.
IMAGE GALLERY
