Earlier this year, Victoria Police announced they would be adding 80 530d sedans to their fleet in 2018. This week, the Volks Affair blogging team look at the 530d and the police’s decision.
The BMW 530d
Regular readers of the blog will be able to tell you a bit about the 530d just by its name. They will be able to tell you that it belongs to BMW’s 5-series — a range of mid-size vehicles, the first BMW series to be named using numbers rather than letters. They will be able to tell you it has an engine displacement of 3L. And they will be able to tell you that the 530d runs on diesel fuel.
BMW 530d Features
A special, factory-fitted “police pack” will replace a number of the 530d features, including, we imagine, the infotainment system. But even without the back-lit infotainment and navigation displays, the BMW 530d is an impressive car.
The BMW 530d features adaptive steering. At speeds below 60km/h, the vehicle’s Parallel Steering is switched for Opposed Steering. In Opposed Steering, the back wheels turn opposite to the front, tightening the turning circle and increasing mobility.
Rain sensors and automatic anti-dazzle mirrors are also standard features, as are BMW sport brakes and adaptive LED headlights.
The Decision
Before on-road costs, the BMW 530d sells for $121,600. So what makes the 530d such a good choice for Victoria’s police department?
Spokesperson for BMW Group Australia, Lenore Fletcher, said: “when you take into account the fuel consumption, the economics of scale and the condition-based servicing, [the 530d] is quite comparable to their current vehicles”. The 530d is set to replace 80 Commodores and Falcons due to retire next year.
350d Fuel Efficiency
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The 530d runs through 4.7L per 100km. The Holden Commodores Vic Police currently use are almost triple this, at 12.9L per 100km.
350d Emissions
Prestige auto companies (such as Volkswagen AG and BMW) and governments alike are increasing their commitment to reducing their carbon footprint. It might not be long, then, until we see our girls and boys in blue in electric vehicles, maybe the i3?
Until then, the company will continue to make more environmentally friendly models: the 350d produces only 124g of carbon emissions per kilometre. This will be an improvement for Vic Police: the Commodore SS emits 300g per kilometre.
The 350d’s speed (0-100 in 5.7s), performance, safety features and efficiency are four reasons the 8-speed sedan is such a popular choice for law enforcement. Germany, Italy and the UK are already using 5-series vehicles in their police forces, while other Australian states are also considering the upgrade.
The 5-series are hard-working, durable machines. Like all vehicles, they require regular, annual services to keep them performing at their best. Volks Affair are a BMW service centre in South Melbourne. We service and repair the entire range of BMW vehicles, as well as Mercedes-Benz, Skoda, Volkswagen and Audi. For all your prestige German car service and repairs, and car air-conditioning services, contact us today.