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2008 BMW 528i Sedan
More Power - More Pleasure
acceleration is 0.8 second quicker
K a t iii i i \ ( A rk
Change doesn't have to he dra­ with manual shift, and 0.5 second
matic to be meaningful. Despite swifter with Steplronie six-speed
revised trout and rear styling, lor automatic, than the prior 525i. Stan­
instance. the 2008 5 Series sedan dard alloy wheels on the 528i hold
doesn't look markedly different. 17-inch V-rated all-season tires.
I'he 2008 tweaks start in front,
BMW calls it a "significant fresh­
where
the headlight covers are now
ening." Under the hood, though,
completely
clear, w ith chrome sur­
six-cylinder models have earned a
major power boost- now consid­ rounds highlighting individual
ered the most powerful six-cylinder lights inside. The chrome edging
sedans and sports wagons to date. on BMW’s trademark double-kid­
T he basic c h a ra c te r h asn't ney grille is now Hush with the
changed a hit. because every 5 surface on the front air dam, while
Series puts an emphasis on the the full-width air intake below the
driving. The least expensive of the front bumpercurls up in the corners
5 Series is the 528i, powered by to match the shape of the head­
BMW's high-tech magnesium al­ lights.
Below the doors, the 5 Series
loy 3.0-liter inline 6. The new six-
cylinder engine develops its 230 side sills have been re-contoured a
horsepower at 6500 rpm, plus 200 bit for 2008. apparently to promote
pound-feet of torque at 2750 rpm. a longer, leaner look. In back, the
Thai's an increase of 15 horsepower rear lights are covered with the same
clear glass as the fronts, and the
and 15 pound-feet.
The standard transmission on turn signals are now LEDs.
Looks aside, many buyers will
the 528i isaGetragb-speed manual,
which is increasingly hard to find in find the five-passenger 5 Series a
this class. BMW says 0-60 mph near-perfect size. It seems more
in
A p ril 2. 2008
S p e c ia l E d itio n
News and reviews on new motor vehicles
traffic, accom m o­
dating speeds all the
way down to a com­
plete stop, and re­
suming to the set
speed from 0 mph.
Safety features
nearly co v er the
gam ut.
P assiv e
safety equipm ent
in clu d es
front
airbags with dual
threshold deploy­
ment. front-passen­
ger side airbags and
curtain-style head-
protection airbags
Specifications: 3.0-liter, DOHC, 24-valvelnline-V6230-hp<3>200lb-ft. torque engine;
forall outboard pas­
6 speed manual transmission; 17-City, 27-Highway MPG; $55,525. MSRP
sengers. All 5 Se­
ries
models
come
with antilock
Two big ticket options have been
substantial than some small luxury
brakes
with
Dynamic
BrakeControl
or sport sedans, with more usable added for 2008. BMW's Lane De­
auto-proportioning,
Dynamic
Trac­
interior space. At the same time it s parture Warning system is camera
tion
Control,
Dynamic
Stability
no as physically bulky as large se­ based, and notifies the driver via
dans. and easier to maneuver in mild steering-wheel vibration of any C ontrol an ti-skid electro n ics,
movement that might indicate an seatbelt pretensioners and force
tight spaces or park.
The BMW 5 Series is a true inadvertent lane change. The new limiters. The standard BMW As­
driverscaramong mid-sized luxury Stop and Go feature for Active sist communication package in-
sedans. Increased power and other Cruise Control is space age. Like el udes automatic collision notifica­
improvements for 2008 only em ­ the previous system, it uses radar tion, an SOS button, roadside as­
phasize this. The 5 mixes comfort, to keep the 5 Series from moving to sistance and loeater service.
This ear has just about every­
performance, high-tech features close to a ear ahead, without driver
and passenger-friendly accommo­ intervention. Yet the new Stop and thing you could ask for in a luxury
dations in fairly compact package. Go system works even in heavy sedan, including the features, com ­
fort and convenience of full-size
luxury models, the sporting charac­
ter of smaller ones, and a good
compromise between interior space
and physical bulk.
The 528i come with leatherette
upholstery, dual-zone automatic
climate control with active micro­
filtration, an AM/EM/CD stereo
with 10 speakers, 17-ineh alloy
wheels, four power outlets and a
rechargeable flashlight in theglove
box.
Always a solid road/touring car,
the 5 Series line gets even more self-
assured with each iteration. There's
nothing flashy with any 5 Series
BMW—just serious driving per­
formance, created for accomplish­
ment rather than show.
This is a good, honest sedan in
the BMW tradition, with a comfort­
able ride, precise steering and nice,
sharp handling, and without a lot of
high-tech stuff to muddle the pic­
ture. This mid-size luxury sedan
remains a true sports sedan in any
of its variations.
Regardless o f engine size or
equipm ent level, the 5 Series line
delivers lively acceleration, pre­
cise handling and outstanding
brakes.
THEL WPRICELEADER
www.captainyes.com
Stock No: 19818
2004 Saturn Ion L4
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2.2-Liter, 16-Valve
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2003 Chevrolet Blazer LS
4 Door Wagon
V6,4.3-Liter, Aulo, 4WD
Our Special $9,888
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2001 Honda Accord EX
2001 Toyota Echo
2002 Eord E l50 Lariat
2002 Honda Odyssey EX
2 Door Coupe
Mileage: 73,901
2.3-1 .iter. I b-Valve, VTEC, 4-Spced Auto, FWD
2 Door Coupe
Mileage: 96,340
1.5-Liter. DOHC I b-Valve. Auto. FWD
Super Cab
V8.5.4-Liter.Auto.4W D
4 Door Van
Mileage: 86,507
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2005 Chrysler Town & Country
2 Door Convertible
Mileage: 40,995
4.6-liter. V8, SOHC. lb-Val ve. Auto, RWD
4 Door Wagon
Mileage: 47 ,183
2.4-Liter, 4-Speed Auto, 4WD
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3.3-Litcr, Vb, Auto, FWD
4 Door Sedan
2.4-Litcr. DOHC. Auto, FWD
Mileage: 53,066
ALL VEHICLES ARE
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2005 Scion xB
2007 Dodge Caliber
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4.0-l.iter. Manual.4WD
4 Door Wagon
Mileage: 20,424
1.5-Liter, 5-Speed Manual. FWD
4 Door Hatchback
2.0-Liter. Auto, FWD
Mileage: 47,061
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