Retro Ad: 1975 BMW 530i
The Sixer's father.

In the spring of 1976, Gerald Ford was President, America was getting ready to celebrate its bicentennial, and I was looking for my first job after college. BMW's 530i ad in Road & Track's March issue caught my eye, even though I could never have afforded its $10,000 price tag in those days.

The first 5-Series was in its freshman year of American sales, the model having debuted in Europe in 1972 as the 520/520i. The 1975 530i replaced the Bavaria as BMW's mid-size model in America, with the "5" denoting rank and seating capacity, and the "30i" indicating displacement of the marvelous injected Big-6 which sat in the engine bay. BMW's new 6-Series coupe in 1976 would be based on this car.

The 530i (E20) was BMW's first model created expressly for the North American market. Under the hood was a detuned version of the 2985cc six, with Bosch L-Jetronic fuel injection and 8.1:1 compression compatible with low-calorie gas. Power output was 176 bhp (SAE net) at 5500 rpm, with peak torque 185 lbs/ft at 4500 rpm.

Road & Track concluded that the 530i "is everything a luxury-sports sedan should be. It's comfortable, practical in the extreme, and with a good measure of performance, ride and handling thrown in. It's no wonder we had little trouble choosing it as one the world's ten best cars". The original 5-Series continued through 1981 with mostly minor year-to-year changes. It was replaced with the more efficient but far less powerful 528e.

The model holds a special place in my heart: my first BMW was an '81 528i, the last year of the original 5. My near-perfect example was a hummer. Its 5-speed and strong engine combined with a spacious and comfortable leather interior and competent road manners to make each drive an event.

I'll never forget the wonder the car prompted in me each time I got behind the wheel: "I never thought I'd own a BMW."  -Rick Sparks

The BMW 530i. An engineer's conception of a luxury car, not an interior decorator's.

One need look no further than the nearest domestic luxury sedan to find ample evidence of a styling department run rampant.

Brocade upholstery, opera windows, cabriolet tops, distinctive hood ornaments, etc., etc., etc.

Yet, underneath all this opulence, one generally finds that the average luxury car is indeed a very average car.

At the Bavarian Motor Works, it is our contention that, although the pursuit of luxury is no vice, when all is said and done, it is extraordinary performance that makes an expensive car worth the money.

So, while the BMW 530i features a rather lengthy list of refined luxuries, it also features a singularly responsive 3-liter, fuel-injected engine that never fails to astound even the experts with its smooth, turbine-like performance.

It features an uncanny four-wheel independent suspension system - McPherson struts in front and semi-trailing arms in the rear - that allows each wheel to adapt itself instantly to every driving situation, smoothly and precisely. Giving you a total control that will spoil you for any other car.

It features a solid steel passenger safety cell, two disc-braking systems instead of one, and an interior that's bio-mechanically engineered to prevent driver fatigue. Each seat in the 530i has an orthopedically molded shape. All controls are within easy reach. And all instruments are clear and visible.

Impressive?

No less an authority than Road & Track magazine unequivocally called the 530i "...one of the ten best cars in the world...the best sports sedan, period."

If you'd care to judge for yourself, we suggest you phone your BMW dealer and arrange a thorough test drive.

The ultimate driving machine.

Bavarian Motor Works, Munich, Germany

©1975 BMW of North America, Inc.
For the name of your nearest dealer, or for further information, you may call us anytime, toll-free, at 800-243-6006 (Conn. 1-800-882-6500).

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