To cater to a broader audience and launch an attack on the competition, BMW India has introduced a new, entry-level variant of the 5 Series. Called as the 530i Sport, it costs Rs 55.40 lakh without taxes. It becomes only the second petrol-powered derivative in the 5 Series range. The other one – the 530i M Sport – costs Rs 5.5 lakh more. Compared to the 520d Luxury Line, which previously held the title of the least-expensive 5 Series iteration, the new variant demands Rs 3.9 lakh less.

The 530i Sport comes with the same engine-transmission combination as the M Sport variant. That means a 2.0-litre, turbo-petrol mill puts out 248bhp/350Nm, while an 8-speed automatic unit handles transmission duties. BMW claims that the setup is enough for a 0-100kmph time of 6.1 seconds. Apart from that, the Sport also comes with multiple driving modes, cruise control and launch control. The only difference in the mechanical department is that the lesser variant misses out on Dynamic Damper control.

The main difference between the two is in the creature comforts section. To lower the asking price, BMW had to strip off some of the features. The gizmos which come part of the M Sport package but not the Sport include keyless entry and hands-free tailgate opening, sports seats, a 600-watt 16-speaker Harman Kardon sound system, remote control parking, cameras with a 360-degree view, wireless mobile charging and 18-inch alloy wheels (Sport gets a size smaller).

Even without those features, the 530i Sport has quite a handsome kit to offer. The list of features includes BMW Display Key, adaptive LED headlights, rain-sensing wipers, ambient lighting, automatic climate control, front and rear parking sensors, electric sunroof, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Also, there’s no difference between the two petrol variants in the safety department.

BMW India will assemble the 530i Sport at its facility in Chennai. The BMW 5 Series (Rs 55.4 – 66.8 lakh) rivals the Audi A6 (Rs 54.42 – 59.42 lakh), Mercedes-Benz E-Class (Rs 59.08 – 75.29 lakh), Volvo S90 (Rs 51.90 – 58.90 lakh) and the Jaguar XF (Rs 54.84 lakh). If you had to pick one, which would it be?