Car comparison

BMW 5 Series Touring (E39) 540i V8vsBMW 5 Series Touring (G61) 520d

Compare specs, acceleration, fuel consumption, dimensions, practicality, and estimated running costs side by side.

New comparison

BMW 5 Series Touring (E39)

540i V8

286 hp4398 ccGasolineRWDAutomaticNaturally aspiratedWagon / estate1998-2000

BMW 5 Series Touring (G61)

520d

197 hp1995 ccDieselRWDAutomaticTurbochargedWagon / estate2024-present

Comparison overview

Use the estimates as comparison hints and verify exact figures before making decisions.

BMW 5 Series Touring (E39) 540i V8

Quickest 0-100 km/h
6.7 s
Fastest top speed
260 km/h
162 mph Unrestricted
250 km/h
155 mph Restricted
Most powerful
286 hp
213 kW
Highest torque
440 Nm
325 lb-ft
Lightest
1,740 kg
3,836 lb
Best power-to-weight
164 hp/t
123 kW/t
6.1 kg/hp
Best overall score
68/100
Best performance score
62/100

BMW 5 Series Touring (G61) 520d

Largest trunk
570 L
Best economy score
91/100
Best practicality score
87/100

Specification comparison

Specification comparison
Model	BMW5 Series Touring (E39)540i V8	BMW5 Series Touring (G61)520d
Power	286hp213kW	197hp147kW
Torque	440Nm325lb-ft	400Nm295lb-ft
Curb weight	1,740kg3,836lb	1,835kg4,045lb
Gross weight	2,280kg5,027lb	2,495kg5,501lb
Top speed	Unrestricted 260 km/h162 mph Restricted 250 km/h155 mph Calculated	Unrestricted 230 km/h143 mph Restricted 220 km/h137 mph Calculated
To 99% top speed	70.3s99% target: 257 km/h / 160 mph Calculated	74.1s99% target: 228 km/h / 141 mph Calculated
0-100 km/h	6.7s	7.5s
0-200 km/h	21.3s Calculated	30.3s Calculated
0-60 mph	6.4s Calculated	7.1s Calculated
Fuel consumption	-	5.9L/100 km39.9mpg US47.9mpg UK
Fuel consumption city	17.6L/100 km13.4mpg US16.1mpg UK	-
Fuel consumption highway	9.7L/100 km24.2mpg US29.1mpg UK	-
Quarter mile	14.6s Calculated	15.4s Calculated
Power-to-weight	164hp/t123kW/t75hp/1000 lb Calculated	107hp/t80kW/t49hp/1000 lb Calculated
Torque-to-weight	253Nm/t169lb-ft/ton Calculated	218Nm/t146lb-ft/ton Calculated
Estimated range	-	1,017km632mi Calculated
Displacement	4,398cc268cu in	1,995cc122cu in
Length	4,805mm189in	5,060mm199in
Width	1,800mm71in	1,900mm75in
Height	1,440mm57in	1,515mm60in
Wheelbase	2,830mm111in	2,995mm118in
Front track	1,512mm60in	1,634mm64in
Rear track	1,522mm60in	1,668mm66in
Ground clearance	-	155mm6in
Trunk volume	410L	570L
Max trunk volume	1,525L	1,700L
Doors	5	5
Seats	5	5
Fuel tank	70L	60L

Performance charts

Use the estimates as comparison hints and verify exact figures before making decisions.

Dyno simulation

Estimated stock-style power and torque curves by engine speed.

BMW 5 Series Touring (E39) 540i V8BMW 5 Series Touring (G61) 520dPowerTorque

Dyno simulation data table
Vehicle	Peak power RPM	Peak torque RPM	Max engine speed
BMW5 Series Touring (E39)540i V8	5,400 rpm	3,600 rpm	5,650 rpm
BMW5 Series Touring (G61)520d	4,000 rpm	1,500-2,750 rpm	4,250 rpm

Acceleration curve

Estimated speed over time for selected vehicles.

Acceleration and drag-race table
Metric	BMW5 Series Touring (E39)540i V8	BMW5 Series Touring (G61)520d
	Acceleration checkpoints
0-60 mph 0-97 km/h	6.4 s	7.1 s
0-100 km/h 0-62 mph	6.7 s	7.5 s
0-200 km/h 0-124 mph	21.3 s	30.3 s
Top speed	Unrestricted 260 km/h162 mph Restricted 250 km/h155 mph Likely limited	Unrestricted 230 km/h143 mph Restricted 220 km/h137 mph Likely limited
	Drag race simulation
60 ft 18 m	2.6 s	2.7 s
330 ft 101 m	6.6 s	6.8 s
1/8 mile 201 m	9.8 s	10.2 s
1000 ft 305 m	12.4 s	13.0 s
1/4 mile 402 m	14.6 s	15.4 s
Trap speed 1/4 mile 402 m	167 km/h 104 mph	153 km/h 95 mph

Power comparison

Bar comparison chart for Power. Higher is better · hp / kW

Chart data table
Vehicle	Value
BMW5 Series Touring (E39)540i V8	286 hp 213 kW
BMW5 Series Touring (G61)520d	197 hp 147 kW

BMW 5 Series Touring (E39) 540i V8 has 89 hp more than BMW 5 Series Touring (G61) 520d.

The biggest power difference is between BMW 5 Series Touring (G61) 520d and BMW 5 Series Touring (E39) 540i V8: 89 hp (66 kW).

Torque comparison

Bar comparison chart for Torque. Higher is better · Nm / lb-ft

Chart data table
Vehicle	Value
BMW5 Series Touring (E39)540i V8	440 Nm 325 lb-ft
BMW5 Series Touring (G61)520d	400 Nm 295 lb-ft

Curb weight comparison

Bar comparison chart for Curb weight. Lower is better · kg / lb

Chart data table
Vehicle	Value
BMW5 Series Touring (E39)540i V8	1,740 kg 3,836 lb
BMW5 Series Touring (G61)520d	1,835 kg 4,045 lb

Top speed without limiter comparison

Bar comparison chart for Top speed without limiter. Higher is better · km/h / mph

Chart data table
Vehicle	Value
BMW5 Series Touring (E39)540i V8	Unrestricted 260 km/h162 mph Restricted 250 km/h155 mph
BMW5 Series Touring (G61)520d	Unrestricted 230 km/h143 mph Restricted 220 km/h137 mph

0-100 km/h comparison

Bar comparison chart for 0-100 km/h. Lower is better · seconds

Chart data table
Vehicle	Value
BMW5 Series Touring (E39)540i V8	6.7 s
BMW5 Series Touring (G61)520d	7.5 s

The biggest 0-100 km/h difference is between BMW 5 Series Touring (E39) 540i V8 and BMW 5 Series Touring (G61) 520d: 0.8 s.

Power-to-weight comparison

Bar comparison chart for Power-to-weight. Higher is better · hp/t / kW/t

Chart data table
Vehicle	Value
BMW5 Series Touring (E39)540i V8	164 hp/t 123 kW/t 6.1 kg/hp
BMW5 Series Touring (G61)520d	107 hp/t 80 kW/t 9.3 kg/hp

Performance spider chart

Radar chart comparing normalized performance and fuel-consumption scores.

Chart data table
Vehicle	Power	Acceleration	Top speed
BMW5 Series Touring (E39)540i V8	286 hp 213 kW	6.7 s	Unrestricted 260 km/h162 mph Restricted 250 km/h155 mph
BMW5 Series Touring (G61)520d	197 hp 147 kW	7.5 s	Unrestricted 230 km/h143 mph Restricted 220 km/h137 mph

Most attractive quadrant

Scatter chart with performance score on the X axis and practicality score on the Y axis.

Vehicle

Performance score

Practicality score

BMW5 Series Touring (E39)540i V8

Power	286 hp 213 kW
0-100 km/h	6.7 s
Top speed Unrestricted 260 km/h162 mph Restricted 250 km/h155 mph

Doors/seats	5 doors 5 seats
Trunk	410 L 14.5 cu ft
Length	4,805 mm 189.2 in
Height	1,440 mm 56.7 in

BMW5 Series Touring (G61)520d

Power	197 hp 147 kW
0-100 km/h	7.5 s
Top speed Unrestricted 230 km/h143 mph Restricted 220 km/h137 mph

Doors/seats	5 doors 5 seats
Trunk	570 L 20.1 cu ft
Length	5,060 mm 199.2 in
Height	1,515 mm 59.6 in

Detailed score breakdown

Vehicle

BMW5 Series Touring (E39)540i V8

BMW5 Series Touring (G61)520d

Power

286 hp

213 kW

197 hp

147 kW

Torque

440 Nm

325 lb-ft

400 Nm

295 lb-ft

Acceleration

6.7 s

7.5 s

Top speed

Unrestricted

260 km/h162 mph

Restricted

250 km/h155 mph

Unrestricted

230 km/h143 mph

Restricted

220 km/h137 mph

Lightness

1,740 kg

3,836 lb

1,835 kg

4,045 lb

Fuel consumption

5.9 L/100 km

39.9 mpg US

47.9 mpg UK

Practicality

Doors/seats	5 doors 5 seats
Trunk	410 L 14.5 cu ft
Length	4,805 mm 189.2 in
Height	1,440 mm 56.7 in

Doors/seats	5 doors 5 seats
Trunk	570 L 20.1 cu ft
Length	5,060 mm 199.2 in
Height	1,515 mm 59.6 in

Range score

1,017 km

632 mi

Trunk score

410 L

14.5 cu ft

570 L

20.1 cu ft

Power-to-weight score

164 hp/t

123 kW/t

6.1 kg/hp

107 hp/t

80 kW/t

9.3 kg/hp

Overall

Fixed score

Fuel cost and annual usage

Estimate running costs from combined consumption, your annual distance, and the fuel price in your local currency.

Average annual distanceDistance unitFuel price in your local currencyPrice unit

Enter the fuel price in your local currency, for example €/L, $/gal, £/L or any other local currency.

LC = Local Currency

Fuel cost and annual usage
Vehicle	BMW 5 Series Touring (G61) 520d
Consumption	5.9 L/100 km39.9 mpg US47.9 mpg UK
Cost / 100 km	10.33 LC100 km
Cost / 100 mi	16.62 LC100 mi
Annual fuel used	885 L234 US gal195 UK gal
Annual fuel cost	1,549 LC/year