BMW fuel consumption

I have long held the opinion that I was getting remarkably good petrol consumption figures from the Editorial BMW 520i. A recent more-than-usually-careful check revealed that on journeys involving some motorway maximum-speed cruising, and fast driving on other roads, that if not quite of the rally-thrash kind, at least returns overall averages of 45 m.p.h. including crossing the Metropolis, and with some judicious coasting up to red traffic-lights, etc., the average consumption is an excellent 29.8 m.p.g. of 4-star. This is a benefit derived from fuel injection, as is the sure cold-starting, although the starter does a long churn before the engine fires, and no trace of a flat-stop or hesitancy to the 6,400 to 7,000 r.p.m. rev-limit. Oil-thirst is negligible, the Michelin XAS tyres show quite a decent thickness of tread after sonic 20,000 miles of this treatment, and although the manual steering is very heavy when parking, this has not brought about any diminution of the beautifully taut accuracy which is a hallmark of BMW motoring. This car has proved one of the most dependable and pleasurable I have experienced, over more than 35,000 miles.—W.B.