'97 BMW 540I ManualWe're into our second year with the sumptuous and ferocious 540i, and our love affair continues. Logbook entries praising the black-on-black Bimmer read like a blend of Olympic commentary and art criticism: "Gold-medal sprinter able to dust international competition," "Where's the Nike swoosh? With 282 horsepower on tap, the eager powerplant says 'Just Do It' at every stoplight," and "Exquisite, elegant luxury with a devilish side." After spending five days in the greatest sports cars in the world for our "Viva Velocity" cover story (May '98), Editor C. Van Tune scrawled in the logbook, "I can't think of a better car than this 540i Sport to use as a transition back into the real world. With its excellent power, six-speed manual, taut handling, ultra-supportive and comfy seats, it's like a four-door sports car." Having served most recently as a daily driver for our editor (who makes an exhilarating high-speed canyon road blitz to the office), average gas mileage has dipped a bit. On the open road, the black beauty returns upward of 25 mpg, even at 80 mph.
| Base price | $52,350 |
| Price as tested | $58,145 |
| Body style | 4-door, 5-pass. |
| Engine size/type | 4.4-liter V-8 |
Transmission/driveline
configuration | 6-speed man./
front engine, rear drive |
| 0-60 mph, sec. | 5.6 |
| EPA mpg, city/hwy. | 15/24 |
| Total mileage | 12,858 |
| Test mileage | 12,848 |
| Fuel consumed, gal. | 882.9 |
| Fuel cost | $1212.16 |
| Average mpg | 14.6 |
| Additional oil/cost | 1 qt/$2.15 |
| Routine maint. | None |
| Additional maint. | None |
| Previous maint. | $65.00 |
| Problem areas | Power windows |
| Total operating cost | $1279.31 |
| Operating cost/mile | 10.0 |