The BMW 530 has a history that dates back to the 1975 model year, when it was the original 5 Series vehicle when BMW's mid-size, rear-wheel-drive 5 Series vehicles were introduced in the U.S. It also helped establish the BMW nomenclature of naming its cars after their model series and engine size, so that the 530 designation indicated that the car was a 5 Series vehicle powered by a 3.0-liter engine.
By the late 1970s, however, the 530 had dropped out of BMW's lineup in favor of the 528, which was equipped with a 2.8-liter six-cylinder engine delivering 169 horsepower. The 530 was replaced by the 528 due to fuel economy and emissions requirements for all cars sold in the U.S.
In 1994, the 530 returned to the BMW lineup with a more powerful 3.0-liter V8 engine. It replaced the 535, which had a larger but less powerful six-cylinder engine. However, the reappearance of the 530 lasted only two years, as it was once again replaced by a new 528 when the fourth-generation 5 Series vehicles debuted for the 1997 model year.
But in the continuing duel between BMW's 5 Series models, the 530 returned to the lineup once again in 2001 as a replacement for the 528. It was powered by a 3.0-liter six-cylinder engine that produced 225 horsepower. In 2006, horsepower was pumped up to 255, and an all-wheel-drive 530 was added to the lineup.
Today, with top speeds of 150 miles per hour, the BMW 530 remains one of the most popular cars in BMW's 5-series. It's a step up from the 525, offering drivers a bigger engine, better handling, more luxurious touches and, naturally, a higher price tag.
Previously only offered as a sedan, BMW has added a wagon trim in recent years. The 530i is the sedan and the 530xi is the all-wheel-drive sedan, while the wagon, or Touring model, has a "T" at the end of its name to designate its body style.
