BMW is extending the appeal of its 2005 Fleet News Award-winning 5-series with the introduction of a lower-priced diesel version.

On sale from September, the 520d joins the 525d, 530d and 535d in the 5-series diesel line-up.

The 520d shares the 2.0-litre Euro IV-compliant engine as found in the smaller 3-series, offering 163bhp, combined fuel economy of 47.9mpg and CO2 emissions of 158g/km – putting it five bands lower in company car tax terms than the 525d. Prices start at £25,925 on-the-road for the entry-level saloon and rise to £31,345 for the M Sport Touring.

The 520d comes with a six-speed manual gearbox, although a six-speed auto will be available early next year.

ALSO due to debut in September is the hottest 1-series so far – the 130i with a 265bhp 3.0-litre straight-six engine offering a 0-62mph time of just 6.1 seconds and a top speed limited to 155mph. The 130i SE will cost £24,745 on-the-road. All 1-series cars are also available with a new M Sport pack, featuring body styling, bigger alloy wheels, sports suspension and numerous interior detail changes. Prices for the pack are yet to be announced, although the 130i M Sport will cost £26,515.