# 04-525i- What it is the TOP SPEED?



## WP4LDU (Nov 4, 2003)

Hello!!
I'm a new member to the forum, and I just ordered a 2004 525i,PP, Titanium Silver. European delivered in Germany and I'm currently deployed in Baghdad Iraq for the last 8 month. I just need to know the top speed limit with the governor for this car. Thanks


----------



## philippek (Jul 31, 2003)

Wow...looks like they removed the 128mph governor. It says on bmwusa.com that top speed is now 144. Doesn't that sound a little optimistic?


----------



## Ågent99 (Jan 7, 2002)

philippek said:


> Wow...looks like they removed the 128mph governor. It says on bmwusa.com that top speed is now 144. Doesn't that sound a little optimistic?


Perhaps. I wish I could recall what the tach said when I hit my speed limiter the couple of times that I have. However, I was so full of adrenaline and concentrating like mad that I could barely see what the speedo indicated! 

Are the engines in the new E60s much different than the E39 engines? I know the V8 is pushing out more ponies but I don't recall on the I6s.

Chris


----------



## philippek (Jul 31, 2003)

Ågent99 said:


> Perhaps. I wish I could recall what the tach said when I hit my speed limiter the couple of times that I have. However, I was so full of adrenaline and concentrating like mad that I could barely see what the speedo indicated!
> 
> Are the engines in the new E60s much different than the E39 engines? I know the V8 is pushing out more ponies but I don't recall on the I6s.
> 
> Chris


The 6s are carry-overs, the key differences (at least for top speed calculations) being slight weight reduction (in everything but the 545), taller top gear (now 6th), and lower C/D...could it all add up to 144mph from 184hp?


----------



## andy_thomas (Oct 7, 2002)

philippek said:


> Wow...looks like they removed the 128mph governor. It says on bmwusa.com that top speed is now 144. Doesn't that sound a little optimistic?


Not really, given that the old E39 525i hit 148 mph.

US cars have long had artificially low top speed restrictors, over time leading people to believe that those were actually the top speeds or close to them. I would imagine the E60 525i to be able to top 150 mph, given enough room.


----------



## andy_thomas (Oct 7, 2002)

philippek said:


> The 6s are carry-overs, the key differences (at least for top speed calculations) being slight weight reduction (in everything but the 545), taller top gear (now 6th), and lower C/D...could it all add up to 144mph from 184hp?


The UK etc E60 525i has a few more horses, at 192 bhp. Top speed is quoted by BMW GB as 149 mph. 144 mph for the US 525i sounds about right.


----------



## Ågent99 (Jan 7, 2002)

andy_thomas said:


> Not really, given that the old E39 525i hit 148 mph.
> 
> US cars have long had artificially low top speed restrictors, over time leading people to believe that those were actually the top speeds or close to them. I would imagine the E60 525i to be able to top 150 mph, given enough room.


The E39 528 and 530 were speed-limited at around 128 mph in the US. This is what I observed when I floored it. I would hazard a guess that US E39 525 also had the same or a lower limit.

Now theoretical top-end or governor-removed top-end for these cars in the US is unknown to me. How much can the engine take in RPMs? How much into and beyond the redline can they withstand?

Chris


----------



## andy_thomas (Oct 7, 2002)

Ågent99 said:


> The E39 528 and 530 were speed-limited at around 128 mph in the US. This is what I observed when I floored it. I would hazard a guess that US E39 525 also had the same or a lower limit.
> 
> Now theoretical top-end or governor-removed top-end for these cars in the US is unknown to me. How much can the engine take in RPMs? How much into and beyond the redline can they withstand?
> 
> Chris


The 528i and 530i would normally be drag-limited with their gearing, although if the gearing is short enough, top speed will be governed by the rev limiter. As I recall a manual 530i has a governed top speed of 155 mph (auto: 150 mph), which is probably quite close to the 6,500 rpm rev limiter.

An example of top speed governed by the rev limiter: 520s were given very short gearing in manual form, with the top speed quoted by BMW of ~139 mph being reached at well over 6,500 rpm. The 2.0 and 2.2 engines have rev limiters at around 6,800 rpm. Given that any car will suffer for being driven flat-out at the rev limiter for extended periods of time, it is reasonable to assume that the engine will happily spin a bit lower - say, at the 6,000 rpm redline - for longish periods, as long as it's looked after of course. The smaller 2.0 and 2.2 engines have very short short strokes, so peak piston speed is probably not excessive even at the 6,800 cut-out.

The 523i, 525i, 528i and 530i have taller gearing, and in the lower-power versions, top speed is more likely to be limited by drag. Having said that, BMW also often fits *top speed* limiters to its cars in Europe, so ensure that the pecking order of the range is maintained on the autobahn.

Of course, not even in Germany can you run flat out for more than a few minutes, unless you find the smoothest, straighest, most roadwork- and Trabant-free autobahn in the country and drive flat out in good weather with nothing in the way. Chances of that happening on your daily commute? Not high .


----------

