The first 5 Series car, the 520, was introduced to Europe in 1973. With a mere 120 horsepower on tap, it was underpowered even by home-market standards. It was obviously not well suited to the U.S. market, and it was never introduced in America . But it was a solidly built automobile, and its styling was a departure from the somewhat clipped and conservative look that had characterized previous BMW sedans.