BMW Starting North American Diesels With New X5

[LeMansX5]

While we were chatting recently over barbecued vittles during a Phoenix ho-down at a local dirt-floor barn, one of our BMW hosts clarified a point on an earlier blog we ran prior to the Detroit auto show regarding BMW’s firm plans for diesels in North America by late 2008.
It would seem that the timeline has been ramped up a bit and we can now expect the outstanding 3.0-liter direct-injection diesel engines on our highways by mid-2008. Whereas the original thought was to have the 530d and 535d sedans lead the rush into 2009, we will now first be getting the X5 3.0d as a mid-2008 entry. The 5 Series cars will come as previously announced.


At 235hp and 384lb-ft of torque in Euro trim, plus an estimated 8.2-second dash from zero to sixty, and a 5,050-pound unbraked towing capacity, this X5 should find an easy early-adopter fan base in the several thousands. Whether the six-speed manual shifter will be brought over for our enjoyment has not yet been set in stone. Euro fuel mileage on the big d converts out to 21mpg city, 33mpg highway.
Base pricing for the X5 3.0d should be around $47,000, or a small step above the 3.0si gas model.
What else is there to say but “YEEEEE-HAWW!”?


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