BMW Starting North American Diesels With New X5
 

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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Yeeeeeeeeeee hawwwwwwwww! :confused:

LM,

Nice...if/when it gets "here". Hope it has a 6 spd
manual but I doubt it, as Biff & Buffy can't drive one.

Ya'll knocking on #6K post, too!

Your's are always top notch, imo.
BR,mD

Thanks for the post, interesting to follow the developments here.

I wonder about a few things:

How can the trailer capacity be 5000 lbs 'unbraked'? Doesn't fit to me, since the difference between braked and unbraked is a chassis limitation, not an engine limitation, if I understand the engineer's concerns correctly. Also, a diesel has less compression braking than a gasoline engine, so the weight limit would be lower, not higher, with respect to braking. Certainly the torque numbers support a big tow rating, but that engine doesn't likely slow down a trailer very well.

How will BMW meet the 2008 pollution regulations? Will they use urea injection or a variation thereof? Will the engine be similar then to the current Euro rating, or is it a different animal altogether?

Great News!! Thanks very much for the update.

If the X5 is the first to get the diesel, I may not follow through on my promise I've told all my friends "to be first in line when BMW sells a diesel", but certainly a diesel in a 5-series is appealing, and hopefully it will spread to the 3.

I'd love a 3 or 5 series diesel sedan.. Bring 'em on!

Thank God, it's about time.