The most powerful diesel engine you can have in a car that wasn’t designed with commercial use in mind comes from BMW.

Bavaria’s tri-turbo straight six cylinder develops 381 horsepower and 546 lb-ft of torque and does so beautifully smooth.

Some of the buyers say that they want more so BMW is now rumored to be working on an even meatier version of this record breaking motor.

Most complaints are that because the new powerplant is on the hefty side (astrengthened block and all that extra turbo gubbins do add up) its power gains are a bit muted.

Making the engine lighter is not really a possibility right now so giving it more power should make life easier. How much power?

Well, according to some reports, the new power figure could sit around 420 horsepower. That’s the same figure as the petrol burning V8 in the E92 M3.

The torque figure will probably grow as well so the M3’s powerplant will really feel like it’s falling behind after this.

Some suggestions have been made that the mandatory four wheel drive transmission this engine is delivered with should be dropped.

BMW insist on keeping it, since the torque would very likely be murderous four just two tires to handle when accelerating hard.

The more powerful tri-turbo diesel engine will likely make an appearance in the facelifted version of the M550d.

Somehow, no mention of it making it over to the bigger brothers the X5 and X6 was made. You’d imagine the SAVs would welcome the increased power even more.

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Marcus M.

http://www.bmwcoop.com

The post BMW rumored to upgrade tri-turbo diesel engine appeared first on BMWCoop | BMW Blog, BMW News, BMW Reviews.

Due to rather stringent emissions regulations and partly to lack of interest from the US audience, diesels aren’t making it into small cars over there.

Even for BMW, the engine company, the one that makes some of the most incredible oil burners out there, the ability to sell them in the US is limited.

Currently, there’s the X5 diesel option as the only one out there since the E90 335i is no longer available as a new purchase.

The future does hold a few good news for fuel efficiency aficionados as BMW is very interested in bringing more diesel powered vehicles to the US.

An image from a presentation inside the company leaked online and that’s how we’ve been able to find out that the Bavarians are preparing two engines for sale with six of their models.

The twin-turbocharged six cylinder N57 engine will live on, with just about all models having it as an option. The smaller sized vehicles will also get the N47’s variations to have fun with.

That means that your fuel will be burned through a 2.0 liter force fed four cylinder engine that can develop up to around 250 horsepower.

Meanwhile, the 3.0 liter option develops around 300 horsepower and considerably more torque alongside more refined delivery.

Whereas the US still won’t get the M Performance high end diesels, they are still getting a product which is rated by many reviewers as the best of its breed.

It will be available in the F30 3 Series, the F31 3 Series Touring, the F10 5 Series, the E70 X5 and the F01 7 Series.

With the 2.0 liter option, we expect to see the 3 Series, 5 Series and X3 crossover as they can still move quite swiftly with such an engine.

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Marcus M.

http://www.bmwcoop.com

The post BMW still has plans for diesel in the US appeared first on BMWCoop | BMW Blog, BMW News, BMW Reviews.

Ever considered the Paris Motor Show as an occasion for glamorous event, one that you’d love to attend in hoping you’d see some great cars?

That used to be the case but this year it was rather poor. BMW’s presence there didn’t really help the situation, as they don’t seem to have made too big an effort.

The Bavarians turned up with the four wheel drive version of the 1 Series, the FWD version and this, the more enthusiast friendly M Performance toys for the 3 Series.

The F30 BMW 335i showcased at the French motor show gets all the goodies M Performance can throw at you, be them functional or just for looks.

See those 20 inch light alloy wheels? Apart from being stunning, they hide a big brake kit and are connected to an upgraded suspension package.

Redesigned lines, minor decals and improved aerodynamics make themselves felt in the tweaked looks of the F30 and they help out the engine and handling as much as possible.

On a slightly unusual note, it’s the engine that comes a little short here. M Performance showcased the 335i but it’s actually the 2.0 liter diesel 320d that gets the attention.

That powerplant would normally develop 184 horsepower and 280 lb-ft of torque but M Performance takes it up to an even 200 hp and 310 lb-ft.

This change is going to make a difference of nearly one second in acceleration. The same M Performance tweaked 2.0 liter will be available on the 1 and 5 Series models.

Interestingly, the Bavarians promise that this won’t make a difference in terms of fuel economy. The oil burner will be as efficient as ever.

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Marcus M.

http://www.bmwcoop.com

The post F30 BMW 3 Series M Performance shown in Paris appeared first on BMWCoop | BMW Blog, BMW News, BMW Reviews.

While BMW have had quite a few interesting bit of news recently, their relatively newly introduced M Performance brand has kept quiet.

Hoping to amend that, the special ops division came up with a performance tune for their very popular 2.0 liter turbocharged diesel engine.

M Performance is a new name in the business but so far they’ve proven that they can make diesel engines interesting, can they do the same with what’s the most common one out there?

We’re going to find out exactly what’s going to happen with the engine, the production and the sales plan at the upcoming Paris Motor Show.

Until that happens though, we do get a bit of a taste of what’s to come. As we know the more capable version of the four pot diesel is 184 horsepower and 280 lb-ft of torque.

Having fiddled with the innards and the ECU of the engine it is now going to develop a more impressive sounding 200 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque.

Granted, the power boost isn’t as impressive as the M550dx but the price will certainly be less restrictive since the amount of work that goes into the engine isn’t as demanding.

The new 2.0 liter power boost will be a available with the 1 Series, 3 Series and 5 Series models to begin with. Almost certainly, the X3 will be the first to have it afterwards.

M Performance is also setting the stage for a new handling pack for the cars that are going to be equipped with this engine.

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Marcus M.

http://www.bmwcoop.com

The post BMW M Performance boosts 2.0 liter diesel appeared first on BMWCoop | BMW Blog, BMW News, BMW Reviews.

America’s lack of interest in the fuel saving solution that is the diesel engine has been long discussed and over-debated for several years now.

There have been plenty of attempts, at the forefront of which BMW have been of major importance, to showcase the capabilities and performance diesel is capable.

Unfortunately, they’ve all pretty much failed. It may be for a number of reasons but as gas prices keep going up, diesels are making a comeback.

Since the US is finally finding out what rising fuel costs are, they’re taking a liking to diesels in increasing numbers.

While we’re on the subject, it’s not exactly a secret that BMW, makers of some of the greatest engines out there, also make the finest diesels available.

Two of their cherries are headed stateside now. It’s the 2.0 liter four-cylinder engine and the more interesting 3.0 liter straight six unit.

The first one will likely develop around 180 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque whereas the bigger engine will provide around 255 horsepower and some 413 lb-ft of torque.

Figures may be altered slightly by the time they hit the road in America as the emissions legislation there plays on different fields to the ones BMW is used to.

Even so, the economy minded motorist is in for a treat, even if he lives in the United States. Their highway system should make for quite a difference when it comes to settling into the cruise.

The new engines should be available in the 3 series, 5 series and X5/X6 models to begin with and there’s a chance at expanding its options later on.

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Marcus M.

http://www.bmwcoop.com

The post More BMW diesels headed for US market appeared first on BMWCoop | BMW Blog, BMW News, BMW Reviews.

It seems like the F01 BMW 7 Series facelift is more of an ongoing piece of kit than we’d imagine. The US market version still has one extra step in evolution to consider.

According to Car and Driver, the Bavarians are going to introduce a diesel version of the flagship limo to the US market.

That’s a serious commitment, even for the sort of company that BMW is. It’s actually so tricky that the original plan to bring BMW diesel back to the US couldn’t happen before.

Apparently, it was the M550d that was to bring diesel back to the US but since that model isn’t expected to have too long a life in production, thus making it not worth the emissions-compliance costs.

Since the BMW 7 Series, be it the F01 version or whatever revised version may be sitting in the future, will have a considerably longer life, that problem is eliminated.

Now that we know they’re coming here’s the short list. All diesel engines that are going into the 7 Series are 3.0 liter straight six-cylinder units, that have been first found in the 735d and the 740d in Europe.

There’s no news on the 750d, the one that would be powered by the new tri-turbocharged six cylinder so the dawn of 400 horsepower in an oil burner is yet to be achieved.

After all, it’s not like its smaller brothers are down on power. Let’s not forget that the 740d has 269 horsepower and 425 lb-ft of torque.

The 750d, on the other hand, has 312 horses and an even meatier and 465 lb-ft of twist available on tap.

The low-rev nature of that power is what gives the F01 BMW 7 Series even more motorway wafting appeal.

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Marcus M.

http://www.bmwcoop.com

The post US to get diesel BMW 7 Series appeared first on BMWCoop | BMW Blog, BMW News, BMW Reviews.

With all of this product line expansion BMW is going through, it’s easy to get lost in the entirety of new models and ideas that turn up.

Thankfully though, the top of the line model remains the same. You can always trust the BMW 7 Series to remain a constant beacon of luxury and driving pleasure.

Even when BMW facelift it, it doesn’t seem to change that much. The F01’s newest look has just been announced, alongside some technical upgrades as well.

Most of the changes focus on the front end where there’s a redesigned bumper, new fog lamps and new headlights. Round at the back we find some minor changes in the lights as well and there’s that little bit more chrome involved..

Considering we’ve had enough of interior changes, BMW have given the 7 Series facelift a few tweaks to the interior that are equally minor.

You can now get the multiple mode instrument cluster we recently saw on the F10 5 Series and the infotainment system gets some tasty new options.

Rear passengers get two 9.2 inch screens and there’s an optional Bang & Olufsen audio system which can pump out a whopping 1200 watts of tunes.

That’s about all that’s different in an obvious form. Underneath however all models of the F01 BMW 7 Series get air suspension with self leveling rear. Could it be the same astonishing setup from the Rolls Royce Ghost?

More important then all these changes is the fuel economy bit. Whereas the fun V8 and V12 engines remain basically unchanged (the V8 has some extra power), the diesel and hybrid have different stories.

The 750d was introduced to the lineup and it’s powered by the 3.0 liter tri-turbo diesel with 381 horsepower and 546 lb-ft of torque.

That engine, complete with xDrive four wheel drive, is claimed to manage 36.8 mpg on the US cycle. It’ll also hit 62 in 4.9 seconds and happily cruise at 155 mph.

With the ActiveHybrid BMW 7 Series we find the only trace of winding back on behalf of the Bavarians. They’ve replaced the V8 part with the 3.0 liter straight six twin-turbo.

That gives the hybrid F01 354 horsepower and 369 lb-ft of torque to play with. It’s marginally slower than the V8 unit in getting to 62 but is considerably more efficient and BMW promises 34.6 mpg US.

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Marcus M.

http://www.bmwcoop.com

The post F01 BMW 7 Series facelift unveiled appeared first on BMWCoop | BMW Blog, BMW News, BMW Reviews.

It will be a short while before M Performance stuffs their fastest diesel powerplant into the stunning F13 BMW 6 Series so the Bavarians have a “momentary” solution.

Entitled the BMW 640d xDrive, it’s the first coming together of the diesel engine and the all wheel drive solution in a 6 Series.

We’re all familiar with the xDrive system and what it can do and the powerplant isn’t a stranger to us either since it’s the N57.

In one of its most famous tunes, the 640d xDrive gets 313 horsepower and 460 lb-ft of torque from the N57. That’s generally more than plenty but something should be mentioned.

Even though the N57 is one of the finest diesels out there, it compromises the sports car side of the BMW 6 Series. You can still push it around but you’ll get the feeling that cruising is what it wants to do best.

As it is, the 3.0 liter twin-turbocharged inline six cylinder diesel will combine itself with the xDrive system to get the F13 BMW 640d from 0 to 62 in just 5.2 seconds and it’ll gladly hit a top speed of 155 mph.

The performance is more than decent but the fuel economy is staggering for a big GT car. On the EU testing cycle, the new F13 BMW 640d xDrive can manage more than 41 mpg.

Carbon emissions are also low with less than 153 g of CO2 per km being emitted. A few extra details on the newest addition to the 6 Series family will be available at the Geneva Motor Show.

We expect some shots of the convertible 6er by then as well.

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Marcus M.

http://www.bmwcoop.com

The post F13 BMW 640d xDrive launched appeared first on BMWCoop | BMW Blog, BMW News, BMW Reviews.

The SAVs will sell like hot cakes, but the M Performance sub-brand will certainly shift plenty of the F10 5 Series versions as well, so let’s grab a closer look at it.

Under the new M Performance banner, the 5er is available in both sedan and estate shape and it gets the same captivating makeover.

All the bits and pieces underneath get whatever upgrades they need to keep up with the new high performance diesel engine BMW offers and the appearance is almost unaltered.

With the looks that’s a massive plus point, with the “bits” there’s a few concerns but only one change stands out.

Instead of the standard electric power steering systems, BMW M Performance chose to go with a hydraulic option that was derived from the system used by the M5.

That’s a pedigree right there. The engine is all new and it’s the same 3.0 liter tri-turbo diesel the X5 and X6 get and it develops the same 381 horsepower and 545 lb-ft of torque.

The same no lag promises are made and there’s some witchcraft fuel economy figures for the performance levels granted.

In sedan form the BMW M550d xDrive (which is what it’s called by the way) can go from 0 to 62 in just 4.7 seconds and will easily hit the electronic buffers at 155 mph.

Even if doing that, you’ll still be capable of managing 44.1 mpg (imperial). CO2 emissions aren’t exactly the best around but for a big saloon to manage 169 g/km of CO2 and be Euro 6 compliant we’re talking about quite the feat.

The first full frontal of the new BMW M550 xDrive and its larger relatives will be at this year’s Geneva Motor Show.

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Marcus M.

http://www.bmwcoop.com

The post BMW M Performance F10 5 Series presented appeared first on BMWCoop | BMW Blog, BMW News, BMW Reviews.

The recently promised BMW M sub-brand has arrived and it presents itself with the special half-performance SAV models to begin the showing off process with.

What we’re looking at here is typical branding and copyrighting prowess that gives hell to most average people trying to buy either of the BMW X5 or X6 SAV.

The new models are called the BMW X5 M50d and X6 M50d which sounds reasonably simple, until you find out the explanation of the abbreviations.

If we’re honest though, that’s just chit-chat, the real story here is just what BMW have delivered with these two new models.

Both the X5 and the X6 M50d models are powered by their newly introduced 3.0 liter inline-six common-rail tri-turbo diesel engine. That’s right, three turbochargers, anybody remember some sort of teaser?

That engine pushes out 381 horsepower and a meaty 545 pound feet of torque, all of which is available between 2000 and 3000 rpm. Diesel flexibility is a rare thing, particularly as you consider BMW tells us there’s no turbo lag to worry about.

The third turbocharger is the smallest one and is the star player here since it is powered electrically. Therefore it doesn’t require any revving of the engine to operate. The eight speed auto gearbox helps a lot as well.

With this mill under bonnet, the BMW X5 M50d can go from 0 to 62 in 5.4 seconds, hit an electronically limited top speed of 155 mph and still return an average fuel economy of 37.7 mpg (imperial).

The X6 M50d does that little bit better since it can complete the initial sprint in 5.3 seconds and reach the same top speed quicker. Where it falls behind a bit is with the fuel economy which drops to 36.7 mpg (imperial).

Emissions aren’t great as they stand at 199 and 204 g/km of CO2. Pricing for each of the models is yet to be announced but it should fall between top end diesel versions and the high end X5M and X6M models.

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Marcus M.

http://www.bmwcoop.com

The post BMW M Performance sub-brand shows off SAVs appeared first on BMWCoop | BMW Blog, BMW News, BMW Reviews.