BMW first introduced the North American market to diesels way back in 1983, with the introduction of its 524td. Under the hood of the E28 5 Series was the automaker's M21 turbocharged diesel, a 2.4-liter inline-six rated at 115 horsepower and 155 pound-feet of torque. It was mated to a standard four-speed automatic transmission. At the time, BMW claimed it was the world's fastest production diesel-powered car, but its numbers (0-60 in about 12 seconds and a maximum speed of 112 mph) look rather pathetic today. It was sold for just one model year.
In a renewed effort to convince buyers that diesel was a sporty alternative to gasoline, BMW reintroduced a potent diesel powerplant to the States in 2009. It was the automaker's M57 twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six rated at 265 horsepower and 425 pound-feet of torque. Mounted in the nose of the E90 3 Series sedan and mated to a six-speed automatic, the 335d helped the automaker redefine oil-burning performance (0-60 in 5.3 seconds with a top speed governed to 130 mph) here in America. The X5 35d crossover, fitted with the same engine and strong performance (0-60 in 6.9 seconds), soon followed.
But BMW doesn't really need to prove diesel's performance anymore, as fuel economy sells. With that comes the announcement of two fresh, and more efficient, oil-burning powerplants. A new turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder will likely be rated at 180 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque, while a new turbocharged 3.0-liter six-cylinder is expected to make 255 horsepower and undisclosed torque. According to our sources, the 2.0-liter (similar to the one pictured above) will find its home in the 3 Series and X1, while the new 3.0-liter will replace the M57 under the hood of the X3 and X5 (with eight-speed gearboxes). Expect the engines to spread across the BMW lineup if well received.
Pair of diesels headed for BMW U.S. dealers originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 13 Jul 2012 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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