RE: BMW diesel M cars: It's official
Monday 16th January 2012
So, the mystery of BMW's planned expansion of its M division has finally been revealed. And it's, er, exactly as we expected: diesel M cars.
The first car in the line-up is expected to be the M550d xDrive, followed by an X6 M50d SUV. Both cars will feature four-wheel drive and BMW's new 381hp, 546lb ft tri-turbo diesel motor. In the 5-series, that engine will also deliver a combined fuel consumption figure of 44.8mpg
BMW diesel M cars: It's official
New 'M Performance Automobiles' sub-brand to be launched at Geneva
The new venture, of which there has been much teasing and rumour over the past few months, is to be called BMW Performance Automobiles, and its first fruit will be unveiled at the Geneva show in March.
So what's the logic behind Diesel-powered products from M Performance Automobiles? M Division boss Dr Friedrich Nitschke explains: "We are targeting our efforts at customers looking for more emotionality and more performance, but who don't want to forgo the everyday usability of their cars."
Discussion
mattyc69 said:
TBH I think this is a good idea but a lot of people will say they are killing the M brand but they are not! They are not sticking a derv lump in the M5!
Yeah the M petrol snobs wont like it one bit but hey with a 300+ bhp engine spec like that who cares this car will be just as quick with soooo much more torque and will hold its value well too. I know what I am going to start saving up for thx BMWEdited by fishman on Monday 16th January 11:31
Sad day for purists.
It's not like the 535D was a bad car. It already had M Sport stying, suspension, wheels, interior.
I look forward to a track race between an M5 and an "M" 550D
Although it could spank the derv 100 times and the diesel fans will stay prattle on about torque as if they understand it.
It's not like the 535D was a bad car. It already had M Sport stying, suspension, wheels, interior.
I look forward to a track race between an M5 and an "M" 550D
Although it could spank the derv 100 times and the diesel fans will stay prattle on about torque as if they understand it.
Rawwr said:
Performance aside, I always figured a thumping great petrol engine was an intrinsic part of being a proper, fully-fledged M-car.
M-Cars usually sound epic too. It's been somewhat blunted with the F10's turbo charged engine. It'll sound like a JCB in diesel form.Yeeeehaaaaw, look at me, I have 546lbs of torque.....
Over about 3 revs. Not 3k. Just 3.
I am in two minds about this.
I don't actually have a problem with performance diesels and I do not have a problem with the M division working with them either.
But it all seems a bit dated, a bit late to me. It is very, well, 2005....
I thought diesels are , in the long term, set to gradually decline in favour of more modern tech.
I would be more excited to see the M division looking to bring more modern electric, hybrid tech to the performance car market personally.
I don't actually have a problem with performance diesels and I do not have a problem with the M division working with them either.
But it all seems a bit dated, a bit late to me. It is very, well, 2005....
I thought diesels are , in the long term, set to gradually decline in favour of more modern tech.
I would be more excited to see the M division looking to bring more modern electric, hybrid tech to the performance car market personally.
fishman said:
mattyc69 said:
TBH I think this is a good idea but a lot of people will say they are killing the M brand but they are not! They are not sticking a derv lump in the M5!
Yeah the M snobs wont like it one bit but hey with a engine spec like that who cares this car will be just as quick with soooo much more torque and will hold its value well too. I know what I am going to start saving up for thx BMWI wonder whether it'll be an m5 with a derv lump, or more closer to the 5 series. The m5 is obviously rather different from the normal 5.
I give it a few months until a diesel AMG comes along.
Papa Hotel said:
What's the difference between this and sticking optional M bits on a 318d?
I'm not being facetious, I'm just not a BMW nerd.
Well, if it's an actual m car (like the m5) the car is not a 5 series with a big engine. Suspension, brakes, steering, interior bits etc all different. I'm not being facetious, I'm just not a BMW nerd.
Hence an m3 feels a world away from a 335i.
fishman said:
Yeah the M snobs wont like it one bit but hey with a engine spec like that who cares this car will be just as quick with soooo much more torque and will hold its value well too. I know what I am going to start saving up for thx BMW
It won't be even close to the petrol M5s performance... Not by a long way.Saying that, if they drop the same engine into a 4wd 3 series... I would be tempted.
PHMatt said:
Sad day for purists.
It's not like the 535D was a bad car. It already had M Sport stying, suspension, wheels, interior.
I look forward to a track race between an M5 and an "M" 550D
Although it could spank the derv 100 times and the diesel fans will stay prattle on about torque as if they understand it.
Purists?It's not like the 535D was a bad car. It already had M Sport stying, suspension, wheels, interior.
I look forward to a track race between an M5 and an "M" 550D
Although it could spank the derv 100 times and the diesel fans will stay prattle on about torque as if they understand it.
A high performance diesel is destroying the whole ethos of the ultimate driving machine but Electric leather armchairs arn't
On one hand it does seem a bit of a shame because the M cars have become synonymous with cutting-edge petrol engines but OTOH, it is true to say that diesel-engined cars are now used in motorsport and this is likely to escalate (BMW included?), so it's not entirely a victory of marketing over engineering or completely unexpected.
Still prefer petrol engines myself, though.
Still prefer petrol engines myself, though.
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