Friday 27th January 2012

PH Blog: those BMW M diesels

So, no 'diesel M5' for us but do performance diesels actually make sense? Harris ponders...

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First came the inevitable internet leaks of model codes, then some astute Swabian in a distribution warehouse made a few Euros with some iPhone shots of brochures. Then came the speculation - fuelled by impish dinner-time chat between BMW engineers and journalists on product launches late last year. "Ja, we have a tri-turbo diesel motor: it's going to be amazing!"

Just not in the UK.

Okay, this mighty powertrain will arrive here in the X6, but I struggle to consider that a motor car at the best of times, even more so when the prospect of the rather attractive new F10 5 Series with a 545lb ft diesel motor has just been announced and, hours later, denied. Four-wheel drive or two-wheel drive, there will be no M550d or xDrive for the UK. Occasionally we are denied truly desirable motor cars because of our RHD needs. I still yearn for a LHD E38 740d. It doesn't happen very often, but this is surely the biggest kick in the goolies for many, many years. As a touring with 4WD it might just have been my ideal car.

Move along, nothing to see here

Or would it? Two years ago I ran a 535d Sport Touring for a while. It was five years old, pretty ratty and it went like the clappers. It also never returned more than 30mpg at a cruise. Heaven help me I tried - coaxing it around like Silas Marner's minicab-driving brother - but it just wouldn't deliver. And if I actually used the performance available, which was hard to avoid with some crazy twist forces present the moment the crank turned, it fell into the mid 20s - sometimes lower if I was 'making time'.

Now I really, really enjoyed living with that car, but one day it occurred to me that in becoming a genuine slugger, the diesel powertrain had rather skewed away from the basis of its own existence: fuel efficiency. In the 535d I wasn't actually enjoying any great advantage in fuel economy over a similarly driven 530i - instead I was enjoying a different type of performance delivery. One I hasten to add I really enjoyed and found perfectly suited to squirting past slower traffic.

These new tri-turbo BMWs are good news because they prove that the company remains determined to deliver something more than the competition and, it has to be said, more than is strictly necessary. Mercedes has no answer for these monster diesels, and the 309hp/479lb ft Audi bi-turbo V6 suddenly looks a bit weedy.

I can't wait to get a go in an M550d in Europe, drive it fast back-to-back in the company of an M5 or an E63 and uncover the real-world differences in mpg. These new turbocharged petrol engines with stop/start hardware are so efficient compared to their predecessors, I'm not sure the difference will be that great. BMW claims 37.7mpg on the combined cycle. You have to wonder if anyone besides Miss Daisy's valet will ever see such a figure.

Truthfully, I am gutted we will miss out on the potential splendour of the M550d. We Brits will just have to make do with the F10 535d - an excellent motorcar which, I've recently learned, can always be 'mapped' for greater things. (Ducks for cover)

Chris

 

 

[DanS]

I'm only annoyed its not turning up because it will make the queue for an alpina D5 much longer...

[dave stew]

I too am gutted that we miss out on the 4wd 5 series (I like the traction advantage but don't want to drive some three ton jacked up tank). The performance diesel thing isn't really about fuel economy though, is it? It's raisin d'être is to reduce the overall CO2 rating of a manufacturer's product range (and save company car owners tax). Or am I missing something else?

[StottyZr]

Sorry if I'm being dense, but where did 37.7mpg come from and what car is it referring to?

[varsas]

StottyZr said:

Sorry if I'm being dense, but where did 37.7mpg come from and what car is it referring to?

37.7mpg was the claimed combined figure for the X5, as reported in the PH article announcing the cars, 44.7mpg was quoted for the m550d saloon. Either this article isn't clear (referring to the 5 series all along and then suddenly putting in numbers for the X5), the previous PH article was wrong or Chris made a mistake copying the figures.

Edited by varsas on Friday 27th January 10:29

[StottyZr]

varsas said:

StottyZr said:

Sorry if I'm being dense, but where did 37.7mpg come from and what car is it referring to?

37.7 was claimed for the X5, 44.7 for the m550d saloon. Either this article isn't clear (referring to the 5 series all along and then suddenly putting in numbers for the X5), the previous PH article was wrong or Chris made a mistake copying the figures.

Oh. I didn't think the x5 was mentioned in the article!

My thoughts, I'm annoyed they aren't bringing the m550d to the UK, but in all honesty I wouldn't have bought it anyway. I hope BMW start putting their bigger engines in smaller cars. A 3 series, 4wd with the 381hp engine and they would have my money (well, the auction house I bought it from as it hit 3yrs would )

[0a]

Out of interest I wonder what the actual consumption will be vs the actual consumption of the M5 (combined 28.5mpg), I suspect in the grand scheme of things it won't save very much money here at all.

Being able to run a sub 5 second to 60 car on 165g of CO2 is impressive and give big tax savings, it's a shame it's not coming here (I like the observation that the X6 isn't really a car!).

[Aeroresh]

As a former 535d owner (mapped of course) I can relate to this. Brilliant stealthy progress (especially with the misses onboard ) but the economy left something to be desired.

I now have a Brabus equipped Mercedes E350 cdi cab which whilst churning out 313hp and monster torque still seems to deliver 40mpg without trying too hard, so it would appear that Mercedes have closed the gap.

Well done to BMW for moving the goal posts again though, it's just a real shame that we wont get it over here

[varsas]

StottyZr said:

varsas said:

StottyZr said:

Sorry if I'm being dense, but where did 37.7mpg come from and what car is it referring to?

37.7 was claimed for the X5, 44.7 for the m550d saloon. Either this article isn't clear (referring to the 5 series all along and then suddenly putting in numbers for the X5), the previous PH article was wrong or Chris made a mistake copying the figures.

Oh. I didn't think the x5 was mentioned in the article!

Well, it's not (as far as I can see this is about the 5 series saloon/touring only) which is why it would be confusing if that's what Chris was referring to however sometimes you write things which make perfect sense to you but others don't get...maybe he meant 'and all these tri-turbo cars return at least 37.7mpg'. Don't know. I've had stuff like that, where I write something that's correct and it gets sub-edited into something shorter, but less precise. We'll give Chris the benefit of the doubt for now!

[StottyZr]

varsas said:

Don't know. I've had stuff like that, where I write something that's correct and it gets sub-edited into something shorter, but less precise. We'll give Chris the benefit of the doubt for now!

Granted. I didn't mean to sound like I was having a go

[Stuart]

The only upside to all of this news (and it is a very slight sliver of silver lining) is the prospect of the future nods of knowing respect from UK enthusiasts when I turn up in what must surely be destined to become a performance derv icon: a ratty LHD 550d Wagon. That's 10 years hence though. In the meantime, bah.

[Rawwr]

Stuart said:

That's 10 years hence though...

...when it'll be on its 10th, 11th and 12th turbos.

[MacG]

I hope Chris's intel is wrong and that this engine will be available in the 5 series in the UK (whether 2WD or 4WD). If not, it is a huge slap in the face for the UK market. I have drifted away from BMW's in recent years but this engine would have been reason enough to get a 5 series. Otherwise I will stick with Audi and the twin turbo V6 diesel (in an A6) will have to suffice.

[chandrew]

The interesting comparison will be the D5, a car which has been getting decent reviews in Germany. I expect the Alpina to be a more enjoyable drive as I much prefer their take on suspension to BMWs but here in Switzerland the Awd will be a big plus. I hope alpina do a awd D5 like they do with the B3.

[vjj]

Both Merc and BMW are shooting themselves in their respective feet by refusing to offer their 4-matic and x-drive systems on these RHD exec saloons and estates. You can buy all of the usual suspects(E350,535d,etc) in both europe and north america with 4-wheel drive, so why not here?

Audi took the decision a long time ago to offer the quattro system in RHD and has had the premium market in this country pretty much all to itself since - just look at how many A4/A6 3.0TDi Quattro Avants you see.The demand is here,so claiming that there wouldn't be enough sales volume to warrant engineering the drivelines for RHD just doesn't hold water.

Even Jag has realised it's missing out, particularly in North America, and is developing a suitably-driven XF for this purpose.

I have just been onto the french BMW website and you can get a 535d x-drive estate - what a fantastic all-rounder?

Same with Merc and the E350 Cdi 4-matic, which I would certainly buy.

If these cars were available here you would see a lot less Q7's, X5's and the like on our roads.

[The Pits]

reeeeeaaaallly struggling to see the point of diesel that doesn't return decent mpg. Especially with the scandalous tax the government puts on diesel nowadays. it's totally absurd that diesel costs more than petrol at the pumps.

does anyone actually prefer diesel engines to petrol ones?

[mike325112]

vjj said:

If these cars were available here you would see a lot less Q7's, X5's and the like on our roads.

There would have been one less X3 on the road here....

[0a]

The Pits said:

reeeeeaaaallly struggling to see the point of diesel that doesn't return decent mpg. Especially with the scandalous tax the government puts on diesel nowadays. it's totally absurd that diesel costs more than petrol at the pumps.

does anyone actually prefer diesel engines to petrol ones?

CO2 I think - 165g for coming on 400bhp and 4. something 0-60's not bad, it's our mad tax system!

[moskvich427]

Happily, I live in Germany near the Avus.

I feel a test-drive coming on very soon...

[YAHOO]

So remind me , why would anyone in there right mind want to buy a performance car with a Diesel .
Your proud to advertise to everyone that your tight , a non lover of real cars
and don't like driving much .Thats a bit odd really
Or maybe they just like leaving us fellow petrol lovers in a massive cloud of smoke at the roundabout when they pull off
( even when they say my Diesel dosent smoke )
Trust me even the newest Merc/BM are all smokers

Maybe im wrong but Diesel is the Devil lol

[varsas]

YAHOO said:

So remind me , why would anyone in there right mind want to buy a performance car with a Diesel .
Your proud to advertise to everyone that your tight , a non lover of real cars
and don't like driving much .Thats a bit odd really
Or maybe they just like leaving us fellow petrol lovers in a massive cloud of smoke at the roundabout when they pull off
( even when they say my Diesel dosent smoke )
Trust me even the newest Merc/BM are all smokers

Maybe im wrong but Diesel is the Devil lol

As has been suggested, it's partly down to our tax system. The fact is someone will (would!) actually pay less for a 550d then they will for a 530i, despite the 550d being faster.

Why is the fuel it uses so important? Surely it's the performance of the engine that counts, it could run on big swill for all I care as long as it performs the way I want it to. Fair enough if you've driven one and didn't like it. If it's just the diesel smoke that puts you off then that's also fair enough, but a mate had a 330d recently and I didn't notice any from inside the car.