Thursday 24th November 2011

New tri-turbo BMW 550d to get 381hp, 516lb ft

Not so many horses, but plenty of twist for hottest diesel 5-series

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BMW's flagship diesel 5-series will get 381hp and a whopping 516lb ft of torque from its tri-turbo inline-6 cylinder diesel motor.

At least that's the rumour trickling out of a dealer presentation held in the Netherlands last week and onto Bimmerpost.

The new model is also reputedly set to be offered with all-wheel drive only (though this doesn't mean we won't get it in Blighty - the F10 5-series will get AWD as an option in the UK).

The big question, of course, is whether, as original rumours suggested, it will be an M Division-tweaked car, possibly badged M550dX. Time will tell. Because BMW isn't saying anything official yet...

[Dr Imran T]

Interesting, but is it really needed on an in-line engine?

Can't see this happening myself mind.

[0a]

What about when it's remapped?

[georgejoshington]

0a said:

What about when it's remapped?

[Rsohyes]

georgejoshington said:

0a said:

What about when it's remapped?

lol this made me choke on my biscuit

[nsmith1180]

Nice, I would love to be able to say I have a tri-turbo! Really though, the news here is that AWD is coming to the UK on the F10, not some fancy 6IL with two turbos. Till we see one running, Ill have to say I dont 100% believe it.

[neiljohnson]

3 turbos thats gonna be a hell of a complicated setup!!!!

[thinfourth2]

Dear Mr BMW

I have always liked your cars and i have owned a E36 318i and a E36 325tds.

It will be obvious to anyone reading that they were both a 3 series as designated by the 3

Also obvious that the first one had a 1.8l petrol engine as designated by the 18i and the second was a 2.5l turbo diesel engine as designated by the 25tds with the s designating it as the higher powered version of this engine

I notice that your latest car is called a 550d

So logically it must be a 5 series which it is. However following your naming tradition i would expect to find under the bonnet a 5 litre non turbo charged diesel. However it isn't you have in fact got under the bonnet a 3l diesel with more turbos strapped to it then a copy of max power.

This is a silly situation so could you please stop it

Might i suggest you call it a 538td with the 38 indicating 380bhp and the td indicating terminal death turbo diesel is under the bonnet.

It is sensible and logical and very german


Many thanks


Thinfourth


p.s. Congratulations on dropping the "ultimate driving machine" tagline as it is now blatantly bks

[jbi]

neiljohnson said:

3 turbos thats gonna be a hell of a complicated setup!!!!

and awd

and all the other modern diesel trinkets and gubbins

wouldn't touch it with a barge pole

[rossw46]

georgejoshington said:

[neiljohnson]

jbi said:

and awd

and all the other modern diesel trinkets and gubbins

wouldn't touch it with a barge pole

From experiance in the garage i work at it seems cars are more & more being built to last till the warranty runs out then fall to pieces

Bmw ar not the quality product they used to be just look up the hydraulic lifter problems with the straight 6 petrols for one

[loudlashadjuster]

jbi said:

and awd

and all the other modern diesel trinkets and gubbins

wouldn't touch it with a barge pole

It's not 1985 anymore....

[eightseventhree]

THis needs a 7 year unlimited mile warranty like some of the others give. . . for WHEN the turbos decide to eat themselves given the turbo issues i have seen about the 335i

[Dagnut]

"not so many horses"

381bhp from a 3 litre diesel...I'd say that's pretty immense! what are you comparing it with?

[mat205125]

neiljohnson said:

jbi said:

and awd

and all the other modern diesel trinkets and gubbins

wouldn't touch it with a barge pole

From experiance in the garage i work at it seems cars are more & more being built to last till the warranty runs out then fall to pieces

Bmw ar not the quality product they used to be just look up the hydraulic lifter problems with the straight 6 petrols for one

eightseventhree said:

THis needs a 7 year unlimited mile warranty like some of the others give. . . for WHEN the turbos decide to eat themselves given the turbo issues i have seen about the 335i

This car would be financial suicide to a private buyer trying to run it without a bulletproof warranty. Once its out of the main dealer system, 5 years old, 80k miles, and £12k it'll look quite a proposition ....... for the insane.

[StottyZr]

Dagnut said:

"not so many horses"

381bhp from a 3 litre diesel...I'd say that's pretty immense! what are you comparing it with?

As Thinforth mentioned the name is misleading. I expected a 5litre V10 under there.

Although, that must be by far the most hp/litre diesel engine ever made? Thats 127hp/ltr, the current record is 104/ltr and thats set by the BMW 740d. Before that, BMW again at 102/ltr...

[Motorrad]

I hope they make it fun to drive as well as powerful. The last 5er I drove (an F10 touring) was no more fun than an Insignia.

[y2blade]

neiljohnson said:

From experiance in the garage i work at it seems cars are more & more being built to last till the warranty runs out then fall to pieces

Bmw ar not the quality product they used to be just look up the hydraulic lifter problems with the straight 6 petrols for one

[Fittster]

mat205125 said:

This car would be financial suicide to a private buyer trying to run it without a bulletproof warranty.

How much faith would you place in a 3rd party warranty?

[oola]

thinfourth2 said:

Dear Mr BMW

I have always liked your cars and i have owned a E36 318i and a E36 325tds.

It will be obvious to anyone reading that they were both a 3 series as designated by the 3

Also obvious that the first one had a 1.8l petrol engine as designated by the 18i and the second was a 2.5l turbo diesel engine as designated by the 25tds with the s designating it as the higher powered version of this engine

I notice that your latest car is called a 550d

So logically it must be a 5 series which it is. However following your naming tradition i would expect to find under the bonnet a 5 litre non turbo charged diesel. However it isn't you have in fact got under the bonnet a 3l diesel with more turbos strapped to it then a copy of max power.

This is a silly situation so could you please stop it

Might i suggest you call it a 538td with the 38 indicating 380bhp and the td indicating terminal death turbo diesel is under the bonnet.

It is sensible and logical and very german


Many thanks


Thinfourth


p.s. Congratulations on dropping the "ultimate driving machine" tagline as it is now blatantly bks

I don't see what the issue is here as BMW have previously used model's which don't exactly denote the engine size ... 335i/d 535i/d were never 3.5 litre but merely 3 litre twin turbo. What about the 123d ... no its not a 2.3 l engine but a 2 l twin turbo.

Its not rocket science and this is 2011, not 1995.

A 5 litre non-turbo diesel ... dear god, I think that about sums your post up ...

[milu]

y2blade said:

'tis true i think.
Plastic parts galore!!