Tuesday 9th August 2011

Is A Diesel M Car On The Way?

BMW 'M550dX' model name spotted. But what does it mean?

---

M car? Diesel? Intriguing...

As if certain BMW M Division fans weren't struggling enough at the prospect of a whole range turbocharged M cars, here's another nugget that's going to cause a bit of controversy: it looks as though diesel power could be heading for M cars.

Well, sort of. A document purporting to be a supplier label for brake pads has hit the internet, and appears to list something called an M550dX (in saloon and estate form) among a whole ream of other BMW model nomenclatures.

Now, as far as we're aware, '50d' refers to the new 3.0-litre tri-turbo (yes, you read that right) straight-six diesel that is already certain to be heading for the X6 and BMW 7-series next year and which is expected to be unveiled officially at the Frankfurt show this September.

This unit could produce up to 395bhp (and no doubt a shedload of torque), so perhaps it's only fair that, should it find its way into a 5-series, it would get some M Division recognition. Judging by the badging, this is not going to be a full-house 'M' model, but it does look to us as though it will be a bit more than just an M Sport package.

That little 'x' also intrigues us - because that means four-wheel drive...

So the first diesel M car, then? Well, probably not quite - but the oil-burning M certainly looks to be a step closer.

[thewheelman]

It was only a matter of time, surprised it's taken this long to be honest.

[E21_Ross]

if i typed in a list of numbers and letters and sent it in would i make the news?

probably means M sport or something.....i hope. can't imagine a diesel M car to be honest. but then i couldn't imagine a diesel porsche but they went ahead and did it anyway. i'd be very, very surprised if this ever happened. can't imagine M cars ever being diesel.

[Riggers]

E21_Ross said:

if i typed in a list of numbers and letters and sent it in would i make the news?

probably means M sport or something.....i hope. can't imagine a diesel M car to be honest. but then i couldn't imagine a diesel porsche but they went ahead and did it anyway. i'd be very, very surprised if this ever happened. can't imagine M cars ever being diesel.

Depends how quiet a news day it is...

[Escort Si-130]

BMW should be shot

[Aizle]

It seems to be listed for the F10 and F11 (I assume this is the estate?).

Goodbye petrol M car

[SD1992]

That sounds like it is going to be quite a car, I wonder how much torque that thing will make!

Maybe the 335d mapped will become defunct...

A diesel M car? I am not sure, I would imagine it will be a halfway house between an M Sport and an M5.

[E21_Ross]

Riggers said:

E21_Ross said:

if i typed in a list of numbers and letters and sent it in would i make the news?

probably means M sport or something.....i hope. can't imagine a diesel M car to be honest. but then i couldn't imagine a diesel porsche but they went ahead and did it anyway. i'd be very, very surprised if this ever happened. can't imagine M cars ever being diesel.

Depends how quiet a news day it is...

[FamilyDub]

Surprised it's taken this long, but would this be received in the same way as the X5 M & X6 M?

i.e. badly?

[scubadude]

Escort Si-130 said:

BMW should be shot

Are you tired from being out rioting all night or something? What a stupid statement!

BMW can make whatever they like, its their company :-)

A 400bhp, 4 wheel drive diesel 5-series estate sounds like a total hoot to me (if you combine all the rumors from the story together)
Would no doubt go like poop off a buttered shovel, while being roomy, economical and corner like it was on rails fi BMW's back catalouge is anything to go by.

Edited by scubadude on Tuesday 9th August 11:43

[E30M3SE]

E21_Ross said:

probably means M sport or something.....

When has a ///M car ever been called a Mxxxxx..................

[y2blade]

I hope so

[FourWheelDrift]

Probably an M in the same way the old M535i and M635Csi were tagged.

[Jakg]

Some people would love an M5 as a daily driver, but do 20+k a year so just can't justify a 25 MPG car.

Imagine all the focus on handling & performance in a car that could do 40+ MPG, or have 800+ miles range - that would be the ultimate daily driver (for me, at least).

[SD1992]

Jakg said:

Some people would love an M5 as a daily driver, but do 20+k a year so just can't justify a 25 MPG car.

Imagine all the focus on handling & performance in a car that could do 40+ MPG, or have 800+ miles range - that would be the ultimate daily driver (for me, at least).

This, basically. It makes perfect sense!

Has a tri turbo diesel been done before? What would the long term reliability be like? I.e. would there be spates of DPF and injector problems?

[Dracoro]

Jakg said:

Some people would love an M5 as a daily driver, but do 20+k a year so just can't justify a 25 MPG car.

Imagine all the focus on handling & performance in a car that could do 40+ MPG, or have 800+ miles range - that would be the ultimate daily driver (for me, at least).

Do you *really* think this will do 40mpg. I would say it will struggle to get over 30mpg, probably closer to the 25mpg you mentioned. The M5 will struggle to get late teens driven the same way.

Don't get me wrong, I'm sure it will be a decent car and certainly more economical than an M5 but it won't get 40mpg all day long. To drive in a way that gets good mpg, you'd not be using much of that 395bhp (in which case, just get a 530d and get another 10 mpg. Use the 395bhp as it is intended and you'll never get 40mpg.

Edited by Dracoro on Tuesday 9th August 11:55

[Riggers]

E30M3SE said:

E21_Ross said:

probably means M sport or something.....

When has a ///M car ever been called a Mxxxxx..................

Like I said in the article, it probably won't be a full-house M car, but BMW don't normally specify M Sport in that way. 550d M Sport, yes. M550d? Not seen anything like that since M635CSi...

[thewheelman]

Escort Si-130 said:

BMW should be shot

Why? It'd sell well, if you don't like it, don't buy one.

[SD1992]

Dracoro said:

Do you *really* think this will do 40mpg. I would say it will struggle to get over 30mpg, probably closer to the 25mpg you mentioned. The M5 will struggle to get late teens driven the same way.

Don't get me wrong, I'm sure it will be a decent car and certainly more economical than an M5 but it won't get 40mpg all day long.

Surely it would get pretty good figures sitting at 70 on the motorway? I would imagine it would be at tickover at that speed. Doesn't seem unrealistic to me, buy obviously when the lead foot comes out the figures will plummet.

[66comanche]

SD1992 said:

Has a tri turbo diesel been done before? What would the long term reliability be like? I.e. would there be spates of DPF and injector problems?

If the PH clichés are indeed fact, it will pop a turbo/DPF/swirl flap/injector every 50 yards. Surprising that diesel cars are fairly popular really, given how unreliable and costly they supposedly are...

[Zod]

Aizle said:

It seems to be listed for the F10 and F11 (I assume this is the estate?).

Goodbye petrol M car

The petrol M car comes out this autumn.