It’s the dawn of a new age at M. Or depending on how you look at it, a return to form (a la the M535i). Either way these new diesels touched by the magic of M look and sounds fantastic. Perhaps more importantly, the numbers look extraordinary; 381 hp and 546 lb-ft from a triple turbocharged inline six. Power is driven through an eight speed automatic gearbox and put down to the pavement via a revised xDrive system. The results as impressive as expected – 0-60 should fall somewhere in the mid four second range.
But all that aside, it’s the engine’s technology that has our mouths watering.
First came the rumor. Then came the official admission. Now comes the debut. Today BMW M takes the wraps off of its first products with diesel engines. No they aren’t M cars in the classic sense but they are a new breed of cars created by M to bridge the gap between full M products and “Series” cars.
However being that these first products are diesel, they will not be coming to the US. With diesel certification an extraordinarily pricey affair for the US market, projected sales don’t justify the investment. Forbidden fruit or not, the numbers look extraordinary; 381 hp and 546 lb-ft from a triple turbocharged inline six. Power is driven through an eight speed automatic gearbox and put down to the pavement via a revised xDrive system. The results as impressive as expected – 0-60 should fall somewhere in the mid four second range.
Numbers aside it’s the engine that has us most interested. This is BMW’s first application of a triple turbo set-up and one of the first in the automotive industry. The size, arrangement and interplay of the turbos are designed to guarantee maximum power across the power range. The system comprises two smaller and one larger turbo. According to the driving situation, the low moment of inertia of the small turbochargers is exploited to the full to deliver razor-sharp responses, while the link-up with the large turbo is maximised to generate as much charge pressure as possible.
You can read more via the official press release below and the full gallery after the break. And if you still can’t get enough you can download the entire full (and lengthy) press release after the break.
NAIAS has just begun in Detroit, the press is there in full force, yet we are excited to tell you about what we expect in Geneva. The first week of March along the shores of Lake Geneva is something car fans would normally refrain from doing as per the weather but when the world’s best auto manufacturers are to roll out some of their finest wears auto aficianados make the trip. Mind you nothing has been made official about what is going to be shown, but we thought we would air out the laundry a bit. This year’s Geneva show, we’ve heard from varying sources, is where BMW will show its next generation of diesel engines in addition to the Gran Coupe, the M6 drop top, the X6 (X6 M as well) and 7 Series refreshes, the BMW Performance 3 Series Studie as well as a surprise guest (we are thinking X4 or MINI Space Box in prototype form).
BMW M has been teasing its monster X6 diesel (not destined in any form for US consumption) for the past several months as we’ve reported on and it is the biggest round in the BMW Group diesel arsenal but the oil burners aren’t stopping there. It makes perfect sense from a marketing perspective to have the pinnacle of BMW diesels to debut in a refreshed product and to be the halo of a new diesel family being debuted.Sources point that BMW will show several diesel powered models in Geneva with new engines.
That is fine and all but what is most interesting to us is that our source states that some of these new engines will be available stateside with tweaks for US emissions.
With 2012 BMW is making a variety of changes across the line-up. Here’s a full rundown of every change on every model.
All Vehicles
BMW Apps is available as a stand-alone option on all models for $250. With this addition, the Smartphone Integration will be removed as a stand-alone option and now included in BMW Apps.
You can see the entire line-up in detail after the break.
It may come as no surprise that BMW is looking to expand diesel offerings in the US. Diesel power is a practical and efficient way of achieving both better emissions and higher fuel economy. We had reported for sometime that the X1 would usher the four-cylinder era once again on US soil, in both petrol and diesel forms (some of the engine displays at NYIAS even had X1 on them but of course the 4 cylinder launched in the Z4 as the X1 was delayed). With the X1 placed in an indefinite holding pattern (more on that shortly) for its landing stateside focus has moved to injecting some diesel grunt into the X3.
With this release BMW Performance moves into the M Division’s territory with a M3 exhaust option. We’ll have more on this (and a few other surprises) in the coming weeks and month. Until then you can read about the new offerings below.
Official Release: Parallel to the current model initiative, the range of Original BMW Accessories offers a multitude of new possibilities to enhance the pleasure of driving a BMW to suit one’s personal needs. The choice of products presented at the 2011 Geneva International Motor Show focuses predominantly on newly developed retrofit components, which contribute towards an even more dynamic driving experience. For example, the components currently included in the BMW Performance product line are now available for the new BMW 1 Series Coupe and the new BMW 1 Series Convertible on show to the general public in Geneva for the first time. For both models the range of Original BMW Accessories also includes sport stripes for the bonnet and the rear, as well as for the roof of the BMW 1 Series Coupe. The decorative element comprising two parallel-running stripes of different width is available in either white or black.
One of the ways that defines quality, performance and brand equity is how much someone will pay for your BMW second hand. And there is no higher award (in the US) than the Kelly Blue Book Resale Awards. BMW for years has placed high in the ranking and 2011 is no exception with the X5 and X6 once again proving their worth (quite literally).
Official Release: The BMW brand has won Best Resale Value Luxury Brand for the 2011 model year by Kelley Blue Book’s KBB.com. In addition, the BMW X5 and BMW X6 Sports Activity Vehicles each won places on the KBB.com 2011 model year list of Top 10 Models for Best Resale Value, and the X5 xDrive35d Advanced Diesel was chosen as Best Resale Value for Hybrid / Alternative Energy Utility Vehicle. Not stopping there, the BMW X5 also won the 2011 Best Resale Value award in the Luxury Utility Vehicle category.
Let me begin by stating that I come from the lighter is better ethos relative to automotive engineering. Weight is the enemy of performance and sometimes even safety. And I can think of few means other than regulatory involvement to act to reduce the arms race of “safety” foisted upon us by the automotive buying public with increasing efficiency demands necessitating lighter and more advanced structures. With ever increasing vehicle mass a product of grecian column A-pillars, Abrams tank like passenger safety cells and air bags festooned in every conceivable location, driving a modern car is more akin to piloting the Titanic than a Zodiac. With this in mind I will try to relate my most recent experience with the 2011 BMW X5 xDrive35i Premium.
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We believe in the old school BMW ownership experience. We believe in garage nights with a six pack and some friends. We believe in 2002s, in E30 M3s and E34 540s with the 6 speed. We believe in progress in both design and engineering but we haven't lost sight of what made the brand and its products great all those years ago. And yes, we believe in the manual transmission.
We long for the days of the wave and for the days of roll-up windows. Yet we love the gadgets on the inside and the xenons on the outside.
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Sections: //M\\ Diesels, E70 X5, E71 X6, F10 5 Series, F11 5 Series Wagon, Video Jan 26th, 2012 6 Comments 
