BMW to Debut Diesel 328d, Estimates 40-Plus-mpg [2013 New York Auto Show]

This BMW 335i soon will have an oil-burning little brother in the 328d. The breadth of BMW's U.S.-market 3-series lineup continues to grow—the newest coupe and high-performance variants still have yet to arrive—and the automaker has announced the latest addition the 3er family: a diesel model. BMW is calling the new diesel 3-series the 328d, and it joins the new de-powered, low-cost, gas-powered 320i; the 3-series Sports Wagon; the ActiveHybrid 3; and the standard 328i and 335i models based on BMW's latest F30 architecture. The oil-burning sports sedan will debut at the 2013 New York auto show. A diesel 3er coming to the U.S. is hardly a surprise—the company previously announced it was bringing a 2.0-liter diesel four-cylinder engine here, and it wasn't much of a stretch to assume it would end up under the hood of the 3-series. The 328d will arrive with 180 horsepower and 280 lb-ft of torque, which should make it reasonably quick, if not as speedy as the turbocharged, four-cylinder 328i. (The 328i packs 60 more ponies but 25 fewer lb-ft of torque, and we've spurred it to 60 mph in as little as 5.6 seconds in our testing.) For sure, the new 328d won't be the rocket that the 335d—the last-generation diesel-powered 3-series sold in the U.S.—was; that car packed a 265-hp inline-six that, while returning decent fuel economy, seemed geared more toward the fun-to-drive end of the spectrum. Comparison Test: 2012 BMW 328i vs. Audi A4, Infiniti G25, Mercedes-Benz C250, Volvo S60 Instrumented Test: 2012 BMW 335i Sedan First Drive: 2013 BMW ActiveHybrid 3 The 328d, on the other hand, will be a more efficiency-oriented piece, if BMW's estimates are anything to go by. The company hasn't offered specifics yet, but claims the 328d will see fuel economy that "could well exceed 40 mpg." We'll have to wait for final EPA figures to become available, but given diesels' efficiency and the fact that the regular 328i is rated for up to 34-mpg highway, BMW's claim seems plausible. from Car and Driver Blog http://blog.caranddriver.com

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