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Remember BMW's insane triple-turbocharged inline-six, which it reserved for the M Performance versions of its European-market X5, X6, and 5-series? Of course you do! How could you forget 381 horsepower and 546 lb-ft of torque, squeezed from just three liters of displacement? Good news, dashing diesel fans, the engine is back; this time under the hood of the M50d version of the redesigned-for-2014 X5. The bad news is that, like the last-generation X5 M50d, this one also will stay in Europe. Still, we have to wait a little while to see the new, full-bore gas-fed X5 M—which we will again get in the U.S.—so consider the X5 M50d the M model's forbidden-fruit foreplay. The all-wheel-drive crossover wears the same updated styling and interior as other 2014 X5s, but is set apart by a standard Adaptive M suspension with Dynamic Damper Control and 19-inch M light-aluminum wheels. Despite no apparent changes to the tri-turbo inline-six's output or the eight-speed automatic transmission, the new M50d is claimed to be quicker to 62 mph (now dispatched in 5.3 seconds—a tenth quicker than its predecessor) and 10 percent more fuel-efficient. On the hugely optimistic European cycle, the X5 M50d apparently can deliver 42 mpg.
Visually, the M50d again wears an X5 M–like body-color front fascia with gaping intakes, as well as subtle fender flares and even vertical front fender vents. It looks mean, and we desperately want one. Or even better: BMW should pair the 3-series wagon with this engine and forget the next-gen M3 altogether. Or just do both? Regardless, feast your eyes on the über-compression-ignition X5 in the photo gallery below, and expect this same tri-turbo engine to make its way to the next-gen X6 and refreshed 5-series M Performance vehicles soon.
from Car and Driver Blog http://blog.caranddriver.com | |||
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Friday, August 30, 2013
2014 BMW X5 M50d Diesel: Same Burly Tri-Turbo Engine, New X5 Body, Still Not for America
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