BMW 3-Series & X5 Diesel Arriving This Fall

Some time ago, BMW made an official announcement that it would be putting its best foot forward to sell diesel-powered vehicles here in North America. Now, with the North American International Auto Show in Detroit just around the corner, it is now confirming the when, the how and the where parts of this announcement, answering many questions.

The first BMWs to receive diesel power here in North America will be the 3-Series with the 335d and the X5 with the X5 XDrive35d. Both will receive the German automaker’s critically acclaimed 3.0-liter inline-six cylinder twin-turbocharged diesel engine with common rail injection, variable geometry turbochargers and piezo-injectors for maximum efficiency, performance and refinement. BMW has chosen a twin-turbo diesel design for the same reason it’s chosen twin-turbos with its gasoline-powered engines, to cut lag and improve performance. A small turbo brings the engine up to speed quickly via low-pressure, with a larger, more powerful turbo taking over at higher engine speeds. BMW’s diesel engines will be branded BMW Advance Diesel with BluePerformance.

BluePerformance is BMW’s solution to the problem that has plagued many automakers attempting to introduce diesel engines here in North America - strict emissions laws. Much like Mercedes-Benz, VW and Audi, the BMW diesel engines will make use of AdBlue. In the case of the 3.0-liter I-6, it’ll have both the SCR catalyst and the urea injection. This in turn allows the 335d and X5 XDrive35d to be certified for sale in all 50 states and every Canadian province and territory.

As for the engine itself, the 3.0-liter I-6 diesel makes a truly impressive 265 horsepower and 425 lb-ft of torque, a horsepower figure that’s just as motivating as the brand’s 3.0-liter non-turbo I-6 in the X3, X5 and Z4, but the diesel has that massive torque advantage. No, it’s not quite as much as the European-specification 3.0-liter twin-turbo I-6, which makes 282 horsepower and 428 lb-ft of torque, although the European-spec motors do not feature the same emissions controls as ours do here.

With 425 lb-ft of torque at its disposal, the 335d will set the bar in terms of diesel performance. It will be able to accelerate to 60 mph in just 6.2 seconds while returning an impressive 23 mpg city and 33 mpg highway. The X5 with the same engine clearly won’t be as quick as the 3-Series, but will still manage to accelerate to 60 mph in 7.2 seconds and return 19 mpg city and 25 mpg on the highway. This compares favorably to Mercedes-Benz’s ML320 CDI, which offers less power and torque, a 0-60 mph time of 8.0 seconds, and 18 mpg city and 24 mpg highway.

BMW will be launching both the 335d and the X5 XDrive35d across our continent this fall. The only stone left unturned is pricing, which will be filled in closer to launch.