BMW aficionados will be happy to hear that all those rumours about a diesel-powered M car are true. BMW is getting ready to launch a selection of oil-sipping M cars at the Geneva Motor Show in March.
There will be four diesel M cars, each one fitted with BMW’s 3,0-litre common-rail direct injection engine with three turbochargers. This engine has a maximum output of 280 kW and 740 N.m of torque. It is mated with an eight-speed sports automatic transmission that helps send drive to all four wheels.
The M550d xDrive saloon has a zero to 100 km/h time of a quick 4,7 seconds and a top speed of 250 km/h. Fuel consumption is a healthy 6,3-litres/100 km. The Touring version of this car is almost as quick with a sprint time of 4,9 seconds. In the case of the X5 M50d and the X6 M50d, acceleration numbers stand at 5,4- and 5,3 seconds respectively. Both have top speeds of 250 km/h, while the X5 has a consumption figure of 7,5-litres/100 km, and the X6 with 7,7/100 km.
South Africans can expect to see the BMW X5 M50d and X6 M50d from June 2012.