Merrickville, Ontario - Can you imagine an SUV weighing over two tons that can sprint from 0 to 100 km/h in less than 8 seconds while burning about 9 liters of fuel per 100 kilometers? No, I'm not talking about gas-electric spinoffs like the Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid or Chrysler Aspen Hybrid. This vehicle uses a different powertrain altogether: a modern twin-turbo diesel. It sports the blue-and-white roundel of BMW and is called X5!
Well, to be more accurate, the name is X5 xDrive35d, and the German automaker endowed this freshly-introduced model with the same 3.0-liter turbodiesel engine that powers the 335d, a new sedan from the brand's 3-Series. The mission, however, is not the same for both.
In the case of the 3-Series, this turbocharged mill transforms the 335d into a little hot rod capable of delivering electrifying takeoffs and accelerations. On top of that, owners of this premium compact sedan enjoy very reasonable fuel economy.
In the case of the X5, though, the turbodiesel powerplant adds to the vehicle's utility and capability, making it an interesting choice for drivers who need to tow a trailer. Producing no less than 425 pounds-feet of torque at only 1,750 rpm, it will likely work wonders. That's twice the amount of torque generated by the regular 6-cylinder of the X5 xDrive30i!
Hope for success
Presenting the vehicle to members of the Canadian auto press in Northeast Ontario, BMW Canada executives did not want to say how many units they expect to sell -- same thing for the 335d, actually. The strong demand for this type of engine in Europe is limiting supplies for the North American market while American consumers continue to entertain doubts about diesel. These are probably the reasons why the company is unwilling to disclose sales forecasts.
Tom Baloga, Vice President of Engineering at BMW North America, also pointed out the abnormally high prices for diesel fuel in the U.S. According to him, while diesel-powered cars represent 70 percent of all vehicle sales in Europe, they would only meet 15 percent of the demand in North America two or three years from now.
However, even though Mercedes-Benz Canada just confirmed that their C-Class won't become available with a diesel variant this upcoming year, the relative success of the ML320 BlueTEC no doubt brings optimism to BMW Canada.
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| The X5 xDrive35d is the first diesel-powered premium SUV to be sold by BMW in Canada. |
Well, to be more accurate, the name is X5 xDrive35d, and the German automaker endowed this freshly-introduced model with the same 3.0-liter turbodiesel engine that powers the 335d, a new sedan from the brand's 3-Series. The mission, however, is not the same for both.
In the case of the 3-Series, this turbocharged mill transforms the 335d into a little hot rod capable of delivering electrifying takeoffs and accelerations. On top of that, owners of this premium compact sedan enjoy very reasonable fuel economy.
In the case of the X5, though, the turbodiesel powerplant adds to the vehicle's utility and capability, making it an interesting choice for drivers who need to tow a trailer. Producing no less than 425 pounds-feet of torque at only 1,750 rpm, it will likely work wonders. That's twice the amount of torque generated by the regular 6-cylinder of the X5 xDrive30i!
Hope for success
Presenting the vehicle to members of the Canadian auto press in Northeast Ontario, BMW Canada executives did not want to say how many units they expect to sell -- same thing for the 335d, actually. The strong demand for this type of engine in Europe is limiting supplies for the North American market while American consumers continue to entertain doubts about diesel. These are probably the reasons why the company is unwilling to disclose sales forecasts.
Tom Baloga, Vice President of Engineering at BMW North America, also pointed out the abnormally high prices for diesel fuel in the U.S. According to him, while diesel-powered cars represent 70 percent of all vehicle sales in Europe, they would only meet 15 percent of the demand in North America two or three years from now.
However, even though Mercedes-Benz Canada just confirmed that their C-Class won't become available with a diesel variant this upcoming year, the relative success of the ML320 BlueTEC no doubt brings optimism to BMW Canada.
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| Like the rest of the X5 lineup, the diesel variant uses BMW's xDrive all-wheel drive system. |