So, BMWs Proved Turbos, AWD and Autos Can Be Put In An "M" - What About A Diesel Motor?

I remember it like it was yesterday. BMW had just announced it's 2010 BMW X5/6M was to be produced and that it would feature a forced induction motor, all-wheel drive and come with a standard autobox. Oh yeah, and it was a hulking sport-utility vehicle.

Jeez. It just had clobbered what BMW M was all about. So, I beat up on it.

When I got behind the wheel though, wow. What a product! It actually became my favorite. And boy did I eat some tasty crow for that one.

Now we find ourselves ahead of another innovation for BMW M; diesel motors. It's been rumored about for months and finally we're beginning to see the fruits of the Bavarians labor.

Granted, it's all being dragged out -- in typical BMW fashion -- with cheesy, scripted videos. Just get on with it already.

That said, we want to know what YOU think: can BMW keep on with its string of success or is a diesel-powered M car pushing it?





And a refresher if you missed the first "tease."

Willis - 12/18/2011 7:19:31 AM

+1 Boost

Similar to Toyota offering us gussied-up Toyota Harriers and Camrys...

M5twinturbo - 12/18/2011 11:04:49 AM

+3 Boost

Its not a full fledged M car, its an X6 with an M tuned diesel motor..

FromThePassengerSeat - 12/17/2011 7:15:19 PM

+1 Boost

Well, if the diesel M5 will have only 381hp, it won't even be as powerful as a 550i. Not really an M car.

Joe_Limon - 12/19/2011 10:21:20 AM

+2 Boost

A car putting out x amount of hp at any specified speed will have only one associated tractive force regardless of the torque the vehicle has. For example putting out 200hp at 100mph will have 750lbs of force at the wheels minus frictional losses. You could have 3000lb-ft or 30lb-ft as long as you are putting out 200hp, that tractive force at that speed will still be 750lbs.

chewy - 12/19/2011 1:48:44 PM

0 Boost

But torque certainly plays a role in acceleration. Compare a VW Jetta TDI with 140 horsepower and 236 lb-ft of torque to a 140 horsepower gasoline competitor with 130 lb-ft of torque. The Jetta TDI (a bit heavier than most competitors) is a good deal quicker. So this X6 should perform like a 415+ hp gas engine.

Joe_Limon - 12/19/2011 2:08:04 PM

+1 Boost

The role torque plays, is to provide power throughout the rev range. If you have holes in your torque curve there will be parts where you aren't putting out 140hp. Or, for lower powered vehicles if it takes a second or two longer to reach the full power in the upper rev band (probably due to a longer first gear) then you will see a difference. But otherwise the math doesn't change, if you're putting the power down, it doesn't matter what torque the engine is at in terms of accelerating.

chewy - 12/19/2011 2:45:41 PM

+1 Boost

A 1.8 140 horsepower NA aspirated gasoline engine produces 140 horsepower at one point in time in its RPM, say around 6,000 RPM. Compare two gasoline engines with 200 horsepower but different amounts of torque and tell me which one is quicker, say current generation Si and previous generation Si. Hint the new one with more torque (at lower RPM as well) is quicker. This is exactly what diesels do. It's about area under the curve.

Joe_Limon - 12/19/2011 3:27:36 PM

+1 Boost

I just mentioned flat torque curves. In your previous statement you were saying that is was the extra 106lbft of torque that made the diesel jetta accelerate quicker. So do we both agree that the flatness, of a torque curve has more to do with acceleration then the amount of torque?

quizz - 12/19/2011 1:06:42 AM

+1 Boost

Diesel M appropriate for SUV models, I don't see what the problem is.