[sidindica]

From BMW M Performance Brand Kicks off with New M550d, X5 M50d and X6 M50d, All Powered by a Tri-Turbo Diesel - Carscoop

The first examples of BMW's newly launched M Performance Automobiles lineup were introduced today ahead of their world premiere at the Geneva International Motor Show in the second week of March.

The new models are the M550d xDrive sedan, M550d xDrive Touring, X5 M50d and X6 M50d, and as their names suggest, they're all powered by the same diesel engine and feature the Bavarian firm's xDrive all-wheel drive system.

BMW's M Performance Automobiles sub-brand was created to offer a diverse lineup of models with a wide choice of engines including diesels not only to compete with Audi's S range, but as we reckon, also to avoid further dilution of the M division.
The four introductory models debut a new 3.0-liter inline-six diesel with three-turbochargers delivering 381-horsepower and a whopping 740Nm (546 lb-ft) of peak torque, all of which the driver will find on tap as low down as 2,000 rpm.

This is the first time that a BMW engine employs the use of three turbochargers. The system comprises two comparatively small turbochargers and one large turbo, which join forces to deliver the amount of power required by the driver.
BMW has also fitted all models with a system that imitates the engine sound in the interior through the audio system.
"The system’s digital signal processing technology exchanges data directly with the engine management, allowing it to base its precise transmission of the engine’s timbre on the revs at any one time, the amount of torque being produced and the car’s speed over the road," says BMW.

An eight-speed Sports automatic gearbox and BMW's all-wheel-drive system, tuned to suit each individual model, transfer power to the
In terms of performance, the M550d xDrive sedan is the fastest hitting 100km/h (62mph) from standstill in 4.7 seconds while consuming 6.3lt/100km on average (37.3mpg US or 44.8mpg UK). Note that the fuel consumptions listed in the chart below are in Imperial mpg (aka UK) and not U.S. mpg figures.

All four models benefit from modifications to the chassis components, including M-specific tuning of the suspension, bodyshell mounting, engine and transmission mounting, springs and dampers, all standard and optional chassis control systems, and the Servotronic mapping for the hydraulic steering.
In addition, the 5-Series based models ride on 19-inch wheels, while the X5 and X6 (seen here in its facelifted form, more on that later) on 20-inch alloys.
Each model series gets a bespoke aero package, which includes new front and rear bumpers, a roof or a boot-lid spoiler and conspicuously Audi-like gray trim for the exterior mirrors.
Inside, the M Performance versions of the 5, X5 and X6 models get sports seats in black or dark grey upholstery with contrast stitching and embossed M logo, an M leather steering wheel with gearshift paddles, BMW Individual roof liner in Anthracite and interior trim strips in Brushed Aluminium Shadow (X5/X6) or Aluminium Hexagon (5er).
The European launch of all four cars is set for April.

[vb-saan]

Wow.. a diesel M. Is this first time BMW is going diesel with the M range?

[deetjohn]

And so it starts. The Lucifer from the M division! The urban legend has come true.

I wonder how this car will behave on track, no matter how rev happy this diesel is. How is the weight balance of this car?

740 Nm may what it takes to spin the earth, the other way around.

PS: And that M badge with the 550d at the rear doesn't look appropriate.

[S350L-E240]

The M performance is more of a sub division of the M brand, please do not confuse these with the cars like M5 etc. while the diesels will be wonderful and super powerful and more then what most will need for their daily drivers, the M5 is built on a deeper philosophy with a combination of a lot more then just a big engine and good dynamics,

For the M5 it's the best of an engine with the finest dynamics, but am loving the diesel leap BMW takes almost puts to shame the other Germans,

Will be out in India in Q4 or early 2013,

Regards,

[PlatzdaTurbo]

Originally Posted by S350L-E240

The M performance is more of a sub division of the M brand, please do not confuse these with the cars like M5 etc. while the diesels will be wonderful and super powerful and more then what most will need for their daily drivers, the M5 is built on a deeper philosophy with a combination of a lot more then just a big engine and good dynamics,

For the M5 it's the best of an engine with the finest dynamics, but am loving the diesel leap BMW takes almost puts to shame the other Germans,

Regards,

Agreed but i still feel variants like these make the actual M5 ,sort of redundant in countries like ours where the quality of petrol is shameful. If you are getting M5-like performance with a much cheaper/cruder form of fuel, why not. Right ? I ,for one would buy this any day ! (IFF i could afford one of course )


'but am loving the diesel leap BMW takes almost puts to shame the other Germans' - Come come now Dev, you really dont think the other Germans will just keep quiet and watch the fun unfold do you ??

[sachinj12]

Just look at the fuel consumption numbers! They are unreal. A 5-litre mill with such efficiency!


The 740NM will snap your neck for sure

[S350L-E240]

Yes yes absolutely agreed that in certain areas these will make more sense, all I meant was people should not get confused and assume this is the M5 diesel, its more of an in between sub brand with higher specs and certain M kits, but is not as hardcore as the M cars will be and also lack some of the technolgy used for M cars, but that's why I said there is little most users will miss, infact for most even the 530d will do right?

And what I meant about the advances BMW makes is the fact that BMW is quick and takes leaps ahead in a lot of areas, yes Audi and Mercedes will catch up or maybe overtake but that's then but in present tense there is little where BMW does not lead,

I mean look at me, have lived to drive Mercedes, never owned or dreamt of anything besides Mercedes and today there are hardly 3-4 of their cars which I like, and with BMW besides their bubble X6 and trash 5GT there is nothing I can't like

Btw how are you?

Regards,

P.S don't know if I mentioned but these will be here later this year or early 2013 as RWDs

Originally Posted by PlatzdaTurbo

Agreed but i still feel variants like these make the actual M5 ,sort of redundant in countries like ours where the quality of petrol is shameful. If you are getting M5-like performance with a much cheaper/cruder form of fuel, why not. Right ? I ,for one would buy this any day ! (IFF i could afford one of course )


'but am loving the diesel leap BMW takes almost puts to shame the other Germans' - Come come now Dev, you really dont think the other Germans will just keep quiet and watch the fun unfold do you ??

[sidindica]

Originally Posted by sachinj12

Just look at the fuel consumption numbers! They are unreal. A 5-litre mill with such efficiency!


The 740NM will snap your neck for sure

Its a 3 litre mill with 3 turbos.

[911987]

@S350L-E240
Any first info available as to what the M 550d sedan or the GT in rwd configuration will be priced at in India?If anyone can answer this one ,you can!
Given that the M3 with comparable performance figures in terms of acceleration at least,is around 75-80 lakhs on-road(correct me if I am wrong),where will the M550d slot into the BMW price list?
Had been looking at used M3's ranging from 55 to 70 lakhs just to keep myself occupied until the launch of the new 3 series 3.0d's and now am intrigued and pleasantly surprised that BMW will have another diesel with M3-level performance in their range soon.
BMW sure doesn't miss a single beat,feel almost sorry for the competition!
(NOT A PAID OR SPONSORED ADVERTISEMENT,JUST THE WAY I FEEL!)

[S350L-E240]

Originally Posted by 911987

@S350L-E240
Any first info available as to what the M 550d sedan or the GT in rwd configuration will be priced at in India?If anyone can answer this one ,you can!

Sir,

Thanks for your kind words but don't have so many hopes from me as sometimes if I am a little off the mark I might end up making you think I was mis leading you, and even more some others to pounce a million fingers at me, a chance some here are looking forward to lol,

Back to topic, car will be here latest by April or May 2013, much before that but giving you a max deadline, will only be in RWD format no X drive, it's not needed, and will not be offered unless customers demand it in large numbers which is not likely to happen, price will be in the range of 77 to 82 lacs,

Great times ahead for BMW fans, or automotive lovers in general, let's hope they also do a toned down M 350d that would rock,

Regards,

P.s the above are only my opinions and do not come as a guarantee

[mxx]

Finally a diesel M. Expect more high performance diesels not just from bmw.

Originally Posted by S350L-E240

And what I meant about the advances BMW makes is the fact that BMW is quick and takes leaps ahead in a lot of areas, yes Audi and Mercedes will catch up or maybe overtake but that's then but in present tense there is little where BMW does not lead,

Not true. VW group a has been leading as far as performance diesels are concerned. eg: q7 v10 , cayenne diesel engine etc

[911987]

@S350L-240d,
Please keep posting whatever info you may have and do ignore the critics,there are enough of us on the forum who appreciate your posts.
M550d superb but probably priced in the stratosphere,as for M350d,big thumbs up and hope it gets to market!
Cheers!

@mxx
Doubtless the Audi diesel v10 is superb,but unfortunately the six cylinder in the Touareg as well as the same engine in a higher state of tune in the Porsche Cayenne diesel are less than inspiring in terms of outright performance.The 3.0d which does duty in the 530d and the X3 3.0d both take a lot a lot of beating in this regard and at equal or lower price points as well.
Almost booked the Cayenne diesel,which I loved in all other respects,just wish the v10 had been used instead of the six cylinder 3 litre engine.

Note from the Team-BHP Support Team: Please use the "edit" button if posting within 30 minutes of the first post, instead of creating another back-to-back post.

Also use "Multi Quote" option for quoting Multiple posts.

[drpullockaran]

Originally Posted by deetjohn

740 Nm may what it takes to spin the earth, the other way around.

The answer to your quest is a bit off topic.
The following answer has been selected and edited by New Scientist staff. The mass of the Earth (M) is 6 x 10 to the 24 kilograms and its radius (R) is 6.6 x 10 to the 6 metres. Assuming it to be a solid homogeneous sphere, its moment of inertia (J) is given by 0.4 x M x R squared. It works out at 1 x 10 to the 38 kg m squared.The planet spins once in 24 hours (86,400 seconds) so its angular velocity is 4.16 x 10 to the -3 degrees per second, or, more properly, 7 x 10 to the -5 radians per second.Earth's angular momentum (h) is the product of the moment of inertia and angular velocity, which gives 7 x 10 to the 33 newton metre (Nm) seconds. This is the momentum the shuttle engines will have to counter.The thrust (F) of the shuttle engines on take-off is around 4 x 10 to the 7 newtons and, if acting tangentially at the surface of the Earth, the torque (T) - or rotational force - about the Earth's centre is F x R, which gives 3 x 10 to the 14 Nm.This torque acting over time (t) will change the Earth's angular momentum by an amount T x t. The time needed to reduce it to zero is h/T or 3 x 10 to the 19 seconds, or 840 billion years.This is some 60 times the age of the universe, and by the time the shuttle had done its job there would be no weather or tides worth having. There is one other wrinkle: if the fuel needed comes from the Earth, the planet will get lighter and lighter. The whole of the Earth's mass will be expended as fuel long before the Earth stops spinning.Hugh Hunt, Senior lecturer in engineering, Trinity College, Cambridge, UK.

Interesting side note: The answer above means you'd apply 6.98 x 1033 joules of energy to the earth over the course of 1 second... this implies that the power you'd need is about 7 trillion trillion trillion megawatts. If you wanted to know whether your car engine could do it, you'd need to call the manufacturer and ask if your V8 can be souped up to have 936 thousand billion billion billion brake horsepower.

[AbhiJ]

Mouthwatering specifications.

Finally the great "M" gets a diesel heart! Would love to feel the torque steer induced by 740 Nm!

[suhaas307]

The prayers have been finally answered!

The M550d would be a wonderful addition to BMW's portfolio. I'd love to see this introduced in India, sooner rather than later. Having said that, it would be interesting to see how potential customers see this, especially when parked next to the new M5.