Photo: BMW
Ladies and Gentlemen drivers, allow us to notice that the compression-ignition engine is entering a new, superior, stage in its life. In the US, the days when diesels were associated with commercial and agricultural machines seem to be gone - more and more carmakers are introducing oil burners to the market and sales of diesel models have increased by over 25 percent this year.
However, the true diesel revolution is taking place in Europe, where BMW is now rumored to be working on an even more muscular version for its new Tri-Turbo diesel engine. In its current form, the N57D30 3.0-liter powerplant delivers 381 hp and 740 Nm (546 lb-ft) of torque, but it seems that this isn’t enough for certain customers.
That’s because while the powerplant does bring a hefty output increase over the 300 hp+ & 600 Nm (443 lb-ft) twin-turbo diesel that previously served as BMW’s flagship oil burner, the fact that it’s only offered with all-wheel drive brings a weight increase that affects all the performance areas.
Thus, BMW wants to take the engine deeper into the performance woods, so that it can increase the performance gap between this new development and the twin-turbo unit. The Tri-Turbo will climb to 420 hp, with the new version set to debut on the 5-Series facelift (LCI), which should arrive in summer 2013, as Bimmertoday writes. At the moment, it is unclear if the performance upgrade will also be offered for the X5 and X6 models.
To get a better idea of the Tri-Turbo diesel unit’s full potential, we can turn to the aftermarket world, where the unit has been taken all the way up to 438 hp and 850 Nm (630 lb-ft) by German tuning specialist Hartge.
Our say: We know some of you would like to see a RWD-only version, of course delivered with an extra set of rear tires.
That’s because while the powerplant does bring a hefty output increase over the 300 hp+ & 600 Nm (443 lb-ft) twin-turbo diesel that previously served as BMW’s flagship oil burner, the fact that it’s only offered with all-wheel drive brings a weight increase that affects all the performance areas.
Thus, BMW wants to take the engine deeper into the performance woods, so that it can increase the performance gap between this new development and the twin-turbo unit. The Tri-Turbo will climb to 420 hp, with the new version set to debut on the 5-Series facelift (LCI), which should arrive in summer 2013, as Bimmertoday writes. At the moment, it is unclear if the performance upgrade will also be offered for the X5 and X6 models.
To get a better idea of the Tri-Turbo diesel unit’s full potential, we can turn to the aftermarket world, where the unit has been taken all the way up to 438 hp and 850 Nm (630 lb-ft) by German tuning specialist Hartge.
Our say: We know some of you would like to see a RWD-only version, of course delivered with an extra set of rear tires.
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