BMW’s X5 range is made up of some really interesting models, especially if you live in Europe, the Germans’ biggest market in the world, where you get to pick out of 7 different variants.
If you reside in the US, diesels are probably not that high on your list and therefore you won’t be disappointed to learn that you basically have only 4 options, one of them being a diesel. Fortunately, that exact model is the one we’re talking about here, even though it has a different name on the North American continent.
For some unknown reason (yes, even for us), BMW decided to call the xDrive30d model from Europe, xDrive35d in the US, probably to further impress people and get them to buy diesel models.
No matter the region you’re in and the alphanumeric name the car carries, the same engine is used under the bonnet, a 3-liter turbocharged inline 6-cylinder unit making 258 HP and 560 Nm (413 lb-ft) of torque. It might seem little for a 2.1 ton SUV but it does its job perfectly, keeping the fuel consumption in check, as well.
For some people, it’s not enough though, and they go for more powerful models. In Germany, for €6,400 more, you can get the xDrive40d 313 HP version but if you’re in the US and a more powerful unit, you’re out of luck.
Fortunately, Hartge and other tuners offer good alternatives for those in need of more grunt. The German company close to BMW, has a plug-and-play piggyback update for the xDrive30d model that will take it up to 302 HP and 655 Nm (483 lb-ft) of torque in a matter of minutes.
The advantages are obvious too. The added power will translate into a faster car, especially on highways, between 80 and 200 km/h (50-124 mph), a sprint that will take 8.6 seconds less than for the stock vehicle. Furthermore, compared to the price premium BMW asks for the xDrive40d model, you’ll get off really cheap, Hartge asking only €2,168 ($2,965) while also allowing you to keep your warranty intact.
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