Following its announcement of a new sub-brand called BMW M Performance, the company has now detailed
exactly what kind of engine technology
these cars will feature. M Performance
will officially be launched at the 2012
Geneva International Motor Show in March, and these models will be there. But
South Africa is not getting all of them.
We don’t really care actually, because we are getting those
models that count, the ones that apply most to us. These are the X5 M50d, X6 M50d, M550d xDrive and M550d xDrive Touring. The last two (5
Series sedans) are not for Mzansi consumption
at all, so they won’t be sold here. That’s because they are driven by an AWD (all-wheel-drive) system which we
don’t need as we don’t have much snow-fall
at all in winter.
Therefore I’ll concentrate on the X5 and X6 variants. Power comes
from a 3.0-litre diesel engine with
not two, but three turbos! Yes ladies and gents, this car is a tri-turbo. Basically it comprises of
two small and one big turbo, thus
eliminating the dreaded, performance-sapping lag. When all is said and done you
get a deserved 280kW between 4000rpm
and 4400rpm, as well as a super duper 740Nm
of torque between 2000rpm and 3000rpm. It can rev up to 5400rpm.
The X5 M50d goes from 0 – 100km/h in a claimed 5.4 seconds, while its X6 brother does
the same in 5.3 seconds. BMW says
the X5 sips an average of 7.5 litres per
100km, compared to the X6’s 7.7
litres per 100km. Quite incredible for both.
When going out on the town the cars wear 19-inch M light-alloys as standard, but
can be kitted with 20-inch types as well.
A special wheel in a colour called Ferric Grey can be ticked off as an optional
extra. It sounds just right. A unique BMW M Performance trait will be the Ferric Grey metallic exterior mirrors
and air intake bars.
The interior is bespoked (new word) with things like black Alcantara/ Nappa leather M sports
seats, or a BMW Individual roof liner in Anthracite and interior trim strips in
Brushed Aluminium Shadow among other features.
These two special cars will be sold in South Africa in the third quarter of the year, following their world debut at Geneva. The X6 is due for a facelift this year, so we aren’t sure whether this X6 M50d is based on the outgoing or incoming model. X5 M50d itself won’t have much shelf-life because the all-new shape model debuts in 2013.
2 comments:
Amazing news
Three turbos!?!?? Wtf???
Post a Comment