Filed under: In the Autoblog Garage, Sedans/Saloons, BMW, First Drive
AutoblogGreen samples the dieselicious BMW 535d
by Sam Abuelsamid on Dec 19th 2007 at 9:25AM 
Click image to read the full review
What do you get when you blend two turbos, some compression ignition, six cylinders in-line, and a wonderfully tuned Bavarian chassis? Why, it's the BMW 535d! You can't buy one in the US...yet. It's got 428 lb-ft of tire shredding fun that gets better mileage than a Scion xB or Saturn Aura Hybrid. BMW will be bringing its diesel engines to the our shores sometime later in 2008, but AutoblogGreen got to spend a week trying out the latest in high-performance, clean diesel technology thanks to fuel system supplier Bosch. Head over to ABG for the full rundown on this dieselicious German sedan.
[Source: AutoblogGreen]
_opt_thumbnail.jpg)
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Ryan 9:32AM (12/19/2007)
Bring on the diesel power!! Tons of torque, great gas mileage, awesome tunability with turbo models!!
Reply
Mobius_1 11:02AM (12/19/2007)
And smokes the hybrid drivers at both speed and being green!!! (suck that Prius)
3seriesisking 11:45AM (12/19/2007)
All I want for Christmas is an awesome diesel!
Cornholio 12:17PM (12/19/2007)
"And smokes the hybrid drivers at both speed and being green!!! (suck that Prius)"
Until Toyota or someone comes out with a diesel plug-in hybrid, that is....
M1EK 1:50PM (12/19/2007)
"And smokes the hybrid drivers at both speed and being green!!! (suck that Prius)"
The cleanest diesel out there isn't remotely as green as the Prius. Not even in the same universe. Speed, yes. Green, no.
Sam Abuelsamid 2:11PM (12/19/2007)
The Smart ForTwo CDi is rated at 71 mpg(US) and 88 g/km of CO2. http://www.autobloggreen.com/2007/06/07/71mpg-smart-fortwo-cdi-is-the-most-efficient-car-on-the-road-tod/
A VW Polo BlueMotion gets 60.3 mpg and 99 g/km of CO2. A Prius gets 46 mpg (according to EPA 2008 figures, the other numbers are EU ratings) and 104 g/km of CO2.
Pat 9:44AM (12/19/2007)
At first glance I thought it was a Pontiac ... yikes
There was a segment on Top Gear 2 weeks ago (the 2 year old reruns from BBC-Canada) on this car. Very impressive.
Reply
balls 9:53AM (12/19/2007)
I did too. Pontiac all the way. Looks like S..T
KeithM 2:41PM (12/19/2007)
I thought Pontiac - till I read BMW, must be the camera angle, or perhaps a bit over-stylized BMW
MUSASHI66 10:13AM (12/19/2007)
I want one of these, badly, I'll take mine as a wagon with AWD :)
Reply
Guenther 10:56AM (12/19/2007)
You'd have to make due with a little less juice- it's only available on the 530d, but if they follow MB's lead, they will soon expand awd avaialbility.
LloydChiro 11:18AM (12/19/2007)
Me too. Wagon and AWD is what I want. To me, that is sport utility.
MUSASHI66 11:21AM (12/19/2007)
It is just a matter of time before 535TD happens. About it coming to states, that is another story. Maybe I should start saving up, because it will be 50K+ when(if) it comes here.
markitos 4:44PM (12/19/2007)
This car is on the europe market for 2 years now. Whats the news?
Joel 2:10PM (12/19/2007)
My next vehicle will have diesel engine, AWD/4WD and a stick shift. If that means a truck or wagon, so be it. I want a daily driver I can take to the snow in the winter time. I plan to buy this within 2 years, so I hope BMW is ready by then.
Kevin 3:55PM (12/19/2007)
I am soooo looking forward to BMW finally bringing their diesels to the US. I have a '97 540 that I would eventually like to replace (although I have to admit I am addicted to the power) and the idea of getting similar power/performance while getting great fuel economy and emiting less in the way of greenhouse gases almost sounds too good to be true!
However, according to the latest issue of Roundel (the BMW club magazine - p. 91) they are reporting that BMW will likely NOT sell the X5 with a diesel engine ("because they don't want the American consumer to think of it as a truck engine.") nor will they be bringing the diesel 5 series wagon to the US. And my bubble bursts...
With a growing family we really need the extra room so if you feel like I do, please, PLEASE write BMW NA and let them know that we deserve roomier diesel vehicles such as the X5 and the 5 series wagon.
BMW of North America, LLC
300 Chestnut Ridge Road
Woodcliff Lake, NJ 07677-7731
I realize that a lot of the folks who read Autoblog and Autoblog Green probably despise SUV's and think them to be enemies of the earth but SUV's will not go away so isn't it better that they have the benefits of the diesel as reported in this article than be the gas-guzzling vehicles that they are today?
nardi 10:32AM (12/19/2007)
No! - It looks like a 5 series because thats what it is.
Reply
RicardoHead 10:47AM (12/19/2007)
It's a Pontiac from the 1990s.
Reply
Gregg 10:49AM (12/19/2007)
It almost looks like a corporate clone of the 2009 Pontiac G8. Not a bad look of course, but amazing how much a new BMW and a new Pontiac can look alike.
Josiah 11:19AM (12/19/2007)
you mean the new Honda Accord right? The G8 looks nothing like this.