BMW 530d: high marks for fuel economy, torque; subterranean marks for U.S. availability

AutoWeek spends time with a 2004 BMW 530d (for diesel) and reveals what many might already suspect, given the nature of the gasoline 5er: it's a great car. It cannot be stated too often that the level of refinement in modern diesel cars is astounding compared to the noisy, smelly smoke-spewing stereotype. You can certainly tell that you're driving an oil-burner, but now perhaps the most obvious trait is the insane off-the-line pull, which is what 368 lb./ft. at 2000 rpm can do for you. The ostensibly low 218-hp is still good for a brisk seven second 0-60 time, which is pretty wonderful considering that highway driving with no regard for maximum efficiency yields 41 miles per gallon. AW concludes by somewhat strangely comparing the Bavarian cruiser to the Honda Insight, in which they averaged about 52 mpg during real world driving. They prefer the obvious quality and drivability of the 530d to the tinny, slow Insight, despite the fuel economy discrepancy. Wow, I am shocked.