Aug 31st, 2008 by RJ Menezes
When BMW’s newest face-lifted 3-Series arrives on our shores it will be offered in one new tasty flavor, diesel. One of the companies that have been pioneering modern diesel technology in the recent years, BMW has never offered a diesel model stateside. Things are about to change though.
For 2009 the folks in Bavaria have deemed it fit to import their awesome 330d turbo diesel sedan. The potent inline-6 engine generates 275hp and a staggering 385ft-lbs of torque. Those numbers are good enough for a 6 second sprint to 60mph, which equals the gas-powered 330i already sold here. The difference is really felt at the pump where the 330d returns an impressive 41mpg on the highway. Blue Performance, a system that injects a urea solution into the exhaust system to minimize particulate air emissions, ensures that the 2009 BMW 330d also conforms to all relevant emission regulations here in North America.
The mid-life restyle has toned down the controversial Chris Bangle styling and has given the standard Bimmer a more elegant look. LED’s now adorn the headlamps and tail lamps and the trademark kidney grill has been worked over. Inside the most noticeable (and quite welcome) change has been the simplification of the iDrive’s operation. The new system is a lot more intuitive and address’s the previous complaints.
Look for the cars to start popping up at dealer showrooms by early next year. Also expect a slight price premium over the regular gas-powered 330i. No matter, the new BMW 330d will pair excellent economy with similar performance. That’s worth a premium in my book.
Above: No matter what they do, this is usually the view that the 3-Series’s competition gets to see…
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they are not bringing over the 330d yet (i wish they were!).
It will be the 335d in late 08/early 09, followed by the X5. It will have 265 hp instead of 286 hp in the euro version. This is due to the back pressure introduced by the Blue Performance system. The good news is that the torque output (428 ft-lbs) stays the same.
The 335d has the same aluminum alloy block and head that the 330d has, but the difference is that the 335d has sequential turbos, while the 330d has a single variable vane turbo. The Euro version of the new 330d produces 245 hp, and 383 ft-lbs or torque. No telling what the hp would be reduced to when coupled to the Blue Performance system.