X3

Make
BMW
Segment
SUV

While some manufacturers are dropping diesel engines entirely from their ranges, others are doggedly pressing on with the much-maligned technology. BMW is one such company. While it plans to introduce over a dozen new EV and hybrid models over the next 7 years it's also offering some very impressive new-tech diesels too. According to BMW Blog, the X3 M40d M-performance diesel model will be on sale in Europe from mid-July.

Specification levels will be identical to the M40i and, producing 326 hp from its twin-turbocharged inline-six, it is only a tenth of a second slower to 60 mph. The current gas-powered M40i may produce 34 hp more but the diesel M offers 502 lb-ft of torque vs. 369 which should give it even quicker in-gear acceleration figures. That is something that will be of more use in day-to-day driving as will the usually superior diesel fuel economy. The claimed combined economy is 36 mpg, which is far better than the X3 M40i's 27 mpg figure. It of course also meets all of the latest strict emissions standards.

This got us thinking. If these latest-gen diesels can match and at times even eclipse their gasoline-powered counterparts in performance and emission levels then surely there's a chance that we may see them introduced in the US. The current range is dominated with gas-powered turbocharged offerings but BMW reintroduced the 540d to the range earlier this year, and that car has basically the same engine as the X3 M40d. The 328d and X5 xDrive35d are also still on sale and both offer class-leading economy figures. The future may be all about EVs and hybrids but there is life in the old diesel yet. If BMW is listening we would like to put a request in for an M240d, that would make for one hell of a daily driver.