BMW ships, prices first US-market diesels in 20 years

It's been a long while since BMW sold a diesel car in the US market.

Since 1988, when the 524d and 524td sedans left our shores in a cloud of their own soot, the Soviet Union fell apart and Germany reunified. We've had two Bushes and a Clinton in the White House and watched oil prices surge to dizzying heights.

Now, even as crude oil prices continue to fall in the dour economy, BMW has returned with a pair of oil-burners. Starting next year, the German automaker will offer the 335d, a diesel version of the 3-series sedan and the X5 xDrive35d, a diesel variant of the popular X5 SUV.

Both are powered by 3-liter, twin-turbocharged diesel inline-six rated at 265 horsepower and a tarmac-wrinkling 425 pound feet of torque. A six-speed automatic transmission is the only option for both models. BMW has yet to develop a manual gearbox that can handle the immense torque output, so neither US or European customers will be able to row the gears themselves.

Like the new Mercedes-Benz diesels, the oil-burning BMWs will use a particulate filter and urea injection to eliminate soot and reduce emissions. The urea solution - called AdBlue - is carried in a 5.5 gallon tank on both the 335d and X5 diesel. BMW expects a tankful of AdBlue to last for about 15,000 miles.

As a part of the automaker's five-year / 40,000 mile complimentary maintenance program, BMW will refill each car's AdBlue tank at no extra cost at 10,000 miles.

At the pump, the 335d is rated at 23 mpg city and 36 mpg on the highway, with a range of about 560 miles. The X5 diesel carries a 22 gallon tank which translates to 585 miles with a 19 mpg city and 26 mpg highway EPA rating.

The 335d will sell for $44,725 and the X5 xDrive35d will go for MSRP of $52,025, including destination and handling.

Both will be eligible for a federal tax credit. The IRS will kick back $900 for each 335d, while X5 xDrive35d customers will qualify for the maximum federal tax credit of $1,550.

[BMW]

BMW cancels production version of Concept CS sedan

In a statement today, BMW CEO Norbert Riethofer said the company will not produce a production version of the Concept CS sedan concept first seen at the 2007 Geneva Motor Show.

"Difficult business conditions and the volatile climate on the market mean that it is as good as impossible from today's perspective to make a reliable prediction of the earnings outcome for 2008," CEO Norbert Reithofer said in a statement.

The production version of the Concept CS would have competed in a small and high-priced market. It's primary competitors would have been the Mercedes-Benz CLS, Porsche Panamera and Maserati Quattroporte.

Production would have been limited, and with sales tanking industry wide, the Concept CS failed to make a case for itself.

"At the moment we do not need that kind of brand shaper", said Reithofer.

The decision was made after a very grim third quarter sales report. The German automaker's return on sales fell below 1.3 percent, forcing the company to focus intently on maintaining a profitable model range.

BMW abandons 2008 profit target
Following today's announcement, the automaker said it could not guarantee its earlier 2008 profit forecast in light of the troubled auto sales market.

Earnings before interest and taxes fell to 387M euros in the third quarter, well below industry analyst's earlier estimate of 574M euros.

The company said it would make additional production cuts to maintain profitability, reducing output by at least another 40,000 units on top of the 25,000 the company cut earlier this year.

To date, the automaker has made a five percent cut in production compared to 2007.

[BMW, AN]

Lexus IS Convertible debuts at Paris, on sale Spring 2009

After years of rumors, test mule sightings and heavily disguised prototypes, the production Lexus IS250C convertible debuted just hours ago at the 2008 Paris Motor Show.

When they arrive in dealer showrooms next spring, the US market will get both the IS250C and the more powerful IS350C. The rumored IS-F version has been ruled out.

Both convertibles share the same drivetrain as the IS250 and IS 350 sedans., The IS 250C features a 2.5-liter, 204 hp V-6 mated to a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission; the IS 350C is powered by a 3.5-liter, 306 hp V-6 with a six-speed automatic.

The new IS convertibles' showpiece is a retractable three-panel aluminum hardtop that opens in 21 seconds, faster than any other hardtop convertible on the market, Lexus claims. A three-panel hardtop was chosen to preserve trunk space; with the hardtop stowed, a golf bag will fit with ease in the IS250C's commodious trunk. Two will fit with the hardtop raised.

Golfing aspirations aside, the new convertibles' design strikes a middle ground between innovation and familiarity.

The former is accomplished by the sheer volume of unique sheetmetal. While they borrow their engines from their four-door cousins, the new convertibles are built on a unique platform with doors that are nearly a foot longer than those of the sedans.

The front windscreen has been lengthened to combat turbulence inside the car at speed. While a tranquil cabin at 80 mph is important, the long windscreen has forced a trade-off that leaves the IS convertible looking a bit awkward with the top up.

The strongest design element of the IS sedan came from it's tautly arched roofline. Appearing more coupe like than most of its competitors, the sedan's profile evoked speed even when parked.

It's here where the design of the IS convertible weakens; the taut roofline of the sedan gives way to a flat center section that looks more Quasimodo than Usain Bolt. I'll admit I'm nit-picking on this point, but not without mentioning that if the the car was a few inches shorter, this would be a non-issue.

Fortunately, things improve dramatically with the top down.

The hardtop disappears completely under the trunk lid and a hard tonneau cover, both of which envelop the rear seat in a fashion reminiscent of the 911 Speedster. The trunklid is deeply sculpted, preserving some of the sedan's coke-bottle flair. A new fog lamp design debuts out front; new LED taillamps appear out back, along with an LED brake light integrated into the rear spoiler.

Yet despite the dramatic changes, the new convertibles seem like familiar members of the IS family by using the same hood, headlamps, door handles and mirrors as their sedan counterparts.

As with all Lexus offerings, safety and luxury are paramount.

For the former, a veritable alphabet soup of active safety systems com standard. VDIM and VSC keep the car pointed where the driver intends. When those systems give up, ABS, PCS and SRS all step in to save the driver and passengers from harm. Those riding in the rear are protected by side airbags as well as a pair of integrated roll bars, which are trimmed in leather to match the interior.

Speaking of which, a raft of new features have been added to provide a consistent atmosphere between coupe and convertible driving. The instrument gauges have been revised to increase visibility during top-down driving. The climate control system now offers a speed-sensitive control system that boosts air flow when the top is down as well as adjusting to vehicle speed.

The sound system also uses an active-listening equalizer. When the top is stowed, the system also automatically adapts to the natural loss of bass and boosts low frequency sound to compensate.

Pricing has not been announced, but it is safe to assume prices will be close to the 2009 BMW 3-series convertibles. Expect the IS250C to sticker in the mid-$30K, with the IS350C selling in the mid-$40K range.

[Lexus]

Torque junkies rejoice: BMW 335d will come to US shores next year

A while back, we posted a teaser vid of BMW's forthcoming 335d sedan.
Now that early fuel economy stats are coming for the US version, the new oil burner is making a compelling case for itself.

The direct-injected, twin-turbo diesel inline-six will produce 265 horsepower and a leviathan 435 pound feet of torque — all while averaging 23 mpg in the city and 33 on the highway. In other words, the 335d will offer a 30 percent increase in fuel economy compared to the 335i, its 300 horsepower, 300 pound-foot gas-powered stable mate.

An excerpt from the official press release follows:

The new 335d Sedan: power, torque and remarkable fuel efficiency. All with refinement and sound worthy of a BMW.

In Europe, where fuel prices have historically been - and remain - much higher than in the U.S., vehicle manufacturers have achieved dramatic gains in the performance, smoothness, quietness and emission control of diesel engines...while maintaining the diesel's historic superiority in fuel efficiency. Now, with the new 335d Sedan, BMW brings this progress to the U.S., with brand-new technology that meets the U.S.' strictest emission standards.

Like all '09 BMW gasoline engines, the 335d's new diesel is constructed with a weight-saving aluminum cylinder block - something that's not taken for granted given the diesel's much higher compression pressures. (All BMW engines have aluminum cylinder heads.) It is an inline 6-cylinder engine maintaining a defining BMW tradition that means exceptional smoothness and unique sound.

In addition, several diesel-specific technologies of this new engine contribute to its achievement of true high performance, diesel fuel economy and clean exhaust:

Common-rail direct fuel injection. One of the most important innovations of recent diesel development, this has replaced the individual-cylinder or distributor-type injection systems of earlier diesel engines.

Common Rail (CR) means that a single, very high-pressure fuel-delivery pump supplies all cylinders, the fuel traveling along a common "rail" or distributor line. From there, fuel is injected at extremely high pressure (180 bar/2645 lb./sq in.) directly into the cylinder.

The basic novelty of common-rail injection was to divorce the production of fuel pressure from the actual injection process; this was necessary to give the diesel engine what gasoline engines have long had, namely completely electronically controlled fuel injection. CR also facilitates multiple injections per combustion cycle. In all, this was a breakthrough that made possible dramatic strides in diesel power, efficiency and emission control.

Piezo injectors. A further breakthrough, already applied by BMW in the 335i (and other BMWs) models' twin-turbo gasoline engines. With direct injection, the injectors - that critical component injecting fuel into each cylinder's combustion chamber - are subject to especially high temperatures and pressures. Instead of most injectors' conventional electrical valves, a "stack" of piezo crystals reacts lighting-fast to impulses from the engine electronics governing the injector needle's opening stroke and duration for ultra-precise control. This, too, facilitates major advances in fuel economy and emission control, in gasoline, as well as diesel engines.

Variable Twin Turbo technology. In contrast to the two small, equal-size turbochargers of BMW's twin-turbo 6-cylinder and V-8 engines, the diesel employs two turbos of different sizes.

At low engine speeds, intake air does pass through the large turbo, but it's the smaller, lower-inertia one that does the air compressing (turbocharging). Thanks to its optimum efficiency within this rpm range, it provides effective boost for driving from a standstill up to modest acceleration rates and driving speeds. So it is that this engine develops a good 390 lb-ft. of torque at as low as 1500 rpm - a remarkable achievement that will amaze first-time 335d drivers and continue to thrill those who drive this BMW regularly.

With increasing engine speed, the larger turbocharger begins to take over: first as a pre-compressor for the smaller one, then progressively until it becomes the primary turbo. The engine reaches its maximum of 425 lb-ft. by 1750 rpm, then maintains this immense torque level until 2250 rpm going on to reach its peak power of 265 hp at 4200 rpm.

Diesel combustion, power and torque characteristics. In its most basic distinction from gasoline engines, a diesel engine achieves its combustion not with a sparkplug, but by much "harder" compression of the fuel-air mixture; the 335d engine, for example, has a compression ratio of 16:5:1, vs. 12.0:1 in today's ultra-high-performance BMW M gasoline engines and the 10.2:1 of the 335i twin-turbo gasoline unit. For one thing, this requires a significantly stronger engine structure; indeed, the 335d engine weighs more than its 335i counterpart.

The diesel combustion process also produces very different torque and power characteristics. Whereas the 335i engine reaches a maximum torque of 300 lb-ft. @ 1400-5000 rpm and a maximum power of 300 hp @ 5800 rpm, the 335d attains its maximum torque of 425 lb-ft. @ 1750-2250 rpm and its maximum power of 265 hp @ just 4200 rpm. In general, diesels have this low-speed-torque, lower-rpm character and in their vehicular application, they are geared differently. The 335d, for example, comes only with automatic transmission - an automatic is the ideal partner for a diesel engine - and its final drive ratio is 2.81:1, vs. 3.46:1 for the 335i with automatic transmission.

Diesel engines also employ a different fuel, the product of a different refining process from that of gasoline. The two fuels are not interchangeable; gasoline cannot be used in a diesel engine, and vice versa. Their prices typically diverge; at any time or in any location, demand may be different for the two, and government taxation policies for gasoline and diesel fuel also diverge.

Stellar pulling moxie, full-bore acceleration - and fuel efficiency. The huge torque output of 425 lb-ft. at relatively low engine speeds speaks for itself; 335d drivers will marvel at this engine's robust response at low to medium speeds. The peak power output of 265 hp also speaks for itself, as does the resulting 0-60-mph time of 6.0 sec. While official EPA mileage estimates are not yet available, preliminary tests indicate 23 mpg city and 33 highway.

Most advanced exhaust gas management: SCR catalyst with AdBlue injection.

BMW Advanced Diesel with BluePerformance optimizes emission management by incorporating an oxidation catalyst placed close to the engine, a diesel particulate filter housed in the same unit, and an SCR catalyst with urea injection. Apart from filtering out even the smallest particles from the flow of exhaust gases, this combination ensures effective reduction of nitric oxides (NOX) by way of a chemical reaction within the exhaust system initiated by the injection of a small dose of urea referred to as AdBlue. The ammonia (NH3) generated in this process within the SCR catalyst subsequently converts the nitric oxides (NO and, respectively, NO2) in the exhaust gas into environmentally compatible nitrogen (N2) and vapor (H2O).

BMW has developed a two-tank system for AdBlue ensuring convenient use of this new technology with all the benefits and ease required by the customer: The amount of AdBlue required in each case is drawn from the active tank comprising approximately 1.6 gallons by means of a dosage pump. And since the urea solution would freeze at a temperature of oC, this active tank, as well as the dosage pipes are heated.

AdBlue technology by BMW: reduced emissions without additional service appointments.

The active tank is connected to a second reservoir, the so-called passive tank. With its additional capacity of approximately 4.5 gallons, this passive tank offers a plentiful supply of the urea solution required within the car. The average range provided on this supply capacity is indeed sufficient to have the tank system replenished as part of normal scheduled maintenance.

From the active tank AdBlue is delivered to the dosing valve and atomized into the exhaust emissions. Consistent distribution of AdBlue within the flow of exhaust emissions is ensured by the SCR mixer. The ammonia generated in this way in the hot emission gas subsequently acts in the SCR catalyst as a reduction agent and converts environmentally harmful nitric oxides into nitrogen and water vapor in a process referred to as selective catalytic reduction.

This process gives the special SCR catalyst its name with the SCR system as such being masterminded by highly efficient engine management. A nitric oxide sensor, finally, provides information on the concentration of NOX in the exhaust emissions.

The large amount of AdBlue provided in the reservoir enables the customer to go on driving as before without having to change service intervals or observe any particular requirements, thus benefiting from the advantages of this environmentally friendly emission technology throughout the entire running life of the car without any additional service or visits to the workshop. During the first four years or 50,000 miles, the replenishment of AdBlue will be covered as part of the BMW Scheduled Maintenance program: not only will there be no additional inconvenience, but no additional cost during that period.

VIDEO: 2009 BMW 3 Series sedan facelift

Announced to the media last week, BMW has released driving footage of the newly freshened 3 Series sedan model range. Mechanically, the 328i and 335i soldier on unchanged, to be joined by the 335d sedan later in the year.

Next week, we'll reveal more details on the 335d. Stay tuned.