WE EXAMINE THE NOT-SO-SENSIBLE SIDE OF DIESEL POWER WITH THE M-RIVALLING PERFORMANCE DIESEL MODELS...

WORDS Paul Wager | PICTURES TBMW

It was BMW which turned UK buyers on to the idea of diesel in the prestige market and unlike the plodding oil burners from Mercedes, it showed that diesel could offer credible refinement and driver appeal.

The car in question was the E36 325tds which appeared in 1993 and by the standards of the day was a revelation – its straight six diesel motor offering refinement better than the petrol engines found in Cavaliers and Sierras.

In those early days of diesel power its performance was impressive but still only equivalent to the 320i. The 2.5- litre turbo diesel engine also appeared in everything from the 5-Series to the Vauxhall Omega and the P38 Range Rover, but behind the scenes BMW was quietly raising the diesel game, as proved when the E39 530d was unveiled in 1996. Packing a 184 bhp punch, the common rail injected 3-litre was enough to take the diesel from the sluggard of the range to a genuinely quick car.

Slotting the same engine into the 3-Series took things to another level and when Jenson Button was busted on a French autoroute at 144 mph the performance diesel was here to stay.

The 3-litre turbo diesel became something of a mainstay for BMW, finding its way into the X5, X3 and even the 6-Series but in 2004 the performance diesel took another leap forward with the launch of the 535d. Essentially a twin-turbo version of the 530d’s M57 engine, the 535d used a smaller turbo to minimise low-speed lag, with a larger blower providing boost at higher speeds.

The result was a formidable 272 bhp and 413 lb.ft which in standard form was a serious package offering M5-rivalling cross-country pace. As we know from first-hand experience, the remapping brigade could work wonders with the twin-turbo engine. With economy a 330i or 540i driver could only dream of, the go-faster diesels make more of an enthusiast choice than they’ve ever been. Here’s what you need to know...

For the complete buying guide including what to pay and technical specs see the February 2012 issue of Total BMW

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