June 24 2009   Source: Bryan Joslin via BMW

Upgraded Diesel Engine Will Bow in 735d

BMW's 3.0-liter inline-6 diesel engine with sequential twin turbos is already an impressive engineering feat, pumping out 265 horespower and a ground-stomping 425 lb-ft of torque. But BMW is not one to rest on its achievements; therefore the engine will receive an upgrade in performance when it finds its way into the 735d sedan. Ratings for the tweaked version of the engine are 300 horsepower (SAE) at 4400 rpm and 442 lb-ft at just 1500 rpm.

The increased performance is a result of a more efficient turbocharger system and the use of piezo-electric fuel injectors fed by a high-pressure fuel system. Despite the additional power, the new engine consumes about four percent less fuel that the 265-horsepower version.

The new engine is expected to be paired with the new 8-speed automatic transmission when it arrives in the 735d, and it is likely to find its way into other BMW diesel models, such as the 3 and 5 Series, the X5 and perhaps event the next-generation X3. BMW hasn't determined whether it will offer a diesel-powered 7 Series in the US yet, but hasn't ruled it out completely.