BMW X6 M50d video sneak peek
BMW has released a teaser video of what could be the first ever diesel-powered M production car.
The clip – titled ‘A new chapter powered by M. Step 1.’ – shows a hazy BMW X6 carving up the road. The tell-tale sign that is no ordinary M car is the badge on the boot, which, despite being heavily pixelated, clearly ends in a ‘d’ – BMW’s designation for its diesel-powered vehicles.
The badge appears to read ‘X6 M50d’, and the high-performance diesel crossover is expected to share its powertrain with the upcoming (but still unconfirmed) BMW M5-based ‘M550d’, nicknamed the “super diesel”. The M550d has been rumoured to make its debut at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show in March.
Reports previously suggested the new diesel-powered BMW M cars would feature a triple-turbo engine, although documents leaked from a dealer presentation for the 5 Series-based model have revealed the engine will be a TwinPower Turbo six-cylinder with a three-stage turbo. The same documents reveal the engine will produce 283kW of power and more than 700Nm of torque. In comparison, the petrol-powered BMW X6 M generates 408kW and 680Nm of torque from its 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 engine.
Diesel-powered M cars are expected to be one of the biggest stories of 2012 for the German luxury-sports car maker. The 5 Series, X6 and potentially X5 are all in line to benefit from the new powertrains, which promise to combine traditional M high performance with the fuel efficiency of a diesel engine.