Due to stricter emissions regulations in Europe and the proliferation of hybrids and EVs, the diesel engine is a dying breed. Once the most popular type of fuel on the Old Continent, the oil-burner is gradually falling out of favor. Bucking the trend, BMW believes the engine still has a future and is offering diesel engines for everything from the 1 Series all the way up to the 8 Series.
The B47 is a familiar diesel engine as it can be found in a variety of models, including this current-generation 5 Series Touring in the pre-LCI guise. The four-cylinder 2.0-liter unit makes 190 hp and 400 Nm (295 lb-ft) in stock form, but we’re being told this wagon has gone through a stage 3 kit. It now pumps out 276 hp and a massive 606 Nm (447 lb-ft) courtesy of a hybrid turbo and other mods.
The extent of the modifications this rear-wheel-drive wagon has gone through is not being detailed in the video, but the exhaust has certainly been altered. It doesn’t sound too shabby for a four-cylinder diesel, but it’s no inline-six or a V8. Later in the video, the driver performs a 0 to 62 mph (100 km/h) and the car appears to need around seven seconds to get the job done, which is nearly a second less than the standard 520d Touring equipped with the automatic transmission.
It’s certainly not an impressively quick car but that’s to be expected given it’s a four-cylinder diesel in a vehicle that weighs nearly 1,750 kilograms (3,850 pounds) with a driver and all the necessary fluids. While you won’t be breaking any Nürburgring records, it’s the perfect Autobahn tool for devouring miles with remarkably low fuel consumption.
BMW is preparing to retire the G30/G31 and make room for the next-generation cars (G60/G61), which will definitely have an assortment of diesel engines tailored primarily to European customers. The wraps are coming off in the next months, with the sedan likely to arrive first.
Source: AutoTopNL / YouTube
