I spied the 123d M Sport the moment she emerged from the Rio Hotel’s parking garage. The 123d’s brilliant blue paint glittered as it rolled under the valet parking area’s overhang.
It was like no BMW I’d ever seen with my own eyes … the grille was unmistakable, but it was attached to body that could be mistaken for any one of a number of hatchbacks.
After the valet pulled the car around we chatted a bit as I loaded up my camera gear and fitted the rig. He was amazed that it was a diesel. And not just any diesel … likely the only BMW 123d M Sport prowling the streets of America.
A quick stop at the vending machine to pick up a bottle of iced tea (as a concession to the fact I was headed off into the Nevada desert) and I was soon settled behind the wheel … looking in vain for a cup holder. I found none.
“It’s the ultimate driving machine,” I heard a voice in my head say in an unmistakable accent. “Not a coffee shop.”
I tossed the bottle of iced tea onto the back seat, crept out of the Rio’s parking lot, and headed west on Flamingo.
In this first short video, I drop the hammer on the 123d … if you watch carefully, you’ll see me check the cheat card after letting off to see how many kilometers equal 60 miles per hour. d’oh!
After opening remarks from diesel hot rodding legend Gale Banks, attention turned to the race course laid out though the parking lots of the Rio Hotel and a generous selection of Euro-diesel gems from Bosch’s fleet.
Attendees were treated to some of the finest examples of diesel engineering currently prowling the streets of Europe, including a Honda Accord i-CDTi and i-CDTi CR-V, Chrysler 300, BMW 535d M Sport, Jeep Grand Cherokee diesel, and a Mercedes-Benz E320.
Two of the newest and smallest additions to Bosch’s fleet proved to be the hits of the evening, with the MINI Cooper D and BMW 123d M Sport hot hatchbacks especially well suited to the tight curves of the Rio track.
For those that had never driven a modern clean diesel vehicle, the event was an eye opener, with each vehicle delivering exceptional performance and economy in their respective classes.
For attendees that missed the event … there’s always next year …
Over the years, BMW’s 3-Series have earned a well-deserved reputation for delivering a convincing combination of performance and handling, while achieving reasonable gas mileage (for those blessed with the constitution to keep their foot out of it). The current crop of BMW 328s and 335s are no exception, with highway gas mileage ratings in the mid to high twenty mile per gallon range.
The imminent return of diesel-powered BMWs to America herald a new era of fuel efficient sporting transport. The 5-series will likely be the first BMW diesels to arrive. We can only hope that the 3-series diesels follow quickly, as the mileage ratings are nothing less than stunning (for the average American).
In the UK, the diesel-powered BMW 320d ES is rated at 47.1 miles per Imperial gallon (MPG) urban, 68.9 MPG extra-urban, and 58.9 MPG combined with a six-speed manual transmission. That equates roughly to 39.2 city, 57.4 highway, 49 combined here in America. The 320d is no dog … as turns in a 0-62 mile per hour (MPH) time of 7.9 seconds with a top speed of 143 MPH. Continue reading →
One short ride in a BMW 535d is sure to blow away any preconceptions you might have about diesel engines.
I took a quick spin around the block in a 2007 535d M Sport this week, while at the Green California conference. I flew cross-country for the chance and brought my camera to share the ride.
Now I’ll freely admit … for my entire life, I have succeeded in resisting the lure.
Need a four wheel drive with the best gas mileage? Get ready to downsize. None of the best gas mileage four wheel drives (4WDs) are jumbo-sized sport utility vehicles (SUVs).
Simply put, the aerodynamics and vehicle weight of the bulkiest SUVs cause gas mileage to suffer, leading to many a painful transaction at the pump. The trick is to get small(er), lighter, and more slippery. Credit Subaru for getting the ball rolling with popularizing economical 4WD drive passenger cars in the early days. Since 1997, every vehicle Subaru’s offered in America has been all wheel drive.
These days, it’s not just Subaru. There are plenty of four wheel drive choices that are neither truck nor SUV. And forget the notion of pint-sized economy cars. You’ll find a generous helping of 4WD luxury from manufacturers including Audi, Volvo, Cadillac, and Lexus … in fact, you’ll find many of their offerings in the 2008 list of best gas mileage four wheel drives.
Purists will gladly share that there’s a difference between four wheel drive and all wheel drive (AWD). And surely there is … but for a great many folks, it comes down to two simple questions: will it go in the snow and will I go broke feeding it?
At the other end of the spectrum, the little Suzuki SX4 delivers plenty of bang for the buck, by combining the best four wheel drive gas mileage with a low sticker price (for those who don’t just think miles per gallon … but miles per dollar.)
Along with its corporate cousins, the Ford Escape Hybrid proves the exception to the rule as the highest all around mile per gallon (MPG) four wheel drive vehicle. If you can’t get a great deal on an Escape Hybrid at your local Ford dealer, take a look at the Mercury Mariner Hybrid. And if you happen to live in Southern California, the Mazda Tribute Hybrid HEV might be an option … as long as you’re able to snag one of the 350 Tribute HEVs built for this test market.)
