This diesel-powered engineering marvel will go out with a bang in a limited edition BMW X5 and X7 M50d.
It is not in any doubt that BMW has made some amazing engines over the years. There was the sonorous V10 in the E60 M5, and the naturally aspirated 6.1 litre V12 in the McLaren F1. Lest we not forget the long line of creamy straight sixes that wormed its way into the hearts of many a Bimmer enthusiast.
To the oil-burning fraternity though, the engine that would be remembered most fondly would perhaps be the soon-to-be-retired B57D30S0. This engine code may not mean much to the wider car community, but those in the know would tell you that this sequence of letters and numbers refer to BMWs quad-turbocharged straight six diesel engine.
A spin-off from the conventional B57 series of single turbo diesel straight six, BMW strapped on three additional snails in 2017 as a response to the increasing demand for more performance in the Bavarian brand’s increasingly large number of larger-sized SUVs.
BMW is no stranger to strapping ludicrous amounts of turbochargers to its oil-burning engines, as demonstrated by the tri-turbocharged N57 range. However, with this quad-turbocharged successor was another giant leap ahead in terms of performance and efficiency.
With the same number of turbos as a Bugatti Chiron, this power plant has been known to put out 294 kW and an Earth-moving 760 Nm of torque. Usually mated to an eight-speed Steptronic transmission, this powertrain combination has been said to easily provide brisk acceleration and ample amounts of overtaking power in even the heaviest of BMW vehicles, such as the gargantuan 2.5 tonne X7 SUV.
This powertrain was not only immensely powerful, but also had commendable efficiency. When installed in the smaller X5, BMW claims that a cruising fuel consumption 14.2 km/l was an achievable goal. In addition to that, the powertrain combination was also deemed refined enough to make its way into the flagship BMW luxury sedan in the form of the 750d.
Usually denoted with the 50d suffix, this engineering marvel found its way into the X5, X6, X7 SUVs and also the 5 series as the M550d and the 7 series as the 750d. Alas, this engine will soon be killed off by BMW due to cost and the lack of sales. The calls for electrification and the dirty truth about diesels has also not helped matters.
A limited run of X550d and X750d will be produced to commemorate the end of this fascinating oil-burner. No word on the exact spec yet but these ‘Final Editions’ will only be sold in limited markets around Eastern Europe.
BMW is not the only one to be canning its flagship diesels, the Volkswagen Audi Group is also expected to ditch its 4.0 V8 TDI. With all these halo oil-burning engines slowly being relegated to the history books, the reign of diesel might soon be coming to an end.
