[Longboard]

BMW 535d: This Eco Car Is No Diesel in Distress - WSJ

 

[VanMan]

Good article, BUT in the USA, people want the 50+ mpg new VW diesel, 2nd, have your girl come home smelling like diesel on her hands or feet from the gas station refill? Everything is self service fueling.

If you are a diesel person OK, give me a gasoline fueled M-series

just say'n

 

[Chance]

It's difficult to extrapolate data from this BMW gasoline vs. diesel comparison to vans like Transit and ProMaster.

A car that size needs far less power than 300 HP to cruise at legal highway speeds, so the gasoline engine is less efficient by comparison. It's no surprise the difference in fuel economy is so great.

In new vans the gasoline engine is not as oversized compared to required load, so difference won't be as great. BMW knows this, which is why they are pushing a turbo 2.0L I-4 gasoline engine as a substitute for the 3.0L I-6. With about 240 HP (if I recall correctly) which is closer to the diesel's power rating the highway fuel economy is close to that of the diesel's as well.