German vehicle constructor BMW is trying to show us that it can produce not only fast, luxury and fuel-greedy vehicles, but also very fuel-efficient vehicles.
BMW’s 1 series is offering the greenest diesel experience from BMW. The 2 liters four-cylinder diesel engine gets to the impressive 53 miles per gallon and providing 116 horsepower and 192 lb-ft of torque.
BMW’s most efficient model is as fuel-efficient as the much more talked about Toyota Prius.
The performance of the 116d 1 series is 0-62 mph in 10.2 seconds, not less than its competitors. For making this fuel efficiency performance, it includes the more and more popular start/stop system (as some hybrids) and Brake Energy Regeneration. It also has an electric water pump and many drivetrain improvements. It comes in three and five-door body styles and of course, as a BMW, it must also bring some stylish and luxury options in the game.
In Europe, the 116d will be available in March, being priced in the UK at a relatively affordable Ā£17,605 ($24,330 USD). In the US people will have the chance to test it later, we don’t know exactly when.
This can start a new debate. Are hybrid cars better than very efficient diesels? In Europe diesels have been developed and improved in the last years and we are able to see the same performance as cars who are supposed to run on electricity. But electricity needs to be produced and this makes it not very green in some of the cases, especially hybrids. The battle is to be in the close future, and we want to believe that the winning engine will be electric, as this technology is just at the beginning and there is much to be improved in the future.
Meanwhile, there is a great need to replace big fuel consuming gasoline engines with clean diesels, at least for the moment.
Quote: “The 2 liters four-cylinder diesel engine gets to the impressive 53 miles per gallon and providing 116 horsepower and 192 lb-ft of torque.”
Well, the new VW Golf performance diesel (2.0 litre Golf GTD, with 168 bhp and 258 lb-ft of torque) will do an official 53.3 miles per gallon.
Now that’s my kind of green š
First, you get diesels performing at max efficiency, Then add H2 injection from solar power stations, now, add a plug in battery system like Prius , to further reduce oil consumption, then, finally, you can use Bio diesel, to totally eliminate petroleum oil – the ultimate goal, as it is running out faster than we thought, and has panicked markets world-wide!
My problem with diesel cars is from my experiences as a bike rider: diesels are just SO DIRTY.
Sure, they’re efficient if you stay at low revs and accelerate slowly.. But people get in their cars and put their foot flat to the floor and then they’re horrible to be behind. They pump out a lot of smog producing gas compared to cars. Sure some models claim to have “soot catchers” but it obviously isn’t working..