BMW's new inline straight-six diesel engine has been improved. Featuring the latest generation common rail diesel technology, the 3.0-litre oil burner has also upped power rating. The current motor makes maximum power of 286hp (210kW) and peak torque of 428 lb-ft.
Both these numbers are up; the former now reads 306hp (225kW) and the latter 442 lb-ft (599Nm). That means the 3.0-litre diesel engine is now able to offer not just more torque than its petrol counterpart but the same power output as well. The engine's injector pressure has been increased from 1,600 bar to 2,000 bar. And in this case more power does not equate to worse fuel consumption. A reduction of 4% on average fuel has been matched by the same percentage decrease in C02 emissions.
BMW and MINI cars registered lower average fuel consumption and C02 figures than the average of all cars sold in Germany last year. These were 5.9 litres per 100km (47mpg) and 158k/gm respectively.
The US only received the current engine in 2008 so it might be a while yet before the new one makes it across the Atlantic.
Meanwhile BMW's new single turbo 3.0-litre petrol engine has the exact amounts of power and torque as its twin turbo predecessor, 306hp (225kW) and 295 lb-ft (400Nm). But the torque is achieved a 100rpm earlier and fuel consumption has been downed by up to 9%.