This is the BMW 320d EfficientDynamics Edition and here are the figures: 161bhp, 265lb.ft of torque and 0-62mph in 8.2 seconds. All pretty unspectacular, right?
Wrong. It's amazing, frankly. See, it returns 68.9mpg combined and gently blows out just 109g/km of carbon dioxide while suffering a dismissively miniscule loss of performance. Plus, BMW is going to charge exactly the same for it as the standard 320d - in contrast to every other manufacturer we can think of, all of whom demand a premium for their eco specials. It goes on sale in March.
Just by way of reminder, the normal 320d has 177bhp, 258lb.ft of torque and will hit 62mph in 7.9 seconds, but all the while consuming 10mpg more and emitting 35g/km more CO
2 than this newcomer. In fact, the 320d EfficientDynamics Edition is officially the most fuel-miserly car the Bavarian maker has ever churned out - including the
116d, before you ask.
BMW has accomplished that by giving the 320d the kind of eco massage that would satisfy even the most ardent vegetarian bus user. All the usual EfficientDynamics stuff applies, so it gets brake energy recapture, start/stop engine tech, air conditioning and power steering with on-demand start up, and lowered suspension to reduce drag. In addition it gets longer gearing, including an extra-long final ratio, and a brand new dual mass flywheel with a 'centrifugal pendulum' that smoothes out the power delivery at very low revs so there's no lumpy loss of composure in exchange for all that cleanliness.
The BMW 320d EfficientDynamics Edition will be unveiled officially at
Frankfurt next month (probably plastered with stickers so you can tell what it is), but we'll be getting a very early pre-launch first drive next week, so be sure to
come back for that. We're not expecting disappointment.
Mark Nichol - 21 Aug 2009