A BMW dealer in the Netherlands has leaked what it says is a tasty bit of information on the upcoming diesel 5 Series. According to 5post.com, the vehicle will boast a tri-turbo inline six-cylinder oil burner good for around 381 horsepower. That number is a far cry from the 500-pony speculation that had been making the rounds until recently, but that doesn’t mean that the big 5 Series will be any slouch on the road. The dealer also let slip that the vehicle will arrive packing 516 pound-feet of torque, which should be more than enough for the big sedan’s all-wheel drive system to rip up massive handfuls of asphalt to throw at lesser machinery.
Speaking of all-wheel drive, word has it that the 550d will only be available with all four corners turning, at least initially. Production is set to kick off in March of next year, and true to form, there’s no telling whether or not the big, powerful diesel will be available to U.S. buyers. There’s also some indication that this potent engine will show up in hardware like the next-generation BMW X5 and X6, though there are no fuel economy estimates to be had at this time. Presumably, a Touring variant like the one shown above will be on offer overseas, as well, making it this Bimmer a covet-worthy alternative to a premium crossover.
autoblog
