Diesel engines are off to a slow sales start in BMW’s U.S.-market car models, the brand’s top executive in the states has revealed.
Speaking with Car and Driver, BMW of North America CEO Ludwig Willisch stated that initial demand for diesel-engined 3-Series and 5-Series models hasn’t exactly been strong.
“The 328d is selling so-so, the 5-series is a bit disappointing,” Willisch said. “These are still early days, and low fuel prices haven’t helped diesel technology.”
Launched last summer, the 328d is powered by a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder with 180 horsepower, 280 lb-ft of torque and a 45-mpg highway rating. The 535d utilizes a twin-turbo 3.0-liter straight-six that’s good for 38 mpg along with 255 ponies and 413 lb-ft of twist.
On the other hand, BMW’s diesel crossovers have fared beter, with Willisch commenting that he’s pleased with X5 diesel volume and “quite positive that the X3 diesel will do well.”
Over the course of the wide-ranging interview, Willisch also defended BMW’s rapidly expanding model range, claiming that new niche products like the 4-Series Gran Coupe bring different buyers to the brand. Additionally, he refused to comment on the future of the manual transmission option for the M5 and M6 beyond their current generation, and revealed that the stick shift take rate for non-M 3-Series and 4-Series models has fallen into the low single digits.
Photo by Mark Elias.
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