Your Chicago BMW is about to come in a diesel option.  The company is launching four-cylinder diesel models in the United States to help improve fuel efficiency.   The models one is likely to see it in are the 1, 3, and 5 Series and maybe the X3 crossover and Z4 roadster.

Currently, 70 percent of BMW’s sold in Europe are diesel powered, but very few are sold in the United States due mostly to emission regulations.  What the company will have to do is comply with federal regulations regarding emissions.  Federal standards rule that 250 grams of C02 per mile by 2016 is the amount that can come from a car.

What will BMW have to do to make sure it’s diesel-powered Chicago X5 passes an emissions test?  Currently, many of their best selling models are powered by six-cylinder engines.  To make them highly performable using diesel, BMW is looking to use a turbocharged 2.0-liter model tuned for performance.  The company is hoping that this will increase diesel vehicle sales in North America.  A rep from BMW said that they will be happy with 10-20 percent. This is a good statement illustrating how few diesel powered B-mers are sold in our continent!

Currently, the X5 xDrive35d and 335d are diesel models on the US market and only about 3,700 have been sold as compared to the robust sales of the Chicago BMW Z4.   Let’s hope BMW’s move to improve the diesel cars pays off in the end!