spesification 2011 BMW X5 Diesel

Put in simple terms,it all has to do with the price of fuel caused by higher taxes imposed by European governments.While we grouse about $3 a gallon plus here,you can easily find reference to $9 or more per gallon in Europe.
So BMW and other European auto makers are tiptoeing into the U.S.with their clean diesel engines.One of them found a home under the hood of this weekend's test vehicle,the BMW X5.

The inline 6 was good for lots of low-end torque that produced quick acceleration around town,thanks to 425 lb-ft.of torque at a low,low 1,700 rpm to 2,250 rpm.Horsepower came to 265,resulting in 60 showing up from a standing start in about 7 seconds.
It never belched smoke as diesels did long ago,and only when standing outside as the engine idled in cold weather did you get a whiff that gave away the secret that you stepped out of the U.S.mainstream and ordered a diesel.

2011 BMW X5 Diesel

On the highway it was quiet and refined and it was easy to stay within the EPA estimate for 19-26 mpg.I got just over 20 mpg during the test period,which is not bad in a 5,192-pound curb weight vehicle.
You can have nonstop arguments at the pub over whether all this makes sense.BMW will charge you more for the latest diesel technology,yet at 100,000 miles with proper maintenance,a diesel is still in its prime and there will be no concern about replacing an expensive battery as in many hybrids.
The rest of the vehicle is what one would expect of BMW.And that is excellent build quality,luxury touches all over the interior,comfortable leather seats,wood trim,and a sound like that of a bank vault when closing a door.

Up front,there was abundant room for two adults in the zillion-way adjustable seats.In the second row,two adults would happy for short-to-medium trips. The third row is so cramped for space,owners would be best served in keeping them folded for the cargo space. There is 75.2 cubic feet of storage with the second and third row seats folded.The seats are a snap to fold.
Nits? Steering effort at slow speed is on the heavy side,and even with efforts to make it easier to use,BMW’s idrive is still too complicated,and several navi settings are difficult to find.

2011 BMW X5 Diesel

You will forget about all of this when you scamper along back roads with the great handling built into the X5.Suspension settings are definitely on the sporty side,but the trade off is a stiffer ride than many bottoms may be accustomed to.I found the X5 a lot of fun to drive and would quickly opt for the stiffer ride as a trade off.
It should be pointed out there is almost no end to the option list of comfort and safety items that can be added to the base model.Put them in package form,and they are expensive.
The test vehicle was a preproduction unit,so there was no precise sticker price available. The X5 diesel carries a starting price of $51,800.Expensive? Yup.Worth it? To those who love driving, yup.
Hubcaps

Are Americans concerned about rising gas prices? Maybe and maybe not.Sales of the full-sized Ford F-150 pick-up rose nearly 30 percent last month. Sales were also robust for the Chevy Silverado.But the best-selling cars were the Toyota Corolla and Camry.Cadillac sales rose 49%.
BMW said X5 sales were up 23%.
David E.Davis Jr.reveals in the March Car and Driver that he has advanced bladder cancer.The recently turned 80-year-old Davis is one of my heroes among auto writers and I,along with millions of his readers, wish him the best.I had the chance to interview him years ago and found him nothing but fascinating.