BMW stopped making the diesel engines in the United States after the 2018 model year, citing a combination of low customer demand and tighter regulations. The oil burner is still offered in many parts of the world, even in Australia, where journalists are CarExpert recently tested the X7 xDrive40d with its powerful 23-inch wheels. While acceleration testing has mostly focused on the new 2023 M60i, here’s a rare chance to see the diesel full-size SUV in action.
The Munich-based brand says the luxobarge takes 5.9 seconds to go from 0 to 62 mph (100 km/h), but in typical BMW fashion, performance is deliberately understated. The sleek behemoth needed just 5.44 seconds to complete the job, while the sprint from 50 to 75 mph (80 to 120 km/h) took 3.9 seconds to demonstrate plenty of punch on the go.
CarExpert I was also curious how much road the X7 xDrive40d needed to stop from 62 mph (100 km/h). For a three-row SUV that weighs a whopping 2,490 kilograms (5,489 pounds), it’s impressive to see that it came to a complete stop in just 36.49 meters, decelerating in just 2.6 seconds. Just for fun, the Aussies also eased the throttle in reverse and went up to 22 mph (36 km/h).
The X7 diesel is one of BMW’s most powerful combustion engines you can buy, delivering an ample 720 Newton-meters (531 lb-ft) from a 3.0-liter inline-six. The Bavarian brand has set the sun with the quad-turbo version M50d, but few will miss it as the xDrive40d is very powerful. Its 3.0-liter has 352 hp (259 kW) after taking into account the mild hybrid configuration.
A diesel engine may seem outdated by 2023, but the reality is that a big, heavy vehicle is a perfect match for low-end torque while keeping fuel consumption at decent levels. EV charging infrastructure won’t be ready worldwide in the next few years, so BMW won’t be abandoning ICE anytime soon.
Source: CarExpert / YouTube
