What So Good About Clean Diesel Engines

Many European countries apply BMW sedans as patrol and pursuit cars. At present, BMW says information technology will sell more than than 240,000 engines to U.S. law-auto startup Carbon Motors for that company's cruiser.

The large shock? They're diesel engines. Specifically, BMW's 3.0-liter twin-turbo straight-six clean diesel fuel, as used in the 2010 BMW 335d and 2010 BMW X5 xDrive35d sold in the U.S. since belatedly 2008.

2009 BMW 335d

The scheme will see consumers given a $4,500 'Eco Credit' towards the purchase of a new 335d or an X5 xDrive35d

The scheme will see consumers given a $4,500 'Eco Credit' towards the buy of a new 335d or an X5 xDrive35d

U.S. models like the 335d could eventually get the upgraded powerplant

U.South. models similar the 335d could somewhen go the upgraded powerplant

Homeland Security ?!?!?

It'south not every day y'all encounter a BMW printing release boasting about its cooperation with the U.Due south. Department of Homeland Security.

Unless Carbon plans to sell exclusively to Federal agencies, BMW's claim of a "substantial reduction in US regime fleet's CO2 emissions" should probably exist rewritten to reflect that fact that nigh police vehicles in the U.Southward. are purchased by state and local forces, not Federal ones.

More than accurately, Ian Robertson, BMW'southward executive in charge of sales and marketing, proudly boasted that the auction would "reduce the fuel consumption and CO2 emissions of more than 240,000 U.S. police enforcement vehicles past up to 40 percent."

Complete package

The club is for not only engines, simply includes cooling and exhaust aftertreatment equipment, and six-speed automated transmissions likewise. The BMW 3.0-liter twin-turbo diesel is rated at 245 horsepower and 400 foot-pounds of torque.

Last year, BMW sold half a million diesel models worldwide, about xl percent of its total sales. In Europe, 63 percent of its sales are powered by diesels.

Purpose-built for cops

Carbon Motors, of Connesville, Indiana, was founded in 2003 and is the world'south sole manufacturer of purpose-built constabulary-enforcement patrol cars.

The company unveiled its 4-door sedan (code-named 'E7') almost xviii months ago, featuring an aluminum space-frame, four-wheel contained intermission, and 50-50 weight distribution.

The rider compartment is large, with brusk overhangs and a long 122-inch wheelbase. Rear-hinged rear "suicide doors" presumably get in easier for a handcuffed perp to enter and exit.

Option: shotgun mounts

Amidst the lengthy listing of options are such non-noncombatant items as emergency lights, "bass siren," dark vision, 360-caste exterior surveillance, integrated shotgun mounts--and a rear passenger compartment that can be hosed out later transporting a late-night drunkard or two.

Carbon CEO William Li praised the "functioning, efficiency, and driving dynamics" of the BMW diesel powertrain at the announcement in Washington, D.C.

65,000 a yr

Carbon says information technology has received more 12,000 orders for the auto, which will be sold simply to legitimate law-enforcement agencies and taken dorsum for devastation at the terminate of its 250,000-mile service life.

At most 65,000 police vehicles a yr are sold each year in the U.S., the bulk of them currently Ford Crown Victoria sedans--a model that will get out of product late next twelvemonth.

BMW volition begin delivering engine-transmission packages to Carbon in the middle of 2013, significant its cruisers should announced in your rear-view mirror past 2014, a full 11 years afterwards Carbon was founded.

Carbon Motors E7

2009 BMW 335d

Tailing the BMW 335d

The Carbon E7's performance should be roughly similar to that of the 2010 BMW 335d, a smaller four-door sedan with the same engine and gearbox.

The 335d weighs three,825 pounds, whereas the Carbon E7 is projected at four,000 pounds--depending on what equipment each local forcefulness outfits it with, of grade.

Carbon initially quoted 300 hp and 420 ft-lbs of torque from its and so-unspecified diesel. Under that scenario, the visitor said 0-to-60-mph times would exist 6.5 seconds, with a top speed of 155 mph.

The BMW 335d is slightly quicker, with 0-to-60-mph times of 6.0 seconds, and a top speed limited to 128 mph. Nosotros wonder how long it'll exist before one chases the other.

Fuel economy: loftier 20s?

Carbon quoted estimated fuel economy of 28 to 30 miles per gallon; the 2010 BMW 335d is rated by the EPA at 23 mpg metropolis, 36 mpg highway, for a combined boilerplate of 27 miles per gallon of diesel fuel.

Either number would be roughly double the fourteen miles per gallon that Crown Victorias attain from their gasoline 5-8s in urban usage; their mileage may be somewhat higher on the highway.

Information technology's unclear whether BMW will change its turbodiesels to comply with Carbon's merits that its vehicles would run on B20 biodiesel.

[BMW; Automotive News (subscription required)]