[czarmar]

I've been impressed with the claims of great mileage on the EPA cycle for the new N20. When BMW announced the 328i was capable of 36 MPG I was astounded, and have been impressed with the highway rating of 34 MPG for the 528i.

Then the EPA tested the 328i and laid the smackdown on BMW, telling them they missed the mark by 3 mpg, setting it at 23/33, while the heavier 528i remains at 23/34. I haven't seen any news about BMW lowering the rating of the 528i, but now I look at the specs on BMW's website and I see a rating of 20/30. Intuitively I would think that the 328i should get better mileage than the 528i, which should get better mileage than the 535i. But if the 528i really cannot produce better efficiency than the 535i, one might as well pay a bit more for the six. And then the new M5, which was supposed to be the mecca of performance and efficiency, looks like it has gotten hit with a $1300 gas guzzler tax. Is BMW missing the mark on fuel economy? They've been getting so much positive press on their new efforts here, but when the rubber meets the road, err, the EPA test cycle treadmill, they cannot deliver.

(disclaimer: I know people can routinely get better mileage under their own personal driving conditions, but the EPA mileage rating does a lot to compare between vehicles, although unfortunately, the manufacturers tune specifically to the EPA cycle rather than real world conditions)