BMW May Sell 5-Series Hybrid in U.S. Next Year, Confirms 5-Series Diesel for U.S.
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By Danny King, Contributor
BMW may sell a hybrid version of its popular 5-Series sedan in the U.S. as early as next year, as the German automaker looks to make headway in meeting more stringent domestic fuel-economy requirements over the next few years.
In addition to a 5-Series hybrid, BMW, which sold 17 percent of its cars to the U.S. during the first quarter, may also introduce a four-cylinder 5-Series sedan to the U.S. in the ensuing couple of years, confirmed BMW North America spokesman Tom Kowaleski, who emphasized that no plans have been finalized.
Meanwhile, Willem Rombauts, product manager for the 5-Series, X5 and X6, said two more models in the U.S. will offer diesels. "The 5-Series will definitely be one of them," he revealed at an event covered by Edmunds' Senior Editor Bill Visnic.
Currently, the 330d and the X5 xDrive35d are the only two U.S.-spec models fitted with diesels. Both use BMW's twin-turbocharged 3-liter inline 6-cylinder diesel that generates 265 horsepower and 425 pound-feet of torque. Both have been on sale since 2008.
As to the matter of which diesel the U.S. 5-Series will get, it's almost certain it will be one of the straight-sixes already offered in Europe, either the twin-turbo job we already know from the 3-Series and X5 or a slightly less muscular single-turbo 3-liter.
BMW is considering selling more economical variants of the 5-Series, which accounted for 12 percent of its first-quarter vehicle units, as it looks to meet U.S. fuel-economy regulations. Those regs require industry-wide fleets to boost their collective gas mileage for the 2016 model year to 34.1 miles per gallon.
The automaker in March unveiled a 5-Series ActiveHybrid concept car that paired a turbocharged 3.0-liter inline six-cylinder with a 40-kilowatt electronic motor.
While the company did not disclose any performance details for the 5-Series hybrid concept, fuel-economy fans hope the production version gets better gas mileage than either the ActiveHybrid X6 Crossover that BMW started selling late last year or the 7-Series ActiveHybrid slated for the 2011 model year.
The 485-horsepower crossover gets 18 mpg in combined city and highway driving, while the 455-horsepower 7-series hybrid is expected to get about 21 mpg.
BMW said late last month that it would start selling its Megacity vehicle, an all-electric version of the automaker's 1-Series coupe and the first zero-emissions vehicle within the BMW brand, in 2013. The company also said the previous month that it would develop a hydrogen fuel-cell-gas-powered hybrid version of its 1 series.