BMW held a dealer presentation in the Netherlands and a leak has rumors stirring that the upcoming M550d will officially come with 381-hp and 516 lb-ft of torque from its tri-turbo, inline-six diesel powerplant.

Even though the horsepower figure comes in lower than the early speculations of over 500-hp, the torque is pretty impressive. It also appears that the M550d will be AWD only with production beginning next March. It is not yet known if this F10-generation M550d will make its way to North America, but we could be seeing the tri-turbo diesel in other BMW models including the X5 and X6.

[Source: 5Post.com]

BMW is recalling 32,000 vehicles in order to replace potentially faulty electric auxiliary water pumps. An issue can cause the water pumps to overheat, potentially causing a vehicle fire. Models impacted by the recall include 2008-2011 5-Series, 5-Series Gran Turismo, 7-Series, X5 and X6 equipped with either the eight- or 12-cylinder turbocharged engines.

Two engine compartment fires have already been reported with 102 cases of pump failures worldwide. No crashes or injuries have been reported due to the issues however. The pump in question is an auxiliary pump that helps cool the turbocharger and in case of failure can cause the circuit board to overheat. BMW said in cases that this does occur, a warning message will illuminate on the instrumental cluster.

The issue was first discovered in June of 2009 on a test vehicle and in April 2010, a smoldered electrical cable of the water pump was found on a BMW-owned vehicle. Owners impacted by the recall will be contacted next month with BMW replacing the faulty electric auxiliary water pump.

While the BMW 3-Series diesel  never really took off in the North American market, diesel powered Bimmers make up about 50 percent of European 3-Series sales, and the brand reports similar numbers for the X5 in North America.

BMW USA execs admit that there’s still an issue of convincing customers regarding how well modern diesels operate, but also said that oil-burners may be crucial to meeting future CAFE standards. While this left the door open for a diesel 3-Series, BMW USA has ruled out a 3-series wagon, stating that volumes would be so minimal that it would be difficult to justify selling it Stateside.

Ian Robertson, BMW’s head of sales and marketing, also derided the auto industry’s obsession with cylinder count and displacement, stating that BMW’s forthcoming nomenclature would reflect performance rather than the actual displacement – the new 328i, for example, would actually use a 2.0L turbocharged 4-cylinder rather than a 2.8L 6-cylinder engine.

[Source: Inside Line]

In case BMW‘s notoriously fickle enthusiasts can’t find the motivation to summon their pitchforks, here’s some news to light a fire under their posteriors: the legendary M division will put a diesel engine under the hood of their next car, a 5-Series.

Say it ain’t so, again! What’s next, a front-wheel drive M? But the next M-diesel won’t be an all-out M car—instead, it will be a companion to the M5, with the clunky badging of 550dM to indicate a diesel 5-Series that’s been breathed on by the sport division. The diesel powertrain will also make it to BMW’s other models such as the X-series of SUVs, which will also feature all-wheel drive.

As for the engine—going by the “more is better” theme, the diesel powerplant will carry three turbochargers to weed out even the suggestion of turbo lag. It will be a 3.0-liter straight-six as used in BMW’s current diesel cars, but with significant differences to the cylinder head. Direct injection and more efficient valve timing will push final horsepower figures to within the M5′s 560 horsepower: somewhere north of 500 will be expected, but with significantly more torque.

How significant? The M5 has 500 lb-ft of torque right now from its gasoline engine, but the diesel M will have more than 650 lb-ft. All-wheel drive will be standard then, according to a BMW official, “otherwise you’ll be spinning your tires all day.”

Diesel has been catching on slowly in the US, which holds stringent regulations on its sulfur levels. A high-performance diesel could light a fire under current sales figures of oil burners, and if BMW readies an M-diesel, it could even beat Audi at its own game. That, more than sales figures, would be the triumph of the day.

[Source: The Detroit Bureau]

Set to debut at the upcoming Frankfurt Auto Show in September are BMW‘s X5 and X6 Exclusive Editions, sporting a unique Orion Silver Metallic paint finish and Nevada leather interior cribbed from the 6-Series. In addition, both the X5 and X6 will receive special wheels and dark bamboo interior trim as accessories.

Unfortunately those are all the details that have been released on the Exclusive Edition X5 and X6 so far, but we’re expecting more news as we get closer to the Frankfurt Auto Show.

GALLERY: BMW X5 and X6 Exclusive Editions

[Source: BMW Blog]

Lock up your Chelsea tractors: the BMW X5 is the most stolen vehicle in the UK, according to a survey conducted by the research firm Tracker.

Tracker surveyed the 10 most stolen and recovered cars in the UK. Rather unsurprisingly, the entire list is comprised of luxury vehicles, including the BMW M3 and Audi RS4. And there’s something to be said about how much the British love German cars: every vehicle on the list is Teutonic. Click the jump for the full list.

[Source: egmCarTech]

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BMW reportedly considered creating a stripped-out CSL version of its M6 luxury coupe, but ended up axing the project after the company could not justify a business case for the car.

The CSL would have had an active aerodynamics package, 220 lbs stripped from the car and upgraded power levels, but BMW ended up nixing the car, along with a prototype X5M that featured a rear-drive layout, SMG transmission and an unspecified V8 engine. BMW revealed the cars on Monday, as part of a collection of classic M vehicles.

While an M6 CSL sounds great on paper, the M6 was always more of a Grand Tourer, with an emphasis on luxury and rapid pace rather than outright performance. A CSL version would have run counter to the car’s mission, and judging by the amount of convertible M6s in existence, would likely have found few takers.

[Source: Autocar]

Some driving schools teach you the rules of the road. Others show you how to get the most out of your car while driving at the limit on a closed circuit. A rarefied few, like BMW‘s facility in the former East Germany, can show you how to get away with life and limb intact should you ever come under an armed assault.

With BMW’s lineup of factory armored cars, sold under the BMW Security lineup, are frequently sold to customers who live in locales where the rule of law isn’t always stringently enforced. The armor plating helps these types of BMW owners defend themselves against bullets or bombs, but the other half of the equation is driving training. The BMW facility, stationed at a former Soviet airbase, is a prime location to teach evasive driving maneuvers, and as the video below explains, it’s  pretty badass.

[Source: BMW]

Video after the jump

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BMW has recalled 130,000 vehicles using turbocharged inline-6 engines after complaints regarded the fuel pump used with the engine. Vehicles affected include 2007-2010 135i, 535i, X6 and Z4 cars, while another 20,000 2008 X5s are also being recalled, despite not using the turbo motor.

BMW owners approach ABC after they complained of “losing power” while driving, which was apparently the result of a fuel pump malfunction that caused the vehicle to enter into the “limp home” mode that owners of high performance engines may be too familiar with. In limp home mode, the engine reverts to a “safe” configuration that reduces power and load on the engine while ensuring that the driver can safely get the vehicle to a secure location.

ABC is said to be continuing their investigation, and we’ll avoid passing judgement untill all the facts are out.

[Source: ABC]

When the recession was upon us, it seemed like everyone was making the shopping shift from new to used cars. But now that things are starting to ease up, the prices on used cars have gone up as well.

According to Edmunds.com, used-car prices have increased, especially with larger vehicles such as Cadillac Escalades or Dodge Grand Caravans rising more than 30 percent. Sure, that’s a lot, but it’s still better that the used-car prices we were seeing last spring.

Last month, the average price in the U.S. for a used three-year-old vehicle was $19,248, up $1,800, or 10.3 percent, from the same month last year.

“Consumers are generally paying considerably more for used cars this year compared to 2009,” stated Joe Spina, a senior analyst for Edmunds.com. “A lack of confidence in the economy is driving more people to used cars, putting upward pricing pressure on a limited supply of vehicles.”

In a single year, a used Cadillac Escalade averaged $34,715 last month – that’s a 35.6 percent increase. As well, the Chevrolet Suburban, Dodge Grand Caravan and BMW X5 price rose past 30 percent.

[Source: USA Today]