A BMW dealer in the Netherlands has leaked what it says is a tasty bit of information on the upcoming diesel 5 Series. According to Autoblog, the vehicle will boast a tri-turbo inline six-cylinder oil burner good for around 381 horsepower.
That's a far cry from the 500-horespower speculation that had been making the rounds, but it's offset by another remarkable number. The vehicle will pack 516 pound-feet of torque, which should be enough for the big sedan's all-wheel drive system to rip up massive handfuls of pavement.
Word has it that the 550d will only be available with all all-wheel drive, at least initially. Production is set to start in March 2012, and as usual, good luck seeing it in the U.S. But there's a chance the engine will show up in the next-generation BMW X5 and X6, which would broaden their appeal as far as fuel economy is concerned. Expect a Touring variant overseas. —Paul Duchene
