The BMW X5 and X7 won’t be getting their diesel flagships back.
Removed from the line-up in August 2019, the X5 and X7 M50d won’t be returning. Instead, the petrol M50i will remain at the top of the range.
“The M50i has permanently replaced the M50d for the Australian market,” a BMW Australia spokesperson confirmed.
The original sales stop was pinned on a global shortage, and was meant to be temporary. When sales stopped, the M50d accounted for 16 per cent of X5 sales and 12 per cent of X7 sales.
Australia isn’t alone in losing its diesel flagship. Autocar reports the M50d is being removed from the BMW Europe range due to its complexity, which makes it expensive to manufacture.
Both X5 and X7 M50d models were powered by a 3.0-litre inline-six diesel engine with four turbochargers, putting out 294kW and 760Nm.
With an eight-speed automatic transmission and xDrive all-wheel drive the X5 could hit 100km/h in 5.2 seconds from standstill, while the X7 manages the same sprint in 5.4 seconds.
The petrol-powered M50i puts out 390kW and 750Nm from its 4.4-litre twin-turbo petrol V8.
