2014 BMW 328d diesel to start at $39,525

BMW is bringing the 328d range of sedans and wagons to the U.S. to replace the departing 335d, with sales starting this fall for the 2014 model year. Both the sedan and the wagon will use the same 2.0-liter four-cylinder Twinpower turbodiesel engine producing 180 hp and 280 lb-ft of torque.

The 328d rear-wheel drive sedan starts at $39,525, and with xDrive the starting MSRP goes up a bit to $41,525, though throwing the options book at the either sedan will render the difference somewhat moot. The 328d station wagon will be available only with xDrive, and will start at $43,875.

EPA fuel economy figures are rated at 32 mpg city and 45 mpg highway (37 mpg combined) for the rear-wheel drive 328d sedan. Fuel efficiency figures decline a bit for the xDrive-equipped models, which still offer 31 city and 43 highway. Aside from these being stellar figures for cars its size and weight in relation to the engine displacement, perhaps the most notable fact about the 328d's fuel economy is that it actually bests its ActiveHybrid 3 stablemate, which managed only 33 mpg highway while stickering out at a little more than $50,000.

Don't worry: BMW assures us these mpg figures don't mean that the 328d range will require half a minute of sifting through the gears and fahren fahren fahren auf der Autobahn to reach 60 mph. An 8-speed automatic will get you to 60 in just a little over seven seconds, according to the company's figures.

Back home BMW has even more fuel-efficient 316d and 318d sedans, which achieve between 52 and 55 mpg according to BMW, but there are no current plans to bring them to North America.

By Jay Ramey