BMW set to debut diesel 7-series in the US

While Mercedes-Benz has let us Americans buy diesel versions of its flagship sedan from time to time, BMW has kept a number of versions of the 7-series from our shores, among which are 7-series sedans with diesel engines. Well, it looks like we'll finally be getting a diesel 7-series after all, with the arrival of the 740Ld later this spring.

The 740Ld will be powered by a 3.0-liter inline-six diesel engine with a single turbocharger with variable vane turbine technology, making 255-hp and 413 lb-ft of torque, and will be coupled exclusively with BMW's xDrive all-wheel drive system. The diesel 7 will be available only in long-wheelbase form, signaling that this is perhaps a car for commuters who are interested in a little more range rather than sportiness. Acceleration from 0 to 60 will be a bit slower: 6.1 seconds instead of 5.4 in the gas-engined 7-series, though that slight disadvantage is perhaps moot in real world conditions.

Even though BMW has not released any fuel economy figures for the 740Ld, though it did mention that it'll enjoy fuel economy that is 25 to 30 percent better than in the gas powered models. Based on that, we can probably expect the new 740Ld to return a combined 30 mpg. Standard features on the diesel-engined will include Dynamic Driving Control with Eco Pro mode, as well as Auto Start/Stop for greater fuel economy.

BMW
The 740Ld will be coupled with xDrive all-wheel drive and will be available only in long-wheelbase form.

We'll get a detailed look at the upcoming 740Ld xDrive at the Chicago Auto Show before it arrives in dealerships, though pricing for this model has already been announced. The 740Ld will start at $83,425, which is $1,500 more than the gas-engined 740Li xDrive. Given the choice of options, it's fair to say that that price difference is within the margin of error after a trip down the list of options.

By Jay Ramey