In a bold move, BMW has brought in its diesel mobile machine which is not only aesthetically pleasing but powerful and super efficient

No, we are not talking about a beautiful girl; this space is reserved for motoring, remember? The beauty with the long legs we are referring to is the new BMW 320D, which is part of BMW Malaysia’s latest thrust in the direction of its BMW Efficient Dynamics campaign, in short, the introduction of its latest range of diesel-engined vehicles into the country.

In Europe, well over half the cars sold are with diesel engines, and if you are a motorsport fan, you will also know that diesel-powered cars are outgunning gasoline-powered cars in the endurance races. The diesels are winning because they not only produce more power than their gasoline-powered rivals, but they are also making fewer refuelling stops. The modern diesel engine has come of age — no more a noisy, smoky, and sluggish donkey, but a clean-burning, fuel-efficient, and powerful powerplant that potentially lasts longer, and runs longer than a petrol engine of a similar capacity.

To bring you up to speed, the new generation diesels run a different fuel injection system that is far more efficient and easier to maintain. Those who are more advanced in age will remember those fuel-injection pump service centres that used to flourish in the old days; their function was to calibrate mechanical fuel pumps and nozzles, and to repair and service the units on a periodic basis; a leaking fuel injection pump was a common sight, and clouds of black smoke and fumes were the order of the day. You still see the old systems on some of the trucks running around, but insofar as cars are concerned, the move has been made towards the common-rail diesel, which is what the new generation diesel is all about. In addition, diesel fuel technology has improved in leaps and bounds, with Europe and the rest of the modern world on Euro 4 diesel and above.

The common-rail diesel comes with an injection system that uses an electronic pump to pump the fuel from the fuel tank, and puts it under tremendous pressure in a tube called a fuel rail, just short of the fuel injectors placed above the combustion chambers of the engine. An electronic Engine Control Unit (ECU) then opens up the injectors on cue, and squirts the fuel into the combustion chamber, where it explodes to provide the thrusting force to propel the crankshaft, turn the engine, and thus your wheels, through the transmission.

All of the European automakers have diesel variants for most of their range of cars, and diesels are fast gaining popularity there, especially since fuel prices have been going up consistently, and diesel cars have proven to be more fuel efficient than gasoline-powered cars. Unfortunately, the European diesel engines are made to run on Euro 4 diesel or higher, and the European car makers are reluctant to being in their diesels to Malaysia because up to last year, we were still selling the equivalent of Euro 1 diesel at our petrol stations. BMW and Mercedes-Benz had imported some of their diesel cars previously, and although not much is said, the word in the street is that there were some issues.

Recently, the government has made a positive move in the right direction by introducing Euro 2 fuel, and has announced plans to go to Euro 4 by 2012. This is great news for us here in Malaysia, because we will soon be able to enjoy the new diesels, but more importantly, a cleaner environment (less smog, cleaner burning), and lower fuel costs.

Rather than wait another two years, BMW again has taken a bold step forward and have introduced their diesel range, and we in the media are among the first to taste what it is like. I took the BMW 320D for a drive to Temerloh and back, a journey that covered approximately 300km.

The diesel engine in the 320D is a 2.0 litre common-rail diesel, but is tuned for “developing” countries, and is designed to run on Euro 2 or Euro 3 fuel grades. According to a spokesman, it will run perfectly on our existing diesel, and will run better when the government introduces Euro 4 later. Enough about the fuel, let’s talk about the car.

It looks like any other E90 BMW (current 3 Series), except for some minor trim differences, and the engine clatters a little if you are outside the car. Once inside, it sounds just like its petrol-engined sister car, but driving it is a totally different experience. With 177hp and 350Nm of torque on tap, it outperforms the BMW 320i, and is almost on par with the 325i.

Zero to 100kph is claimed at 8.0 seconds, but on my test run, with air-conditioner on, I achieved 7.8 seconds. Top speed is 228kph, which I had no problem reaching at all. With a six-speed automatic gearbox, the power transmission is seamless, and it drives just like any of the 3 Series BMW’s, except that this one is cheaper to run. Fuel consumption is rated at 6.0 litre per 100 kilometres; what I got was a range between 8.0 to 10.5 litres per 100km, depending on how I drove. Compare this to a petrol-engined BMW, where the fuel consumption can range from 9.0 to 16+ litres per 100km or more, and you will know what I mean about long legs. If the petrol engined car is a horse, then this would be a camel; not so refined (noisier engine), but is just as fast, and can go longer.

Road performance and handling is on par with the 320i, including the somewhat harsh ride. It handles beautifully, inspiring confidence in one to charge into corners, but the ride comfort is compromised, which, to some extent is due to the run-flat tyres that they have put onto the car. These run-flats have reinforced sidewalls that do not flex as much as those on conventional tyres, and so translates the road undulations to the driver and passenger.  If I were asked whether there was any way that BMW could make the 320D better, I would ask them to have a re-look at the suspension settings; sacrificing a little of the handling in the interest of people’s behinds would definitely make the car more appealing.

Overall, I think that the BMW, despite the suspension, would make a great buy, especially for those who like performance and have long distances to travel. Retail price is RM255,800.


Y S Khong is a four-time Malaysian rally champion. He has been a consultant to several car manufacturers in the country.

This article appeared in Options, the lifestyle pullout of The Edge Malaysia, Issue 788, Jan 11 – 17, 2010