While the BMW M550i xDrive model has been put on hold by BMW for legal reasons related to emission regulations, the M550d xDrive version is alive and kicking, delivering incredible performance to those looking for a quad-turbo engine. At the moment there are only two cars in the world using four turbos attached to their mills and one of them costs around $2 million, so you might want to reevaluate your options.
The M550d comes with a 3-liter diesel engine, the straight six heart of the luxurious 5er making 400 HP and 760 Nm of torque, number never-before thought possible for such a small displacement. The same engine is available on the 7 Series these days, the 750d and its long wheelbase alter-ego being motivated by the exact same B57S engine. In standard guise the M550d xDrive is claimed to do 62 mph from standstill in 4.4 seconds and the video below seems to confirm BMW’s claims.
It will also reach a top speed of 250 km/h (155 mph) which is electronically limited. That’s the GPS speed not the one shown on the odometer which is known to be a bit less precise. Of course, all these specs seem impressive but in real life, reaching that limited top speed is more a matter of space and time and not of sheer power. There are a lot of cars out there these days capable of such velocities but doing it without breaking the law is a different topic altogether.
The guys from AutoTopNL are lucky enough to live close to unrestricted Autobahns where such diesel monsters can really stretch their legs. Considering how good the chassis of the new G30 5 Series is, this M Performance model could very well be the perfect all-rounder for someone who wants unlimited range, power beyond expectation and the ability to do some fast laps on the Nurburgring.
