Diesel engines have had their heyday as the inevitable move toward electrification corroborated with increasingly stringent emissions regulations are gradually putting an end to this type of engine. Nevertheless, in 2023, there are still plenty of fans, especially among those who do a lot of miles on the highway and are careful with fuel consumption. The low-end torque is also a major plus.
While performance diesels have always been a niche, BMW was among the few automakers to sell diesel-fueled sporty cars. The tri- and four-turbocharged M50d models are long gone, but you can still have an M340d or the ALPINA D3 S. This video highlights a previous-generation 3 Series, a more practical Touring model (F31) in the most potent diesel configuration – 335d.
Mind you, it’s no ordinary 335d as it has had its twin-turbo N57 engine massaged to deliver 385 horsepower and 680 Newton-meters (500 lb-ft) of torque. This inconspicuous long-roof 3 Series is still going strong after nearly 230,000 kilometers (almost 143,000 miles) and sounds sublime for a diesel 3er or any diesel car for that matter. It was taken to an unrestricted section of the Autobahn where it delivered strong acceleration off the line as well as in-gear.
We can see the driver using the whole speedometer by hitting 260 km/h (162 mph), devouring the German highway without breaking a sweat. We’d argue this 335d Touring is the perfect tool for the Autobahn, although we could honestly do without all that smoke coming from the exhaust. The inline-six sounds wicked under hard acceleration and doesn’t seem to run out of breath at all.
There will come a day when automakers will have no other way but to call time on diesel cars but that day hasn’t arrived yet. Until then, tuners are happy to work on “oil burners.” Like everything in life, there are pros and cons to having a diesel car, and in 2023, Europe seems to be the last bastion for this type of engine.
Source: AutoTopNL / YouTube
