BMW Reportedly Working on a Quad-Turbocharged Diesel Engine

2016 BMW 7 Series (Credit: © BMW)

Here in the U.S., we get only a tiny nibble of BMW’s scrumptious diesel lineup, including the 3.0-liter TwinPower Turbo diesel and the 2.0-liter TwinPower Turbo diesel. One such engine that we have yet to see on these shores is the 3.0-liter tri-turbo diesel unit in the brand’s larger cars. According to Bimmertoday, there may soon be another awesome diesel that we’ll miss in the form of a quad-turbo version of the aforementioned tri-turbo 3.0-liter.

This engine, which will debut in the 2016 750d xDrive, remains a bit of a mystery, as all of the details are unconfirmed. A big part of the mystery is whether Bimmer will strap an electric turbo onto the existing tri-turbo engine, or add another traditional exhaust-driven blower. Either way, this setup will improve upon the tri-turbo setup by increasing its low-end torque and widening its powerband.

The report indicates that adding this fourth turbo won’t result in a huge spike in output, as BMW Blog expects it to ring in at 408 horsepower and 590 pound-feet of torque. For reference, the 3.0-liter tri-turbo engine produces 381 horsepower and 546 pound-feet of twist in the 750d xDrive.

Given the limited demand for diesel engines here in the U.S., the chances of us getting this awesome engine are very slim. Many premium-car buyers in the U.S. still see diesels as fuel-efficient rattle buckets, plus many still prefer the grumble of an angry V-8.

Maybe one day we’ll see the true awesomeness in engines like this 3.0-liter tri-turbo (soon to be quad-turbo) unit, but for now we’ll only get to view it from afar.

We’ll bring you updates on this engine as they become available, so keep it locked here.