Last week, the Spartanburg plant decided to put a temporary hold on the BMW X5 xDrive35d production for the American market. American customers who have ordered a BMW X5 xDrive35d were advised by U.S. dealers to expect a delay. To get some insight into the delayed production, we’ve reached out to BMW North America for an official statement.
“All MY2016 BMW X5 underwent some minor technical updates that required new emissions testing,” said Rebecca Kiehne – BMW North America Product & Technical Communications Spokesperson. “Due to testing logistics the certification will be finished by the end of the year on the diesel variant,” Kiehne added.
The U.S. plant is building the BMW X5 xDrive35d for all the global markets and it has been the only diesel-powered model sold in the United States. The hold only applies to the models sold in the US.
The X5 xDrive35d uses the N57 diesel turbocharged plant – a 3.0 liter inline six-cylinder which produces 255 hp at 4000 rpm. Peak torque is available from 1500-3000 rpm and it’s paired with an eight speed automatic transmission, up from the six speed auto in last generation’s X5 diesel. The new X5 diesel cranks out an improved EPA rating of 24 MPG city, 31 MPG Hwy.
“Consequently, the on sale date and model year change for MY2016 BMW X5 xDrive35d has been set to December 2015,” Kiehne stated.
