BMW has been working hard for many years to create one of the most desirable brands on our roads, with ‘the ultimate driving machine’ claims backed up by a range of cars that have rarely been a let-down. To stay ahead of the game, the Bavarian brand has bombarded us with diverse models in recent years, as well as keeping up its backbone ranges such as the 3 Series and 5 Series.
The 3 Series is BMW’s biggest seller and has recently been updated, much to the delight of legions of BMW fans looking ahead to their next BMW finance deal. BMW hasn’t left it there, either, with 2012 bringing a whole host of new and updated models.
First to receive the once over is the flagship 7 Series, the BMW luxury cruiser and Mercedes S Class rival. If you’re interested in cars on finance that are brimming with technology and opulence, then the 7 Series is definitely worth a second look. The new 2012 model is due to be officially launched at the prestigious Geneva Motor Show in March and will feature subtle styling tweaks, a new automatic gearbox with eight speeds and a revised instrument design.
Also getting the mid-life makeover is the curious X6, the BMW SUV Coupé crossover that somewhat resembles an X5 hatchback. It seems a strange mix for a car of its size, but if you want a sporty SUV then a BMW X6 leasing package might just be for you. As with the 7 Series, the X6 gets restrained styling changes, along with two new interior upholstery colour options.
BMW’s designers and engineers must have been very busy recently, as there’s even more coming to a showroom near you very soon. The X6 launch has been timed to coincide with the début of the BMW M diesel range. Petrol heads will know that M stands for ‘Motorsport’ and has been BMW’s famous performance car division since the late 1970s. A move into diesel engines is significant, as diesel drive has traditionally been the poor relation to petrol power in performance cars. This development now means that you can get cars on finance that are both quick and frugal.
The new diesel unit is due to make its début in the X5, X6 and 5 Series, labelled the X5 M50d, X6 M50d and M550d respectively. For a direct comparison to a petrol equivalent, it’s worth placing the 5 Series M550d alongside its petrol-powered 5 Series brother – the M5. The M550d produces 376bhp, which is 176bhp less than the M5, but BMW say that the M550d will accelerate from 0-62mph in 4.7 seconds, just three-tenths of a second slower than its petrol cousin.
A major benefit of the diesel M550d over the M5 is the much lower fuel consumption, boasting 44.8mpg combined cycle, compared to 28.5mpg for the M5. The 550d will be cheaper to tax too, with 165g/km CO2 compared to 232g/km CO2 for the M5.
It’ll be interesting to see if diesel can overtake petrol in the affections of customers looking for performance cars on finance in the future. What’s even more interesting is what juicy prospect BMW might come up with next to entice us into our next car finance deal.
Tags: BMW Finance, BMW X6 leasing, cars on finance