Diesel powered BMW M models?

Am currently sitting in a cafe with WiFi trying to get some work done. Playing on the flat screen TV is ESPN's highlights of the 2009 season of FIA WTCC. I hardly follow any motor racing series, not even Formula One. At least not as regularly as I used to. Watching the highlights, I get an odd feeling seeing the works BMW team 320si cars being pushed around and hunted down with no mercy by packs of yellow liveried "lowly" Seat Leon TDIs. If this is the impression that a regular guy like myself get, what more about the BMW Motorsports boys in Munich. After all, this is a brand that takes great pride in building performance and driver oriented cars. In as recent as 10 years ago, Seat is hardly a name that anyone would associate with having the capability to challenge BMW on the track. But obviously Seat has benefited tremendously from going under VW's umbrella.


Those petrol powered BMW are fast but it is clear that they are struggling to keep up with the pace of the Seats powered by a VW developed TDI engine. It's certainly not a driver issue as the BMW works team include names like Andy Priaulx and Jörg Müller. Both the 2009 driver's and manufacturer's title are won by Seat. Even in this year's privateer's league "Independents' Trophy" is won by Tom Coronel, in another Seat Leon. Last year, the points gap between BMW and Seat was a whopping 52 points. This year BMW managed to close the gap to just 3 points.

A thought crossed my mind - when would BMW finally concede to building a diesel powered high performance car? So far, none of the M-badged models are diesel powered. Audi's R8 V12 diesel is already making people wondering why bother with a 645Ci?

Rumours of a diesel powerplant for the next generation M3 have been circulating for quite some time but so far there have been no reliable info. The main concern for BMW is that the characteristics of a diesel engine does not quite fit well with the expected characteristics of a BMW, particularly its M-badged models.

Below is a highlights video on the 2009 season WTCC. 


Related link :
The great powertrain debate - diesel vs hybrid