One of the models that BMW will reveal at the 2012 edition if the Geneva Motor Show next week is the M550d xDrive, the 5-Series based model of the M Performance Automobiles sub-brand that also make its premiere at the same event. As is common practice these days, the “550” badge doesn't reveal the engine’s capacity as it used to. The M550d is powered by BMW’s new 3.0-liter inline-six diesel that features no less than three turbochargers, including two smaller and a larger unit.
The numbers speak for themselves: 381HP, 740Nm (546 lb-ft) of torque at just 2,000 rpm are more than adequate for a 4.7 seconds sprint from standstill to 100 km/h (62 mph) – just 0.3 seconds slower than the M5.
Being a diesel, the performance and the standard four-wheel drive system of the M550d do not come with a large penalty at the pumps, as the sedan's average fuel consumption is just 6.3 lt/100 km (37.3 mpg US).
Following an earlier announcement, today the Munich-based company published the first non-studio shots of the M550d xDrive.
The humongous on-location gallery includes 98 images, which you can check out for yourself right after the break.
