As 2020 comes closer to its final quarter, we’re starting to see car companies move forward with their plans for the next year. For at least two major German manufacturers, it looks like that means the end of certain special diesel motors. Volkswagen, for instance, just released 400 units of this Touareg V8 “Last Edition” for just over 100,000 euros. The justification? It’s going to be one of the last VWs with the large 4.0-litre V8 TDI engine. Besides that, it’s essentially the Touareg R-Line with black accents, black wheels and ‘Last Edition’ badges on the B-pillar.
A similar vehicle with a very similar engine is sold by Audi in the SQ8. However, given that it was just introduced a year ago, we’re not sure how quickly it’ll be removed from the lineup. The engine also appears in the Porsche Panamera 4S Diesel, Bentley Bentayga and several other large, performance Audi models. It’s capable of an ENORMOUS 435PS and 900Nm of torque, though each brand and model gets its own tune and output. Again, we’re not sure if this engine is only being discontinued for Volkswagen or if it will be the same across the group.
Over in Munich, the relatively new 3.0L inline 6 diesel with quad turbochargers is also seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. The engine has only been around since 2016. It was developed as a way to give BMW’s larger X5, X6 (and now X7) SUVs the kind of power and responsiveness one would find in a typical high-performance BMW sedan.
Sadly (or not, depending on how you look at it), BMW are moving resources towards more electrification. With the company struggling to turn a profit amidst the coronavirus pandemic and ever-tightening emissions restrictions in Europe, the first victim is this incredible quad turbo diesel engine. September will likely be its last month of production and availability.
You’ll find this engine in the ‘M50d’ SUV models that BMW sells in Europe and some other markets. BMW’s internal designation for this particular engine is ‘B57D30S0’ and it’s the most powerful diesel the brand produces – more powerful even than the ‘M67’ V8 diesels they made until 2009. It’s capable of 400PS and 760Nm of torque while still being quite fuel efficient when driven with a light foot.
For Malaysians, it barely makes a difference what happens to these engines. We haven’t developed a taste for diesels and very few companies are willing to introduce these powertrains in the country anyway. Strangely enough, the BMW X7 M50d is available in Thailand. In fact, it’s the ONLY version of the X7 on sale there. Will Thailand be downgraded to something less powerful, or will it be the last place where you can experience this incredible engine for a while.
