BMW will soon be able to kick off production of the 2016 X5 xDrive35d after it was confirmed the luxury SUV has passed strict new diesel emissions tests in the United States and Canada.
Following Volkswagen’s well-reported diesel emissions scandal in mid-September, Transport Canada and environmental regulators in the U.S. confirmed that additional tests would be conducted on new diesel cars entering the market, to ensure they didn’t have emissions-cheating software or devices installed.
Late last week, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) concluded its tests on the new diesel X5 and cleared it to be sold locally. In the lead-up to the testing, BMW delayed production of the X5 xDrive35d to ensure it complied with emission regulations and now it has confirmed production of the car in Spartanburg, South Carolina will commence shortly.
Power for the SUV is provided by a 3.0-liter inline-six cylinder turbocharged engine delivering 255 hp at 4000 rpm. When combined with an eight-speed manual transmission, the car returns an impressive 24 mpg in the city and 31 mpg on the highway. The first cars are expected to be delivered later this month.
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