[JSpira]

A correction was appended to the article so I am adding it here as well:

Correction: 22 October 2010
An earlier version of this article stated that comparable model diesel sales had risen to 38%. It also stated that 73% of BMW’s comparable model sales were for diesels. As a result of receiving incomplete sales data from several automakers, multiple corrections were made to the spreadsheet. Actual Q3 diesel sales were 33% industry-wide in the U.S. and BMW’s Q3 diesel sales were 29%. The incomplete data had no material impact on other figures.

BMW took the lead in comparable model diesel (v. petrol) sales in Q3 2010 according to a report in the current issue of The Diesel Driver.

In the E90 range, 335d sales sales beat the 335i by a small margin but the X5 buyers went diesel crazy.

Is 2010 the year of the diesel? A new analysis by The Diesel Driver shows an increasingly strong preference for diesel-powered cars compared to the petrol-powered equivalent models

The Diesel Driver analyzed detailed new-car sales data from Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Volkswagen, the four companies that currently offer diesel-powered passenger vehicles in the U.S. (a detailed spreadsheet of this data may be found at the end of this article). The data cover the first nine months of 2010 and show that diesel sales have not only continued to increase but, in the case of two auto makers, they have reached a point where more buyer chose a diesel than a petrol-powered equivalent model. The trends for the three months ending September 30, 2010 are particularly worthy of note.


In Q3, the increase in diesel popularity was most evident at BMW, where 73% of new car buyers chose a diesel variant over the equivalent petrol model. Indeed, the ratio of BMW X5 buyers who chose a diesel was 9 to 1.

[TheStigsTwin]

I think BMW is underestimating the US market for it's full diesel line. They could be selling even more diesels here in the States.

[Coolieman1220]

A diesel powertrain compliments the 5 series very well, along with the 7 series too.

Diesel is coming!!

[Thud]

Originally Posted by TheStigsTwin

I think BMW is underestimating the US market for it's full diesel line. They could be selling even more diesels here in the States.

So long as they keep offering the eco-credit. It makes sense that the 35d's are outselling the 35i's because they're actually cheaper with the credit. Once the credit goes away, the numbers will change. It's already been reduced from $4500 to $3500, I wonder if that will have any effect?

[JSpira]

Originally Posted by Coolieman1220

A diesel powertrain compliments the 5 series very well, along with the 7 series too.

Diesel is coming!!

Indeed, I've driven the 730d and the 530d and 535d.

See this article for details on the 535d.

[Chips335d]

I would like to see how the X5 35d is stacking up compared to the new X5 35i.

Also, I would of still bought the 335d without the eco-credit. The car is 100% worth it.

Once the 535d is released in the US, I expect a lot more people will be driving oil burners.

[TheStigsTwin]

Originally Posted by Thud

So long as they keep offering the eco-credit. It makes sense that the 35d's are outselling the 35i's because they're actually cheaper with the credit. Once the credit goes away, the numbers will change. It's already been reduced from $4500 to $3500, I wonder if that will have any effect?

True, but what I mean is the x30d and x20d's should be sold here in the states as well. Then the price will be right either way.

[igom3]

I love mine!

[chumley]

I must live in an area that is about 10 standard deviations from the norm because in my experience, these stats are, at best hard to believe if not absurd! I'm a huge fan of the X5D, it is likely to be a replacement for my wife's MDX but 9 to 1 ridiculous. New X5's are VERY common around here, my local dealer has anywhere from 5-10 on the lot at a time and I have seen exactly 1 X5D on the road so far. I've yet to see a single 335D on the road except for the one I drove that was my dealer's courtesy car - (which says alot about how well they sell if they're resigned to the loaner pool even with tax credits).

I'm not negative on the tech, just have a real hard time believing those stats.

Originally Posted by JSpira

BMW took the lead in comparable model diesel (v. petrol) sales in Q3 2010 according to a report in the current issue of The Diesel Driver.

In the E90 range, 335d sales sales beat the 335i by a small margin but the X5 buyers went diesel crazy.

[JSpira]

Originally Posted by chumley

I'm not negative on the tech, just have a real hard time believing those stats.

Does that mean you think that the car makers make these things up out of thin air?

[DnA Diesel]

Originally Posted by chumley

I must live in an area that is about 10 standard deviations from the norm because in my experience, these stats are, at best hard to believe if not absurd! I'm a huge fan of the X5D, it is likely to be a replacement for my wife's MDX but 9 to 1 ridiculous. New X5's are VERY common around here, my local dealer has anywhere from 5-10 on the lot at a time and I have seen exactly 1 X5D on the road so far. I've yet to see a single 335D on the road except for the one I drove that was my dealer's courtesy car - (which says alot about how well they sell if they're resigned to the loaner pool even with tax credits).

I'm not negative on the tech, just have a real hard time believing those stats.

I would guess that means drivers in Florida do not represent the national average. That I'd believe...not everyone wants to drive around in a mushy huge four-door sedan with a puffy, padded landau roof and continental tire kit on the trunk lid...

[JSpira]

Originally Posted by DnA Diesel

.not everyone wants to drive around in a mushy huge four-door sedan with a puffy, padded landau roof and continental tire kit on the trunk lid...

Those I have seen quite frequently on the roads in Florida. Good point!

[pantherfan69]

i imagine its because its averaged out, I hear on the west coast the diesels are hard to find, though I also hear diesel is cheaper than premium petrol out there (both statements are false for us in the southeast)

[TheStigsTwin]

Originally Posted by pantherfan69

i imagine its because its averaged out, I hear on the west coast the diesels are hard to find, though I also hear diesel is cheaper than premium petrol out there (both statements are false for us in the southeast)

I don't know about California, but in Arizona Diesel is not cheaper than Premium petrol and I have to say, I don't understand why.

[chumley]

Originally Posted by JSpira

Does that mean you think that the car makers make these things up out of thin air?

Well, it's from a Diesel Advocate site so I don't know? I mean common sense here....If each of you guys went to your local BMW dealer and looked on the lot are you telling me that 90%! of the X5's that are moving off the lot are diesels? Really? So a dealer with 10 X5's would have 9 diesels? I have a hard time believing that - and an equally hard time believing that 75% of 335 sales are diesels....

Thinking we must be insane in south FLA, I checked my dealer, a dealer north of me, Tampa then Atlanta. It's the same story at every dealer - check for yourself. For instance, at a large Atlanta dealer with 23 2011 X5's in stock they have 2 diesels....The same dealer has 87 3-series, 33 are 335 gas and 5 are 335 diesels. 2 of 23 and 5 of 38 hardly works out to 90% and 75% adoption rates... Checked a dealer in NYC because obviously NY'ers are much smarter than us FL people...24 X5's in stock, 2 diesels. Same dealer had 86 3's....4 of them diesels. The math just doesn't work....

Diesel Driver Source
Looking at their stats is suspect too. They list the gas X5 as the 30i which they don't even sell anymore. It's the N55 based 35i. That would explain how they were selling 1400-1500 a month until April where it dropped to 100. Do you guys really think that they only sold 77 of the gas ones in all of July? My dealer alone probably sold 10. BMW's total sales in this country seems to be most recently averaging around 18-19,000 BTW. If they selling < 100 X5 35i a month they would discontinue them.

Originally Posted by pantherfan69

i imagine its because its averaged out, I hear on the west coast the diesels are hard to find, though I also hear diesel is cheaper than premium petrol out there (both statements are false for us in the southeast)

I'm positive there are regional differences, but for it to be 90% and 75% of a model's sales on average, to make up for the unenlightened, the others would have to be nearly 100% - again hard to believe....

Again, absolutely NOT diesel bashing, my wife's next car is very likely to be the X5d, just think the stats are pretty silly.....

[Saintor]

Originally Posted by chumley

Well, it's from a Diesel Advocate site so I don't know? I mean common sense here....If each of you guys went to your local BMW dealer and looked on the lot are you telling me that 90%! of the X5's that are moving off the lot are diesels? Really? So a dealer with 10 X5's would have 9 diesels? I have a hard time believing that - and an equally hard time believing that 75% of 335 sales are diesels....

Thinking we must be insane in south FLA, I checked my dealer, a dealer north of me, Tampa then Atlanta. It's the same story at every dealer - check for yourself. For instance, at a large Atlanta dealer with 23 2011 X5's in stock they have 2 diesels....The same dealer has 87 3-series, 33 are 335 gas and 5 are 335 diesels. 2 of 23 and 5 of 38 hardly works out to 90% and 75% adoption rates... Checked a dealer in NYC because obviously NY'ers are much smarter than us FL people...24 X5's in stock, 2 diesels. Same dealer had 86 3's....4 of them diesels. The math just doesn't work....

Diesel Driver Source
Looking at their stats is suspect too. They list the gas X5 as the 30i which they don't even sell anymore. It's the N55 based 35i. That would explain how they were selling 1400-1500 a month until April where it dropped to 100. Do you guys really think that they only sold 77 of the gas ones in all of July? My dealer alone probably sold 10. BMW's total sales in this country seems to be most recently averaging around 18-19,000 BTW. If they selling < 100 X5 35i a month they would discontinue them.

Brillant answer to propaganda.

[Coolieman1220]

Originally Posted by Saintor

Brillant answer to propaganda.

The troll is back...didn't we get rid of you on 5 page thread already?

[JSpira]

After reviewing the data last night from several manufacturers, we felt something was amiss. We contacted the automakers in question first thing this morning and went over all of the data. Only a few data points were materially impacted. (It´s important to note that the automakers aren´t yet used to providing The Diesel Driver with this data so we are working out procedures so that we get the complete data set the first time around.)

Today, the article has been somewhat revised with the following correction appended thereto.

Correction: 22 October 2010
An earlier version of this article stated that comparable model diesel sales had risen to 38%. It also stated that 73% of BMW’s comparable model sales were for diesels. As a result of receiving incomplete sales data from several automakers, multiple corrections were made to the spreadsheet. Actual Q3 diesel sales were 33% industry-wide in the U.S. and BMW’s Q3 diesel sales were 29%. The incomplete data had no material impact on other figures.

[Saintor]

Actual Q3 diesel sales were 33% industry-wide in the U.S. and BMW’s Q3 diesel sales were 29%. The incomplete data had no material impact on other figures.

Propaganda-level statement and your math doesn't add up once more. You completely overlooked the 328i and so many models to make a generalized statement like this. If you include the X5 3.0, there is no reason not to include the 328i, which has a better power-to-ratio than a X5 3.0.

For the record 3.4% of 3-series sold in September is diesel, thanks to massive rebates.

[Thud]

Originally Posted by TheStigsTwin

True, but what I mean is the x30d and x20d's should be sold here in the states as well. Then the price will be right either way.

Yah... Given the number of Jetta TDI's driving around, seems like there's a strong market for small diesels.

[Thud]

Originally Posted by chumley

Thinking we must be insane in south FLA, I checked my dealer, a dealer north of me, Tampa then Atlanta. It's the same story at every dealer - check for yourself. For instance, at a large Atlanta dealer with 23 2011 X5's in stock they have 2 diesels....The same dealer has 87 3-series, 33 are 335 gas and 5 are 335 diesels. 2 of 23 and 5 of 38 hardly works out to 90% and 75% adoption rates...

You do realize that the cars sitting on the lot are the ones that AREN'T being sold, right?

[Chips335d]

Originally Posted by Saintor

Propaganda-level statement and your math doesn't add up once more. You completely overlooked the 328i and so many models to make a generalized statement like this. If you include the X5 3.0, there is no reason not to include the 328i, which has a better power-to-ratio than a X5 3.0.

For the record 3.4% of 3-series sold in September is diesel, thanks to massive rebates.

The data compares model vs model. I'll explain

335i sedan vs 335d sedan (not 328i, not M3, not xi, not coupe,vert,wagon)

X5 3.0i was replaced by the X5 35i when BMW released the 2011 LCI X5 this summer. JSpira included it in the data because for the first 5 months of 2010, that was the only gasoline inline-6 on the X5. Leftover 2010 X5's with the 3.0i engine are still on dealer lots and still selling.

X5 30i/35i vs X5 35d. (again, not 50i, not X5 M)

Why would he bring the 328i into the equation? Is there a 328d?