UK-based BMW 730d travels 900 miles on single tank to prove diesel’s not dead

Almost 44 mpg is a very solid result for a two-tonne non-hybrid luxury limo.

Ever since Volkswagen’s Dieselgate global scandal exploded a few years ago, diesel has been a dirty word. It’s been discovered that many compression ignition engines emit much more harmful gases than what the regulations allow and that basically meant the days of the diesel are numbered. While diesel may not be a popular choice in the United States, there are European manufacturers that still produce really efficient and dynamic diesel engines.

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BMW 730d road trip

BMW’s B57 inline-six diesel engine is one very good example. With a 3.0-litre displacement and a power output of between 265 bhp and 400 bhp depending on the number of turbochargers, it’s easily more economical than any other combustion-powered 7 Series if we don’t take into consideration the hybrid models. Here’s why.

These are good diesels:

A new video from Joe Achilles on YouTube shows a 730d in action. The England-based BMW enthusiast decided to see how many miles it can cover with his 730 Ld on a single tank of diesel. The initial plan involved a trip from London to Barcelona but the travel restrictions around Europe forced him to make a UK-only journey.

One morning, Achilles took his car to the fuel station and filled it with 78 litres of premium diesel. He took on a trip around the country trying to keep the luxury limo at speeds where it’s most efficient, which in this case seems to mean approximately 70 miles per hour (112 kilometres per hour). 

The result? Achilles managed to travel more than 900 miles without refuelling and the onboard computer in the 7 Series showed 52.7 miles per gallon (UK), which is about 43.88 miles per gallon (US) or 5.4 litres per 100 kilometres. That’s… absolutely amazing, no matter what they tell you about diesel.

Source: Joe Achilles