First Drive: BMW 123d
The BMW 123d may be the most powerful two-liter diesel ever offered, producing 204 hp and 295 pound-feet of torque at 2000 rpm. 
This is enough to get the car from zero to 100 kilometers in 7 seconds. Fuel consumption as measured by the European Driving Cycle is 36 mpg city, 53 mpg highway, and 45 mpg combined. Indeed it’s a pity it’s not (yet) offered in the States.
Inside the cabin, given an absence of engine noise, the only clue that we are driving a diesel is the tachometer’s 5000 rpm redline. But put the six-speed manual transmission into gear, step on the accelerator and there’s no question you are driving a BMW.
Besides its diesel engine, the 123d has yet another fuel saving feature: Auto Start-Stop, a feature that shuts the engine off when you stop at a red light (or elsewhere). When you push in the clutch, the engine springs back to life and you drive away. The technology is very popular in Europe and we are already seeing it in the States in several hybrid models.
Our test car was the three-door Sports Hatch model but it’s also available with five doors as well as a coupe or cabrio. It came equipped with BMW’s M suspension and the handling was pure BMW. I’ve driven several petrol and diesel 1er Series BMWs in the past year and I’ve found them to be some of the best representations of Freude am Fahren available today.
THE DETAILS
| 2009 BMW 123d | |
| Base price | €31,900 |
| Drivetrain | Front engine, rear-wheel drive |
| Engine | 2.0-liter inline 4 twin turbo |
| Max hp | 204 |
| Max torque (pound-feet) | 295 |
| Curb weight
(pounds) |
3295 |
| Wheelbase (inches) | 104.7 |
| Length x width x height (inches) | 166.8 x 76 x 55.9 |
| 0-62 mph (seconds) | 7.0 |
| Top speed mph | 148 |
| City/highway fuel economy (mpg) | 36/53 |
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[...] diesel won the in the 1.8-liter to 2-liter category and is found in the BMW X1 xDrive23d, the BMW 123d, and the Mini Cooper [...]
I’m not sure what all the ‘issues’ are with getting these cars over to the States, but if our government was REALLY SERIOUS about fuel economy and ‘saving’ the environment, they’d make damn sure these cars were available to us! A total shame!
I’ve been lusting for this oil burner in the USA for two years. OK, BMW, it’s time to bring it!
135i owner
Can someone tell me why BMW decided not to import the 123d? A sporty, stick-shift, RWD diesel would be a smashing success. Why doesn’t Munich see this? Indeed, they could make it quite easily in SC, I would think. The car has gotten rave reviews when a one-off was imported to the USA for testing purposes. It’s rare that BMW makes such an obvious slip up, but I think they really missed the boat by importing only the 3-series diesel (much more bulky, and with a slushbox).
This is the real deal. I am driving this car since 4 months now and frustrated a lot of 6 cilinder cars on the german highway.
Had a big testdrive and drove 6000 miles this summer from Switzerland through scandinavia with an average of 5.5 liters/100 kilometers. In Norway where you hardly can’t drive any faster then 80 km/h (52 mile) the fuel comsumption dropped until an amazing value of 4.9 liter. An certain moments the computer told me that I have a reach of over 650 miles.
From 70 km/h (around 44 miles/hour) you can drive in 6h gear with around 1200 rpm with no trouble at all. In 5th gear you can literaly drive from the slow 30 mph to 137 mph in one massive acceleration (ok the real acceleration begins after 2000 rpm ) the 5000 rpm hard limit is the only thing that spoiles it (feeling hitting a wall) after 137 mph in 6h gear is relatively slowly accelerate further to over 250 km ( 155 mph)ph. on tacho which is amazing for this small diesel engine.
Great fun and great economics.