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"   MUNICH, Germany\u2014 If you think diesels might be a hard sell in the U.S., consider that it took over a decade for Europe to embrace the fuel fully. Compared to Mercedes-Benz, BMW came relatively late to the diesel game in 1983 with its 524td. But since then, BMW has steadily increased its focus, with diesels now comprising 71 percent of European sales.   BMW hopes that roller-coaster gas prices (and a projected decline in diesel costs) will create a paradigm shift in the U.S. Will Americans finally warm up to the technology? Coming to North America this month are two clean diesel Bimmers, the BMW 335d sedan, which we recently tested, and the X5 xDrive 35d. Both share the same powerplant. We road-tripped the clean diesel X5 from BMW headquarters in Munich down the autobahn, through the Alps and into northern Italy to assess how it manages a challenging road trip. \u2014Basem Wasef  The Specs  The X5 gets a subtle face lift for 2009, but more notable is the option of a clean diesel 3.0-liter inline-6 engine that&amp;#039;s BIN5-approved and legal in all 50 states. The powerplant uses common rail piezo injectors that operate with up to 2000 bar pressure, and modulate up to five shots of fuel per combustion stroke. Variable twin-turbos create broad power delivery thanks to a small turbine operating at lower rpms, and a larger one that takes over at higher engine speeds.   Unlike Euro-spec diesels, the 35d&amp;#039;s aluminum-block engine uses a urea injection system to cope with stringent North American NOx requirements. After exhaust passes through a maintenance-free particulate filter, a dosing module injects urea using a NOx sensor, and exhaust gases exit through an SCR catalyst. The urea tank requires refills roughly every 12,000 miles; they&amp;#039;re done for free with every oil change for the first four years or 50,000 miles of the car&amp;#039;s life.   Aggressive driving will increase urea usage, and if a refill is required before an oil change, the customer is responsible for the top-off cost. Due to an EPA mandate, all diesels with urea injection systems are required to warn drivers when urea levels are low and disable the car when the tank is empty. Warnings on the X5 start 1500 miles before the tank empties, and if warnings are ignored, the system counts down a preset number of engine starts before the vehicle is disabled.  The X5&amp;#039;s inline-6 produces 265 horsepower at 4220 rpm and an impressive 425 lb.-ft. of torque at only 1750 rpm\u2014the same torque as a Chrysler 6.1-liter V8 Hemi, and not far off from the amount produced by the V12 found in last year&amp;#039;s BMW 7-series. EPA estimates fuel economy at 19 mpg city and 25 mpg highway. And BMW claims a 0\u201360 mph time of 7.0 seconds flat. Both are notable numbers considering the X5 has a curb weight of 5225 pounds, 309 more than its gasoline counterpart. The Drive  The X5 xDrive 35d&amp;#039;s interior feels just as buttoned down as you&amp;#039;d expect from a modern BMW, with leather balanced with tasteful wood and aluminum trim along the doors, dash and transmission tunnel. An optional panoramic roof lightens up the mood a bit, though part of the X5&amp;#039;s appeal has always been its simple Germanic purposefulness. Unfortunately, the X5 hasn&amp;#039;t received the easier-to-use iDrive units found in the new 3-series and 7-series. But that&amp;#039;s sure to come\u2014eventually.  The X5 diesel produces a bit more click-clack sound at startup than the 335d sedan, but these mechanical noises do make more sense when they come from an SUV. Click the fly-by-wire shifter into &amp;quot;D&amp;quot; and heavy pressure on the right pedal produces strong thrust. Remember, there&amp;#039;s 425 lb.-ft. of torque way down at 1750 rpm, so the X5 accelerates with far more insistence than you&amp;#039;d expect from a 3.0-liter inline-6. We found ourselves punching the throttle at green lights, then letting up on the gas about 1500 rpm before the 5000 rpm redline in order to maximize the engine&amp;#039;s strong low and mid-range power.   On the A8 towards Salzburg, we took advantage of the open stretches of unrestricted autobahn and hit an indicated 130 mph; the electronically limited top speed was due to our X5&amp;#039;s H-rated tires. But sport package\u2013equipped models will have a higher top-end. Though handling is generally competent for an SUV, there&amp;#039;s sometimes a bit of steering uncertainty during higher-speed transitions. Nonetheless, overall chassis stability is rock-solid when cruising above 100 mph. We saw an observed fuel economy number of 23 mpg during the 200-mile drive from Germany to Italy, which included plenty of high-speed runs on twisty alpine passes.  The Bottom Line   Given the waning popularity of gas-guzzling SUVs stateside, we&amp;#039;re guessing a clean diesel X5 might fill a need for a reasonably fuel-efficient tall wagon with impressive acceleration. Thanks to a fat torque band that&amp;#039;s well-suited to American driving habits, the X5 xDrive 35d has plenty to offer. That is, if buyers can get over those old 1980s notions that diesels are slow and stinky.  RELATED STORIES \u2022  PLUS: BMW Smart Key\u2013Are Car Keys Getting too Smart?  \u2022 TEST DRIVE: 2008 BMW X6 Prowls for Cayenne Territory  \u2022  EARLIER: PM&amp;#039;s Exclusive 2007 BMW X5 First Drive   "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
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