By Gunnar Heinrich

Hybrids may hog the green limelight, but diesels are saving the planet.

That's what we can garner from CAR magazine's coverage of BMW's new program "EfficientDynamics." And truth in marketing, those two buzz words meshed together in a kind of web savvy SuperSlogan spell more than just hype - to Europeans...

[Sources: CAR, Edmunds, BMWUSA]

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CAR reports that the spunky, not-available-in-America BMW 320d brings home an astonishing 59.1 mpig highway (≈ 49 mpg) while still bolstering the Roundel's performance pedigree when charging from standstill to 62 mph (100 km/h) in just under eight seconds.

The base U.S. gas powered model - the 328i - manages a less enthralling 30 mpg. But if you're reasoning that a near 40% drop in fuel efficiency means a 40% boost in performance, well, keep reasoning.

The 328i does the standstill to sixty trick about a second quicker but tops out (ungoverned) just 7 mph faster than the 320d at 150 mph. A lot more pain for the planet, little gain for the enthusiasts.

So much for EfficientDynamics working for the Roundel's premium unleaded models.

And since Americans aren't getting any diesel models from BMW this year, environmentally conscientious drivers on this side of the pond will just have to look elsewhere to do their cushioned part in saving our world.

Did someone say Lexus hybrid?

[Sources: CAR, Edmunds, BMWUSA]

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