BMW turns to green diesel in attempt to drive sales

BMW has this week kicked off a major sales push to bolster adoption of its latest fuel-efficient diesel cars, arguing that far from being the heavy polluters of old, diesel vehicles now offer a greener alternative to conventional cars.

The car giant yesterday launched its diesel 116d model in the UK, amidst claims that it is the most fuel-efficient and least polluting vehicle in its class available in the country.

The launch came as it unveiled a major advertising campaign in the US designed to promote two new diesel vehicles, the X5 xDrive35d crossover and 335d seda, as environmentally friendly and fuel-efficient options for consumers.

Speaking at the launch of the campaign, Patrick McKenna, BMW's marketing manager, told the Wall Street Journal that modern diesel engines are now considerably more efficient than people believe. "They are demonstrably better than they were 25 years ago," he said.

Diesel engines still release more air pollutants than gasoline, but BMW says it is addressing air-quality issues with innovative filters and argues that with fuel prices dogged by continuing volatility the improved miles per gallon offered by diesel engines are increasingly attractive to customers.

The company added that it has opted for adverts that purposefully avoid the images of nature and the outdoors, typically associated with green ads, in an attempt to break away from clichés that many consumers now associate with greenwash.

Fuel efficiency is also an increasingly influential factor in purchasing decisions for UK motorists, according to figures released this week by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).

The sales figures show an 11 per cent drop in vehicle sales in 2008 compared to the previous year, with many of the manufacturers who make the most fuel-thirsty models suffering the most. For example, Chrysler saw sales fall 38 per cent year on year, while registrations of new Land Rovers dropped 30 per cent.

In contrast, Smart, which specialises in small, highly fuel-efficient, low-emission cars, provided one of the few bright spots for the auto industry with sales climbing 43 per cent during 2008.

Meanwhile, sales of diesel cars in the UK also rose significantly as motorists looked to address rising fuel bills.

"Diesel cars accounted for a record 43.6 per cent share of the market in 2008, up from 40.2 per cent in 2007 and more than three times the share recorded in 2000," said a spokesman for the SMMT.