BMW M to stay with six- and eight-cylinder engines

Tightening emissions guidelines in Europe are forcing automakers to confront how they energy their flagship efficiency fashions, however BMW M believes it might probably meet these laws with up to date variations of its twin-turbo straight-six and V8 engines.

Frank van Meel, CEO of BMW M, advised Autocar on the Goodwood Pageant of Velocity “the problem was not a lot to make an engine that’s EU7 compliant”, however quite to “maintain efficiency”.

The Euro 7 (or EU7) emissions customary handed in 2024 will come into impact in 2030. Though it was initially deliberate to be rather more stringent, automakers efficiently lobbied the EU into largely carrying over the present Euro 6 laws.

Whereas permissible output ranges haven’t modified, testing will now be carried out over a broader vary of eventualities to extra intently mimic real-world circumstances.

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Though Mr van Meel didn’t go into particulars, he mentioned the engineering staff utilized some “very fascinating” tweaks to make its six- and eight-cylinder engines move.

When requested if the efficiency arm thought-about downsizing to electrified three- or four-cylinder engines, Mr van Meel replied, “No”. He went on to remain he “couldn’t think about placing a four-cylinder in an M5”.

In response to Mr van Meel “the six-cylinder in-line engine is our legacy, and the V8 has acquired a protracted historical past in racing, so we intend to maintain going”.

Rival Mercedes-Benz controversially changed the 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 within the C63 with a fancy 2.0-litre turbocharged plug-in hybrid system. A report final month claims the drivetrain “did not resonate with our conventional prospects”, and will probably be phased out in favour of an inline six or V8 engine.