It's not a V8, but it's still pretty tasty...
The days of the naturally aspirated BMW V8 could be numbered, as BMW has unveiled two new turbocharged straight-six engines – one diesel and one petrol – that could eventually replace V8 power units for most Bee-em customers.
On the petrol side is a new 3.0-litre unit called TwinPower. Confusingly, the new unit actually uses a twin-scroll single turbo rather than twin parallel turbochargers used in BMW’s existing 3.0-litre turbo six. It’s also the first BMW unit to combine turbocharging and high-pressure injection with Valvetronic variable valve timing.
Although the new twin-scroll turbocharged straight six develops the same 302bhp and 295lb ft as its stablemate, C02 emissions drop from 218g/km to 209g/km. More importantly from the PH point of view, however, is the fact that the full compliment of torque is available from 1200rpm right through to 5100rpm, giving the new engine the same sort of effortless thrust, says BMW, that a normally aspirated V8 provides.
On the diesel front, a new range-topping twin-turbo unit gets extensive modifications that push power up from 282bhp to 302bhp and torque from 427lb ft to a thoroughly healthy 442lb ft. Most significant of the changes is the new ‘variable twin turbo’ arrangement, which uses one low-pressure turbo and one high-pressure turbo.
While the days of the BMW petrol V8 may be numbered (and recent rumours suggest that even the next generation of M cars may get turbo sixes instead of n-a V8s), if the latest developments are anything to go by BMW fans should be able to rest assured that BMW’sdrive for extra efficiency won’t come at the expense of power!