Tuesday 8th July 2008

M5 Twin-Turbo

2011 M5 to produce 536hp

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Brief, but interesting news from BMW today

There has been rumours circulating for a while that the new BMW M5 will feature a turbocharged engine, most of us assuming that it would be some sort of V10. We were wrong.

The 2011 M5 will be powered by a twin- turbo 4.4 litre V8, and prototypes of this engine are reported to be producing 536 bhp. The test mule for the new car has already been spotted, and it has large air intakes in the front bumper- backing up the turbo- charged claims.

The new engine will almost certainly power the next M6, and there is a chance that it could be used in an M Power version of the X6 too.

 

[RB Will]

Finally an M car with torque to match the power then.

[carnut101]

A step backwards IMO

[gumsie]

BMW have long used the, "we rely on natural aspiration unlike the others' line. What's left for them to moan about now?

[JohnLatham]

Seems odd that BMW are going NA->turbo for the M5 just when Mercedes have gone s/c->NA with the 6.2 AMGs.

[Rav]

Probably should be getting ready to be burnt down in flames, but there is nothing like a great big lump that is N.A rather than force fed.

I have driven the Audi S4 before and the 2.7 Twin turbo (B5) was a very different machine to the 4.2 V8 (B6). I say leave the turbos for the smaller engined cars ??

[J16GY]

Personally think the M series is a superb NA machine - if it aint broke?

Having said that, I wouldnt mind taking one for a spin!

[posterboy]

Rav said:

Probably should be getting ready to be burnt down in flames, but there is nothing like a great big lump that is N.A rather than force fed.

I have driven the Audi S4 before and the 2.7 Twin turbo (B5) was a very different machine to the 4.2 V8 (B6). I say leave the turbos for the smaller engined cars ??

Why?

[Callan.T89]

They'll be trying to get it under the 255g/km emissions line so they can say it is a "greener" car while retaining the crazy BHP, much easier to do with a smaller turbo-charged engine.

[eowen]

I would guess they are moving from the V10 due to its pathetic fuel consumption.

I dont get the above NA lump statement - it would still be a 4.4 V8 "lump", plus turbo giving oodles of torque. I would expect when not pressing on the mpg should be much more "bearable" too.

[edb49]

Sensible decision, long overdue.

[Vixpy1]

Sorry, I don't believe it.

[chunkymonkey71]

So the next Audi RS will have about 300,000 bhp then...

[PompeyM3]

2011 is probably a bit too long for me to wait for the price of the current M5/M6 to come down..... But soon it will be mine )

[aeropilot]

edb49 said:

Sensible decision, long overdue.

Agreed.

You'll start to see this a lot more from other manufacturers soon to meet ever more demanding emissions and taxation considerations.

There was an interesting article in one of the motoring monthlies a few months back with interviews from some of the leading emgineers from BMW, VAG etc and the Audi guy certainley reckoned most after 2008 would be reducing engine size abdoning larger capacity n/a in favour of smaller forced induction.

[Thorny]

I'm surprised it's not more powerful?

[mat205125]

If their motivation is to improve torque, improve economy, reduce service costs, and reduce weight then fair play to them.

If they are headline chasing for a power figure higher than Audi, and end up with a sanitised sledgehammer engine, then I am disappointed.

Compare the 335 to the E46 M3. The 335 is more muscular more of the time, however the 3.2 in the M3 is a "proper M engine". Sure the 4.4 turbo will be developed for inherent M-ness, but will the magic of the V-10 remain?

[mmm-five]

Surely all the manufacturers have to do is have a 'normal' engine map which gives your 5.0 V10 100bhp, 30mpg and 99g/km.

Then when you wish to be anti-green you can simply push the 'sport' or 'M' button to change the map to a 600bhp, 6mpg, 999g/km beast.

Maybe it would work by cutting off cylinders like some of the big Mercs do, or it could run a little electric motor like a hybrid.

[OJ]

BMW travels full circle from the 2002 Turbo. Both predictable and sensible IMO with current fuel/emmissions climate. Glad to hear they've only knocked it up 33bhp rather than continued with the silly power war, hopefully this will have the knock on effect that the car will be lighter to continue the progress of performance.

BMW usually deliver when it comes to M cars, I say it has the potential to be a very good thing

[kambites]

mmm-five said:

Surely all the manufacturers have to do is have a 'normal' engine map which gives your 5.0 V10 100bhp, 30mpg and 99g/km.

Then when you wish to be anti-green you can simply push the 'sport' or 'M' button to change the map to a 600bhp, 6mpg, 999g/km beast.

Maybe it would work by cutting off cylinders like some of the big Mercs do, or it could run a little electric motor like a hybrid.

Problem is, you still have to compress the air in the cylinders unless you have a non-interference design with hydraulic valves in which case I suppose you could leave the exhaust ports open all the time. You also have all the extra friction and weight associated with a larger capacity engine.

A 5l V10 with half the cylinders shut off will never be as efficient as a 2.5l I5. You're never going to get 30mpg out of a petrol V10 in something the weight of a 5-series whatever you do to it.

Edited by kambites on Tuesday 8th July 11:05

[lockup]

kambites said:

A 5l V10 with half the cylinders shut off will never be as efficient as a 2.5l I5.

Isn't obvious? The next M5 should have two 2.5l engines!