BMW N20 Engine - End of the straight six?

[Fraser Z4]

Alright guys,

Did a quick search but could find a topic regarding this - just came across this article about the new BMW four cylinder N20 engine...

http://www.bmwblog.com/2011/02/25/autoweek-bmws-n2...

Does that spell the end of the straight six in their regular cars then?

[va1o]

It seems that way. Its a shame, but as far as efficiency is concerned low capacity turbocharged engines are the way forward.

What bugs me is the ridiculous naming, the 28i badge is now used on both 2.0T engines and 3.0s.

[fido]

article said:

.. replace the company’s long-running naturally aspirated 3.0-liter inline six-cylinder ..

I don't think they are replacing the 'six' with the 'four in entirety - just downsizing the engines in the same way the turbo'd six has replaced the 'eight'.

[robsco]

If it does happen, it'll be a travesty. They are one mighty fine straight-six engine.

[davepoth]

Yes, I think this is just downsizing rather than killing the 6. But the 6 may not be in the 3 series any more (or perhaps just the M3).

[cheadle hulme]

More power and torque (and earlier) and less emissions sounds great. BUT, whole life costs will be higher as the thing is more complex.

The obsession with emissions and efficiency is driving some great technological advances, but some o it is just massaging the headline numbers whilst ingoring long term issues.

[buggalugs]

245hp and 35+ MPG, from a petrol engine...

[Heathwood]

buggalugs said:

245hp and 35+ MPG, from a petrol engine...

Doesn't sound that brilliant to me. I get 31/32mpg (over 10k miles of mixed driving) from a 260+hp straight six.

[buggalugs]

Heathwood said:

buggalugs said:

245hp and 35+ MPG, from a petrol engine...

Doesn't sound that brilliant to me. I get 31/32mpg (over 10k miles of mixed driving) from a 260+hp straight six.

In a 130i though, rather than an X1... I think both figures are impressive don't you??

[dome]

My 1995 Saab 9000 Aero, when tweaked, was running 275bhp and still giving an easy 32 mph average in normal driving, better than that if it was driven gently.

[maniac0796]

cheadle hulme said:

More power and torque (and earlier) and less emissions sounds great. BUT, whole life costs will be higher as the thing is more complex.

The obsession with emissions and efficiency is driving some great technological advances, but some o it is just massaging the headline numbers whilst ingoring long term issues.

You get the feeling is gonna go the same way diesel has. Diesel cars used to be nice and simple. Then emmisions made them complex and fragile, whilst petrol cars were simpler and more robust.

Now they're ruining petrol cars. Just so something can save up nasty fumes for an emmisions test and release them when it gets a bit hot.

[Fox-]

This will replace the 6 and its quite easy to see why - in the 1 Series, and 3 Series Saloon and Touring, the only normally aspirated 6 cylinder engine is the N53B30 found in the 125i and 325i. There is neither a 130i nor a 330i anymore.

So if this engine replaces the lower power x25i engines, which the article suggests it will given it's first outing is an X1 XDrive 28i, then thats that - 3.0 N/A Inline six is gone.

The 330i remains only as a Coupe or a Convertible.

The reason why is because most people who buy cars are morons. The 330i is 0.5mpg less economical than the 325i yet develops 272bhp and emits just 173g/km of CO2. But people just bought the 325i or a diesel instead. I doubt they even bothered to look into the 330i.

A real sad thing.

[Fox-]

buggalugs said:

245hp and 35+ MPG, from a petrol engine...

The BMW 330i Coupe ALREADY offers 272bhp and 38mpg combined. And yes, it is capable of such figures - I got 38mpg driving an E60 with the same engine over 150 miles of A roads, I usually take my E39 530i which returns 31mpg on that route.

[E30M3SE]

According to Evo it will be replacing the 201bhp 2.5 six in the Z4 this summer............. it will be a sad day.

[Engineer1]

maniac0796 said:

cheadle hulme said:

More power and torque (and earlier) and less emissions sounds great. BUT, whole life costs will be higher as the thing is more complex.

The obsession with emissions and efficiency is driving some great technological advances, but some o it is just massaging the headline numbers whilst ingoring long term issues.

You get the feeling is gonna go the same way diesel has. Diesel cars used to be nice and simple. Then emmisions made them complex and fragile, whilst petrol cars were simpler and more robust.

Now they're ruining petrol cars. Just so something can save up nasty fumes for an emmisions test and release them when it gets a bit hot.

FFS it won't make the cars more expensive to maintain and run because by the 2nd generation the stuff is standard, did fuel injection make car maintenance massively more expensive, or starter motors rather than crank handles? etc?

[Heathwood]

I wonder whether such changes have more to do with preconceptions than reality. Most people just assume petrol engines with more than 4 cylinders will be fuel heavy and this effects sales. People are always surprised, even disbelieving, when I tell them that my 3.0 six is returning better mpg than their 1.8/2.0 turbo. Hell, I've got a friend with a 318 who only achieves late 20's.

With mpg in the late 30's for a modern day BMW six and emissions now comfortably under 200g/km, surely decent marketing would prolong the life of such engines within model lineups.

[Fox-]

Engineer1 said:

FFS it won't make the cars more expensive to maintain and run because by the 2nd generation the stuff is standard, did fuel injection make car maintenance massively more expensive, or starter motors rather than crank handles? etc?

It already is making cars more expensive to maintain out of warranty. It has got to the stage where you need to be bonkers to run a modern direct injection petrol or diesel BMW without a warranty. There are a plethora of issues with the injection systems, high pressure fuel pumps, etc etc.

[Mr Sparkle]

Engineer1 said:

FFS it won't make the cars more expensive to maintain and run because by the 2nd generation the stuff is standard, did fuel injection make car maintenance massively more expensive, or starter motors rather than crank handles? etc?

In my kit car it did.

[Engineer1]

Fox- said:

Engineer1 said:

FFS it won't make the cars more expensive to maintain and run because by the 2nd generation the stuff is standard, did fuel injection make car maintenance massively more expensive, or starter motors rather than crank handles? etc?

It already is making cars more expensive to maintain out of warranty. It has got to the stage where you need to be bonkers to run a modern direct injection petrol or diesel BMW without a warranty. There are a plethora of issues with the injection systems, high pressure fuel pumps, etc etc.

I am willing to bet as soon as it becomes mass market people will be making OEM and Pattern parts and Garages will have fast and dirty fixes, it just takes a little while for the tricks to be learnt by the independent or back street garages.

[Marf]

“BMW says that will be fixed on certain models, including on an updated Z4 sDrive28i, with the addition of an electronic sound generator.”

For what? To make it sound like a six??