Four cylinder power for F10 5 series?

[rpmnut]

Let's face it, the day when every car was using FI was coming and everyone, BMW included knew it. I'm surprised BMW let their NA engines survive for so long especially after facing the onslaught from excellent TFSI and CGI engines from Audi and Mercedes respectively. Look at Porsche and air cooled engines, manual gearboxes in BMW M-cars and Ferraris. This is progress

I love the sound of the N52B30 too. RIP.

I think going the turbocharged route is perfectly alright. After all, the turbo Twin Power straight-six in the 535i is a gem of an engine.
But when you're talking about cars like the 5 & 7 series, there's a certain appeal of having the car powered by more than 4 cylinders.

As for Audi and Mercedes, their turbocharging/supercharging/downsizing hasn't been limited to just their 4 cylinder engines. They are applying it to even their V6/V8 engines.

The main issue for me, I suppose, is this : As advanced as a 4 cylinder engine is, it still is a 4 cylinder. A format shared with Honda Accords, Toyota Camrys and every Jap-mobile you can name. And it's not the optimum cylinder layout for premium cars, IMHO. No matter how advanced a 4 cylinder engine is made, a good 6-cylinder engine will always beat it for smoothness.

In most cases where a car receives a downsized engine, it's principally to beat the European tax system, which determines road tax by the CO2 output of the engine. 4 cylinders obviously produce less carbon, and are taxed accordingly. Thus it's a move to please the pocket/wallet rather than improve the driving experience.

 

[ALBundy]

In my opinion engine downsizing has more to do with Europe's strict Emission control. There is no way a NA engine will be able to meet the requirements in the near future. BMW will still continue to make inline 6 engines but with forced induction. I do share similar sentiments with the majority here, afterall the reason that made me bought my first BMW 12 years ago was the desire to drive the inline 6 engine. It may lack power and consumed more fuel than the 4pot turbo engines but nothing beats the sheer smoothness and linear power delivery of the inline 6.

 

[t2ribena]

one big difference is holding throttle at high rpm in corner on an in-line 6...no in-line 4 so far could come close to this characteristics....

 

[RH5]

.......nothing beats the sheer smoothness and linear power delivery of the inline 6.

similar quote by my FIL who used to own an E39..! picking up my 523i next month..! :4:

 

[morrogan]

Talking about sound, I love the NA Mivec V6 sound, BMW 6-pot can't even come close.. If sound is really that important, it can easily be solved by providing u a sound generator.. :4:

I have no problem with 4-pot.. but not the 3-pot simply because of the unbearable vibration, unless BMW has a solution to that, use a different counter weight or something.

The 1st M3 is a 4-potter, the BTCC cars those days were all 4-potter and what's wrong with those? The engine acoustic engineers in BMW has done a fantastic job on their E90 N46 engine and exhaust note. Have anyone compared that to sound to a Merc 4-potter? E90 4-potter has this bubbly note from the exhaust that sounded like a Perdana V6. The magic is in the manifold, by carefully calculate the length of the manifold pipe from each cylinder, the BMW has already successfully "played" with acoustic effect and the N46B20 seriously does not sound like an average 4-potter car in the neighborhood.

BMW has been avoiding turbo or compressor because of two thing. The fuel efficiency and the smoothness of power transition/delivery. Now both that has been "solved" and its the right time exploit the force induction technology, it also reduces the overall weight of the car, win-win situation. I'm not complaining..

I love to feather my throttle at reasonably high RPM in the corner to balance the car, especially at chicanes, NA engine is perfect for this.. let see how the FI engine behave in this department.. I have tried that with a turbo diesel and I don't like it.. simply because the RPM can't be kept high.. no fun..

AB's posts are always my favourite. My humble personal opinion goes with what AB had just said.

 

[tehyw]

kinda like the 4pot idea...
anyway, anyone know when will 520i it arrive?

 

[docrayboy]

AB's posts are always my favourite. My humble personal opinion goes with what AB had just said.

astroboy, you have an admirer....you lucky fella!

 

[stig]

astroboy, you have an admirer....you lucky fella!

It's the wrong gender...

 

[ALBundy]

It's the wrong gender...

Well, he is playing for the wrong team LOL

 

[docrayboy]

Well, he is playing for the wrong team LOL

Next outstation TT, we'll put you two in the same room....can talk about BMWs (how many cylinders) etc...all nite long!!

 

[ALBundy]

Next outstation TT, we'll put you two in the same room....can talk about BMWs (how many cylinders) etc...all nite long!!

And you supply diesel as lubricant.....so its you, morrogan and AB! *cabutzzz*

 

[docrayboy]

Anybody else also always like astroboy's comments?-can get a triple room for them......cabutzzzzzzzzz........

 

[astroboy]

Heh... guys.. my sympathies on your jealousy.. I always enjoy your company too.. :wink:

Update: the perfect sound generator..

[video=youtube;8ZkGL-HIEfI]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ZkGL-HIEfI[/video]

 

[morrogan]

AB, that is a good one. I remember Michael Winslow (Police Academy 1984) also did the similar tricks. Nice.

 

[shenglu]

I do not have 4 pot's questions. Because is unbearable vibration, but is 3 pots, only if BMW has one kind of explanation to that uses a different name hammer or something.