Will the next M3 be a 4 cylinder turbo?

SmokeEm submitted on 3/19/2009 Official Bell & Ross Timestamp: 4:06:43 PM

23 user comments | Views : 8,712 | Category: Spy Shots | Source: | SOURCE: www.motorauthority.com

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BMW CEO Norbert Reithofer recently revealed plans to phase out diesel V8 engines across the board, but as drastic as this sounds it could be just the tip of the iceberg for the carmaker’s future plans to shakeup its powertrain lineup.

BMW’s hallowed M division could also be affected by the new wave of environmental consciousness sweeping carmakers across the world, the end result being smaller engines and turbochargers in future performance models.

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Will the next M3 be a 4 cylinder turbo?

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SmokeEm

— SmokeEm (View Profile)


User Comments

SmokeEm

I did read the article, and you took the bait, hook, line, and sinker.

Where you scared that BMW might actually be using a 4-cylinder?

— SmokeEm (View Profile)

Posted on 3/21/2009 1:26:22 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

DocMarten

So, the next M3 is going to be an economy car competing with the Hyundai Genesis 2.0T and Golf GTI? That is interesting and very funny. Well, best of luck to BMW.

— DocMarten (View Profile)

Posted on 3/19/2009 5:10:03 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -3   

FanboysStink

It's because BMW realized Toyota Prius was such a great idea that they decided to use the same type of engine, only added a turbine to boost remainders of their rusting legend.

PS. Being serious, current performance cars became massively heavy and bloated. Going back to E46 M3 CSL formula makes some sense.

— FanboysStink (View Profile)

Posted on 3/19/2009 5:14:40 PM | | Votes: 3   

theoptimisticpessimist

Hey, if its faster, and handles better, and even more fun to drive, who cares.

— theoptimisticpessimist (View Profile)

Posted on 3/19/2009 5:11:37 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 3   

FanboysStink

Obviously it will have a twin turbocharged I6. So the M5 will have a twin turbocharged V8.

From image and aural impressions perspective this will be shit. But it will help BMW pass average CO2 emissions across the entire portfolio enforced by law.

BTW. I like the title.

— FanboysStink (View Profile)

Posted on 3/19/2009 5:11:40 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0   

Htay7500

That M3 looks nice.

— Htay7500 (View Profile)

Posted on 3/19/2009 5:22:59 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 5   

stone

No way, I love the V8 in the current M3, add twin turbos to get that torque up a little more and you have a beast that will leave the current M5 in the dust. Don't mess with that V8 and that beautiful 8400 RPM redline.

— stone (View Profile)

Posted on 3/19/2009 7:44:24 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 3   

LexSucks

Why not? 4-cylinder Turbo is my favorite engine config. Works for the EVOs

— LexSucks (View Profile)

Posted on 3/20/2009 12:50:10 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

B7FAN

the first M3 was a 4 cylinder but there was thi thing called evolution so I will seriously doubt they would de-evolutionize (if thats a word) the M3

— B7FAN (View Profile)

Posted on 3/20/2009 1:29:05 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2   

LexSucks

Ahhh. The E30M3?

Less doesn't always mean less. And in this day, a four cylinder turbo can be easily made to put out more power than the M3's current v8.

— LexSucks (View Profile)

Posted on 3/20/2009 2:34:42 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

valhallakey

Especially if the M3 wins!

— valhallakey (View Profile)

Posted on 3/20/2009 1:19:38 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

jonmartin

In reality since BMW has made 1200hp 4cylinder turbos in the past for F1 it would be funny as hell to make a 4-cylinder Turbo with maybe 5-600hp and then smash all the competition like it always has...

— jonmartin (View Profile)

Posted on 3/20/2009 3:57:30 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

holmstar

And driving a car with a 1200hp I4 would be darn near impossible for most people. Imagine this...

You pull away from a light with rather underwhelming power, accelerating like an ecconomy car... until the engine hits 5000rpms, then WHAM! you are pushed into your seat and you tires are screaming, till you downshift and power again resembles an eco car, you get back to 5000rpms, then more squealing tires, etc, etc.

— holmstar (View Profile)

Posted on 3/20/2009 10:08:08 AM | | Votes: 1   

M53R

If they start downgrading the engines in the yet to come "M"s, the current ones will become instant classics. Environmentalists suck...

— M53R (View Profile)

Posted on 3/20/2009 12:33:34 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0   

phantom330

One word.......NO. Thanks for playing, though.

— phantom330 (View Profile)

Posted on 3/20/2009 1:45:02 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

skinny

Personally, these cars need to more "pure" sports-sedans like the original M3 used to be in the late 80's. I'm all for a turbocharged 4-cylinder or turbo I6 as long as the performance is maintained. This can easily be done by making a smaller, lighter, M3 again like the original M3 used to be, which personally was a superior M3 to today's due to it's more direct handling, stellar performance and less electronic junk in the car.

And you will see other makers following suit with BMW in making smaller more fuel efficient cars, even the performance labels like AMG, F-series, Audi S-series, etc.

— skinny (View Profile)

Posted on 3/20/2009 7:03:23 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

Jordanski

Maybe the next-generation 1 Series should be a turbo'd 4.

— Jordanski (View Profile)

Posted on 3/23/2009 8:09:58 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

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