Return Of The BMW 4-cylinder?

Since BMW has resorted to force induction, might as well make 4 cylinder engines and get more power via force induction...

Its certainly good for fuel and definitely for weight as well...

would they be putting their4 cylinder motorcycle engines in cars?

This is a good idea. Others should do the same, including Mercedes. I want a 6-cyl. SL350, but North America doesn't get that option for whatever reason. Bring smaller engines now.

You are one sick puppy. Lexus makes some great cars, IS, GS, LS etc. but the SC is just horrible!!!!

I love BMW and MB but I would admit to never buying a R class or X3!!!! Maybe you should get some therapy.

I think this is a bad idea. Offering 4-cylinders makes the BMW premium harder to justify. Personally, I don't see too many people dropping $40k for a four banger. BMW I6's are the best -- I hope they remain as the base engine for the 1 and 3.

I would love a twin-turbo 4 from BMW in the spirit of the old 2002. It has to be RWD, set the curb weight at ~2700lbs, price it in the mid 20s and you would have the ultimate daily driver/weekend track car. I would buy one in a heartbeat!

Hey...your quoting from my old posts. :-) I fully agree.

I guess it's good for the economy, but I wouldn't buy it.
The only sub-8 cylinder car I've ever driven was that of my driving teacher's. :P ...and I've never bothered doing that again.
The new 6-cylinders might have more hp, but they just don't have the low grunt and torquey feel of a naturally-aspirated V8.

Exactly, this will be way better than porky and overpriced 1 series.

Are you actually saying the society of automotive engineers has succumbed to bribery and other such measures? There isn't a single profession on earth that is taken more seriously and professionally then engineering. When they release articles, they instantly hold 100fold more credibility then any article directly released by any automotive manufacturer.

So would this just be the engine out of the Mini? It is a turbo 4 and it is a BMW product.

"turbo 4 and it is a BMW product" not entirely as Peugeot is also involved in the development of 1.6 Turbo.

JUGNU

i hope they do. audi has been doing that for years and now we can finally get some real competion instead of putting audi's 4 cylinder cars up against bmw's 6's. bmw would finally put some fire under audi to push the hp on their 4's.

Its gonna have to be one very nice 4banger and knowing BMW they will do it well. Its the BMW buyer that will be the deciding factor.

The writer of this article is so behind the curve.

"...modern twin-turbocharged four-cylinder engines are capable of around 200 horsepower, or roughly the same amount as current six-cylinder engines."

Single turbo 4-cylidners from Mitsubishi and Subaru (the undisputed kings of the arrangement) are offering 300+hp with ease. Mazda, GM, and even VW offer close to that, circa 280 or so. A twin turbo 4-cylinder of at least 2.0L can put out 350 with ease. And get real. Any modern 6 cylinder has to make more than 250 to be even a back runner. I just hate it when these guys yap away on the internet without getting their facts.

Think about it this way; the engine in the BMW 123d is a diesel twin turbo'd 4 cylinder engine that can produce more than 200 hp. So I am assuming that a petrol engine could at least produce 220hp with excellent fuel consumption. This already makes it have more hp than the engine offered in the 325i.

Bad idea, bimmers are the Ultimate Bloated Machines now, you need nuclear power to get these chubsters movin'

Oh really ?

BMW 328xi with auto trans. : 3417 pounds
Lexus IS250AWD with auto trans. : 3651 pound

Bloated.. hummm

BMW made its reputation with four cylinder cars like the 1602, 2002, and 320i. Just a few years ago 318i and z3 models had fours, and nobody objected.

Europe is full of four cylinder BMWs and Benzes. I don't see the problem