Future BMW M Cars Won't Get 4 Cylinder Gas Engine, But Hybrid Not Ruled Out

[KoenG]

BMW should stop making promises they don't keep. Just add the 4 cyl thing to the list:

1. BMW will never do diesel.
2. M will always be manual.
3. M will never do SUV.
4. BMW will never do FWD.
5. AWD is not for M.
6. No force induction on M.

These guys are jokers.

[F32Fleet]

Basically they realized that no matter how much HP it'll put out they'll never get people to spend $80k on a 4 cylinder.

[clbmw]

Originally Posted by F32Fleet

Basically they realized that no matter how much HP it'll put out they'll never get people to spend $80k on a 4 cylinder.

Same problem with the even more expensive i8

[Mr Carrots]

Originally Posted by clbmw

Anecdotal evidence I appreciate, but I have seen far more of the A45 on the road than RS3. I'd have the latter in a heartbeat over the former.

Also regarding the downsizing, I've seen videos of the M140i outpulling the A45 at 3 figure speeds. At some point engine displacement reduction comes back to bite you.

Even from a standstill, or more realistically from rolling start the lack of displacement on those hyper boosted 22+ psi 4s makes them slower than a real car. Without launching at 3000 rpm those 4s don't really turn in that impressive a time

[KoenG]

Originally Posted by Mr Carrots

Even from a standstill, or more realistically from rolling start the lack of displacement on those hyper boosted 22+ psi 4s makes them slower than a real car. Without launching at 3000 rpm those 4s don't really turn in that impressive a time

For power, you need high PSI at high rpm so a big turbo. For fast and available torque low down, you need a small turbo. Also high PSI needs lower compression ratio, but this kills engine efficiency, so variable compression systems have to become a standard feature. This is expensive technology. But it will probably come the next two years. Wen it doesn't, there will be no combustion engines left and everything will get Teslafied.

More cyl and higher displacement is only ok, when you don't want to invest in technology. But it will be wiped out soon anyway: way too many pump, friction and inertia loses. I6 and V8 is nostalgia.

Future is small or not at all.

[clbmw]

Originally Posted by Dackelone

There are a lot of non-M cars that are turbo THREE cylinders!

x18i(118i/218i/318i) models are powered by a turbo 3 cylinder 100 kW [136 PS] gas engine.

On the 116i it can be ordered with the lowest Hp engine, a turbo 3 cylinder 80 kW [109 PS].

And then lets not forget the i8... wonder what magic ///M will do with the i8S model that's forthcoming.

Dackel

Wasn't the i8s supposedly due last year? And if I remember rightly we were told time and time again by people in-the-know that ///M and i were different philosophies and two ends of a spectrum that will never meet.

I'm not saying I agree with it at all.

I also think BMW missed a HUGE opportunity not expanding the i8 engine line-up and including M.

Seeing your post also reminded me I haven't heard anything at all about the supposed i8s for at least a year now too.

[KoenG]

Originally Posted by clbmw

And if I remember rightly we were told time and time again by people in-the-know that ///M and i were different philosophies and two ends of a spectrum that will never meet.

Nonsense of M, both are performance cars.

I know a few guys handing in their M6 for an i8 and as I understand, they generally consider it to be an upgrade. They admit that the drama is gone, but at the end, the sacrifice was easy to overcome. Also since the drama lost its social acceptance.

[Stu Pedasho]

Originally Posted by RPiM5

Good, now to just make future 6cyl M engines sound good.

And I hope I’m not alive anymore the day they announce a Fully Electric BMW M5.

My M2 sounds pretty damn good with M Perf Exhaust.

[clbmw]

Originally Posted by KoenG

Nonsense of M, both are performance cars.

I know a few guys handing in their M6 for an i8 and as I understand, they generally consider it to be an upgrade. They admit that the drama is gone, but at the end, the sacrifice was easy to overcome. Also since the drama lost its social acceptance.

Well in terms of it being lighter and more expensive yes it is an upgrade. It's also superior technologically and in terms of efficiency, in everything but power and displacement I think of the i8 as a top of range stunning car.
Where I am I've seen virtually no M6s on the road and only a very occasional i8 once every few months. Far more M4s and M5s about. I don't think i8 has sold in the way it was expected to.

I think the i8 would have sold better if there were a range of engines / motors.

I've heard all the arguments against and why not but that's my view. It's simple, people will and do pay for carbon mirror caps (or Union Jack ones in the mini world), carbon fibre gear knobs etc they will certainly pay for an I4 and I6 engine in the i8. Listening to people and reading over the years most of sports car purchasing is about having fun but also a fair bit of willy-waving; a 3cyl engine is like trying to do that on a cold day before you've started puberty.

Having said that, does one actually need more than an i8? Most probably not, but there's a reason it hasn't sold like hot cakes and I think the above may well be something to do with it.

[clbmw]

Originally Posted by clbmw

Where I am I've seen virtually no M6s on the road...

Haha I just saw an M6

[KoenG]

Originally Posted by clbmw

I don't think i8 has sold in the way it was expected to.

The i8 is the start of new breed, a prodigy. Since they have to invest a lot in development now to get started. They need to start at the top of the range and stick a high price on it. The i8 is probably overpriced for what it is since I can understand that a much lower priced M4 is a more satisfying ride. This doesn't mean that M has the future.

The Ms are the end of a age in which all technology is matured and progression reaches an asymptote. You pay premium for some none standard stuff, but +90% is still standard of course.

I presume that the speed of i getting the upperhand still accelerates and the center of market gravity will be in the basket of i surprinsingly soon. Certainly when politicians are helping like in Europe.