BMW dumps the 6 for turbo 4's

[Massive Lee]

1973 design. Big turbo. Big lag. But hey, it was the first turbo production car. Born in 1973, presented as a 1974 model. Got canned the next year because of the fuel embargo.

[xwill112x]

Turbo I6 would catch my attention more...just more of a sportier one. like s54 turbo material in a 135 would be more like it :)

[Raxe]

BMW street cars were built on silky smooth I6's, probably moreso than even the 4 cylinder. The M30 "big six" was used for 30 years. Then of course there's the M88, M20, S38, S50B32, S54... it's a big deal. Americans have the V8, Italians the V12, Japanese the I4 and the Germans the 6cyls.


Ah well, as my late friend Bob once sang, "The times they are a changing." BMW isn't much for tradition lately.

[RainierHooker]

I'll just leave this here...

[shiftbmw]

This is legit. We are nearing the end of the horsepower wars and at the beginning stages of weight/efficiency wars. Small displacement turbos are going to to be increasingly common. Glad to see BMW is getting in the game early.

Plus, the M division knows their way around a 4banger, so good things will happen.

[NomadE30]

4 cylinder FTW!

If they can just make their cars lighter then everyone will enjoy it. I love six cylinders, but with the technology out there, there is no reason not to use smaller engines that make the same power curves.

[Eydreeyun]

Four cylinder love, just cause im lazy changing 6 spark plugs.

[AutoXinE30]

As long as it's a timing chain and not a belt and it's not an integrated turbine housing type exhaust manifold I think I would be happy with a 240hp turbo 4. I am also not really a fan of the electronic diverter but I guess there's no way around that these days.

Honestly though, I doubt I would really buy one... After having a few newer modified cars and then going back to my 80's/90's VW and E30's... I don't like the hassle of all the computer crap and integrated BS. I guess I like 'em on the simple side of fuel injection.

[CleanAzzE30z]

I have no problem with a 4 cyl. motor for reduced fuel consumption, but for performance (on the street) it is nothing like the 6 cyl.

Says the man with one of the sickest S14'd E30 ///M3's on the globe. ;)

[Dozyproductions]

No.

E34 got the 8 valve M40.

All 5 series generations have been offered with 4 cylinder engines in one form or another.

god that looks ugly. thankfully with modern day plastic pieces they could cover much of those gaping holes ;)

[trackjunkie21]

Who said anything about a high strung motor? And just because one four cylinder turbo motor is complete junk that makes all the others the same? With that theory, every single motor thats ever been made is a complete pos.

this thread sux. 4 cyl. turbo motors putting out 240+ hp are high strung and arent going to last long. the new generation of 4 cyl. (that none of you even see) suk so bad it is pitiful.
go ahead and look at what the price of the new 4 cyl. 2.0 in the e90 costs in the ETK......
yeah, damn that is cheap--- why, cause they blow up weekly, but wait a few years until they fall out of warranty, then they are going to skyrocket in price.

remember, there is no replacement for displacement.

I have no problem with a 4 cyl. motor for reduced fuel consumption, but for performance (on the street) it is nothing like the 6 cyl.

he did, do you guys live under a rock? Mitsubishi Lancer evo produces over 300hp from a 2.0 turbo, as does Subaru, Vw, porsche used to even make 4 cylinder turbo cars. People even on this board have turbocharged m10's with over 200hp and run without any problems.

[SpoolnDaapex]

this thread sux. 4 cyl. turbo motors putting out 240+ hp are high strung and arent going to last long. the new generation of 4 cyl. (that none of you even see) suk so bad it is pitiful.
go ahead and look at what the price of the new 4 cyl. 2.0 in the e90 costs in the ETK......
yeah, damn that is cheap--- why, cause they blow up weekly, but wait a few years until they fall out of warranty, then they are going to skyrocket in price.

remember, there is no replacement for displacement.

I have no problem with a 4 cyl. motor for reduced fuel consumption, but for performance (on the street) it is nothing like the 6 cyl.

Who said anything about a high strung motor? And just because one four cylinder turbo motor is complete junk that makes all the others the same? With that theory, every single motor thats ever been made is a complete pos.

[Massive Lee]

Hmmm 3 years ago (a long time in motor engineering), the Mitsubishi FQ-400 Evo 9 could be had with a 400hp/400ft.lbs 2.0 litre motor from the factory. And we know what a difference in longetivity 10 or 20 extra hp make. So, if the BMW motor only has 275hp, I doubt it can be called highy strung. The 1974 BMW 2002 with no intercooler, no electronics at all, was putting 170hp at 5800rpm from a big single KKK turbine and was a long lasting motor (the turbo wasn't though). Almost 40 years later, I am sure the BMW engineers have learned a few tricks.

A 2.0 with sequential turbos would be great.

[tjts1]

this thread sux. 4 cyl. turbo motors putting out 240+ hp are high strung and arent going to last long. \

You don't know the meaning of high strung. If Hyundai, GM and Ford can handle stuffing 270hp 2.0 engines in their cheap cars, I think BMW can handle it too. Just be happy they still offer in inline 6 at all. That'll be gone in a couple of years as well.

[Anguz]

makes me love my m20 much more.