Internet rumors are not that reliable, but guys at Bimmerpost have it on good authority that the engine in the next BMW M3 F80 will be a turbocharged Inline-6, and not a V6 as speculated before. Not only the 60ylinder will be more powerful than the current V8 engine, it will be substantially more fuel efficient as well. It’s hardly a case of going back to basics though, as the new powertrain is hugely advanced.
The word is this new engine will get either two or three turbochargers. Think of it as an evolution of the current twin-turbo I6 that powers a whole lot of cars in BMW range. What is interesting here is reports about BMW’s efforts on developing electric turbochargers. That makes the tri-turbo M3 a more likely prospect. To conventional turbos and one electric.
The power output of the new engine is said to be around 450-hp, which 30 more than what the current M3 offers.
BMW did consider using a V6 – basically the current V8 with two of the cylinders removed from the block – but that wouldn’t satisfy their weight and fuel efficiency ambitions the way a turbo I-6 does. Lightness is another criteria BMW engineers are very concerned with in the new M3.
The evidence is stacking up for something truly wonderful then. All we can do now is find ways to pass the time till 2014 because that’s when the new M3 will arrive.
via: F30post
