BMW may have phased out its V-12 engine a couple of years back, but it won’t do the same with the V-8—a bold statement from an automaker that no longer builds engines in its home country.
The statement was made by BMW’s R&D chief, Frank Weber, when asked by Automotive News in an interview published on Feb. 10 whether the automaker planned to replace its V-8 with smaller engine types paired with hybrid systems capable of rivaling or even surpassing V-8 performance.
He went on to say that for many customers, particularly those in the U.S. and Middle East, a V-8 could not simply be replaced with something like an inline-6 hybrid.
“This is not about performance,” Weber said. “[Downsized engines with hybrid systems] are comparable in terms of acceleration, but customers like the smoothness, sound, and feeling of a V-8.”
Mercedes-Benz AMG controversially replaced the V-8 engine in the C 63 with a 4-cylinder engine and electric motor in a plug-in hybrid configuration. While the setup delivers a stout 671 hp, it also adds considerable weight and complexity to the car.
BMW isn’t the only automaker looking to preserve the V-8. Porsche, after reversing its decision last summer to primarily sell EVs by the end of the decade, announced plans to continue offering gas-powered vehicles, including some with V-8 engines, well into the next decade. The automaker is now investing in additional gas models for its lineup.
While BMW will keep the V-8 around, the engine may increasingly need to be paired with hybrid systems to meet emissions regulations. The automaker has already taken this approach with its latest M5, which pairs a twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter V-8 with an electric motor integrated into the transmission in a plug-in hybrid configuration. The combined output is 717 hp.
source: https://www.motorauthority.com/news/1145726_bmw-r-d-boss-v-8s-are-here-to-stay
by Viknesh Vijayenthiran
http://www.boscheuropean.com
No comments:
Post a Comment