Posted on Monday 7 July 2008

Report: New BMW M5 to drop V10 in favor of turbo V8

BMW CEO Norbert Reithofer has revealed in the past that future BMW powertrains will be downsized in an effort to improve fuel-efficiency and reduce emissions, and that even the hallowed ‘M’ division could also be affected by the new wave of environmental consciousness sweeping the carmaker. BMW has always stood by the high-rev philosophy for delivering power from its M engines but that may be about to change.

Inside sources have revealed that the next-generation M5, due in 2011, will be powered by a high-performance twin-turbo V8 engine instead of a naturally aspirated V10. The source also revealed that initial tests of variations of the 400hp (298kW) turbocharged 4.4L V8 found in the X6 crossover is showing promising results, reports Automotive News.

Additionally, BMW’s M engineers are also finding good results from the award-winning 3.0L straight-six turbo. It comes “very close to a large-displacement, naturally aspirated engine,” the source told reporters.

Prototypes of the current M5 have been seen sporting front-mount intercoolers and additional air-intakes, confirming that a high-performance turbocharged powertrain is being developed. And, while purists may scoff at the idea of a turbocharged M car, the decision by rivals to launch forced-induction competitors such as the new twin-turbo RS6 and upcoming SL Black-Series, which is expected to get a twin-turbo V12, may leave BMW with little choice. source (http://www.motorauthority.com/news/supercars/report-new-bmw-m5-to-drop-v10-in-favor-of-turbo-v8/)

About time.

Works for me.

I wonder what will be the retail price :uh:

damnit... please don't, it's already hard to forgive them to go FI for non M cars.. now if they do that to the M division, leaving BMW for good

So a TT V-8 in a M car is there to improve fuel efficiency? The irony no? Kinda like Lexus saying "performance" with "hybrid".

Some cars are MEANT to get 10 MPG.

So a TT V-8 in a M car is there to improve fuel efficiency? The irony no? Kinda like Lexus saying "performance" with "hybrid".

Some cars are MEANT to get 10 MPG.

I dunno, the 170 HP 2.4L Pontiatc solstice is rated for 19/25, where the 260 HP 2.0L turbo version is 19/28. Go figure.

that's one super lame excuse (fuel efficiency) on a performance car...

Man, I was just getting to really love the sound of those V10's. There's something magical about them that I can't put a finger on.

Get used to it folks. As CAFE laws make their way into our lives, six cylinders will be replaced with turbo-fours, V8s will be replaced with turbo-sixes and so on and so on...... Don't be surprised if big V8s in cars just disappear off the face of the earth.

You guys are ridiculous. Talking about the end of V8s. Hello. This vehicle is a V8. So you can have the same power output as a V10, but with a DI V8 turbo thats more fuel efficient. How terrible, I wouldn't be caught dead in one. Last time I checked cars like the Corvette, E63 AMG, etc. were doing just fine on 8 cylinders.