BMW to halve its engine offerings by 2025
05-14-21, 02:27 PM
#1
Lexus Test Driver
Thread Starter
BMW to halve its engine offerings by 2025
Say goodbye to the diesels, the V12, and maybe the V8. Electrification and hybrids are the future.
BMW to cut its engine range by half in next four years
BMW does not count itself among the carmakers that are going ‘all-electric’ in the next decade. In fact its R&D chief Klaus Froehlich has stated that the German carmaker plans to continue offering petrol engines for at least the next 30 years, according to Automotive News.
But with no inclination to get left behind, BMW is also embarking on a huge electrification drive, which will see at least 13 all-electric models gracing its line-up by the end of this decade.
This will, however, lead to some casualties on the internal combustion front. Last year Klaus Froehlich admitted that the company would be discontinuing some of its petrol and diesel engines due to the cost of developing EVs, and now BMW’s Chairman of the Board of Management, Oliver Zipse, has put a timeline on this.
At the company’s Annual General Meeting this week, Zipse said that it would be cutting its internal combustion range by 50 percent in the next four years.
“We are reducing complexity, with fewer variants and fewer drive trains – keeping only those for which there is real demand,” Zipse said. “About half the current drive train variants will no longer be offered by 2025.
“We are qualifying our team for the transition to e-mobility, developing expertise and reallocating competences. That is what transformation looks like at BMW.”
The Chairman did not elaborate on which diesel and petrol engines faced the chop but based on the previous statements by R&D chief Froehlich, we do have an idea of what’s first in line.
According to Automotive News, the 3,0-litre quad-turbo diesel unit that’s fitted to BMW’s M50d variants is on the way out because it’s too expensive to produce. The 1,5-litre turbodiesel unit also faces the axe, and so does BMW’s 6,6-litre V12 turbopetrol that’s fitted to the M760Li xDrive.
Froehlich said the V12 would be discontinued because current volumes are very low, and that in time it would become tricky to justify investing in the V8.
Clearly the writing is on the wall for everything with more than six-cylinders in BMW’s current line-up. We’ll fill you in with more details as they become available.
But with no inclination to get left behind, BMW is also embarking on a huge electrification drive, which will see at least 13 all-electric models gracing its line-up by the end of this decade.
This will, however, lead to some casualties on the internal combustion front. Last year Klaus Froehlich admitted that the company would be discontinuing some of its petrol and diesel engines due to the cost of developing EVs, and now BMW’s Chairman of the Board of Management, Oliver Zipse, has put a timeline on this.
At the company’s Annual General Meeting this week, Zipse said that it would be cutting its internal combustion range by 50 percent in the next four years.
“We are reducing complexity, with fewer variants and fewer drive trains – keeping only those for which there is real demand,” Zipse said. “About half the current drive train variants will no longer be offered by 2025.
“We are qualifying our team for the transition to e-mobility, developing expertise and reallocating competences. That is what transformation looks like at BMW.”
The Chairman did not elaborate on which diesel and petrol engines faced the chop but based on the previous statements by R&D chief Froehlich, we do have an idea of what’s first in line.
According to Automotive News, the 3,0-litre quad-turbo diesel unit that’s fitted to BMW’s M50d variants is on the way out because it’s too expensive to produce. The 1,5-litre turbodiesel unit also faces the axe, and so does BMW’s 6,6-litre V12 turbopetrol that’s fitted to the M760Li xDrive.
Froehlich said the V12 would be discontinued because current volumes are very low, and that in time it would become tricky to justify investing in the V8.
Clearly the writing is on the wall for everything with more than six-cylinders in BMW’s current line-up. We’ll fill you in with more details as they become available.
05-14-21, 03:00 PM
#3
Lexus Fanatic
05-14-21, 03:24 PM
#5
Lexus Fanatic
No. I wish
05-14-21, 03:44 PM
#6
This may be subjective. I won't say any is better than the other just different. But IMO, V10's have a peaky howling sound. Think of the LFA which is akin to older F1 cars, or the E60 M5 when it had a V10, or the Lambo Huracan / Audi R8 V10. One exception would be the Dodge Viper which was an old push-rod truck engine with two extra cylinder and lots of displacement. V8's have a burly growl, whereas V12's may have that or something more distinct but smoother. The balanced nature of the V12 is why its favored in high end luxury cars, boats, aircraft, and even tanks. Of course it'll all come down to tuning and what application the V12 is for ie a Ferrari V12 or a Mercedes V12 have different goals.
05-14-21, 04:04 PM
#7
Lexus Test Driver
I predict the performance ICE engine cars values will be going through the roof in the next few years. V8, V10, V12 etc
Ppl always want what they can’t have anymore.....
As far as BMW - the inline 6 will be the last engine they make.
I’m hoping they release one last great car but they are completely lost based on their recent offerings imo.
Ppl always want what they can’t have anymore.....
As far as BMW - the inline 6 will be the last engine they make.
I’m hoping they release one last great car but they are completely lost based on their recent offerings imo.
Last edited by RNM GS3; 05-14-21 at 04:07 PM.
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05-14-21, 04:05 PM
#8
Lexus Fanatic
This may be subjective. I won't say any is better than the other just different. But IMO, V10's have a peaky howling sound. Think of the LFA which is akin to older F1 cars, or the E60 M5 when it had a V10, or the Lambo Huracan / Audi R8 V10. One exception would be the Dodge Viper which was an old push-rod truck engine with two extra cylinder and lots of displacement. V8's have a burly growl, whereas V12's may have that or something more distinct but smoother. The balanced nature of the V12 is why its favored in high end luxury cars, boats, aircraft, and even tanks. Of course it'll all come down to tuning and what application the V12 is for ie a Ferrari V12 or a Mercedes V12 have different goals.
05-14-21, 04:17 PM
#9
Multiple times yes. The word that best describes the LS600hL is 'serene'. It was no V12 replacement, that marketing jargon was a little off. But the powertrain (detuned 5.0L from the IS F, coupled with HSD) is and was spectacular. In fact it's still used by the Toyota Century which replaced the aging 5.0L V12. The car was heavy, being full size and hybrid, but with the LS's sound deadening and the hybrid aspect it was extremely tranquil while driving. There's a few past and current owners on here that could dive more into what it's like to live with day in and day out.
Yes, but I've never sampled one. The 5.0L V12 from Toyota is stated to be extremely smooth. But due to the Gentlemen's Agreement it never exceeded 276 horsepower. But it had plenty of torque and did what it was supposed to in shuttling the Emperor of Japan around effortlessly.
Yes, but I've never sampled one. The 5.0L V12 from Toyota is stated to be extremely smooth. But due to the Gentlemen's Agreement it never exceeded 276 horsepower. But it had plenty of torque and did what it was supposed to in shuttling the Emperor of Japan around effortlessly.
05-14-21, 04:27 PM
#10
Lexus Fanatic
Yes, but I've never sampled one. The 5.0L V12 from Toyota is stated to be extremely smooth. But due to the Gentlemen's Agreement it never exceeded 276 horsepower. But it had plenty of torque and did what it was supposed to in shuttling the Emperor of Japan around effortlessly.
Saw one the other day. Used for a movie shoot.
05-14-21, 09:36 PM
#11
The insane part is how that BMW just keeps on pulling from 200kph to to 300kph, I mean it just seems effortless, like a ****ing rocket ship. For those who speak USA units, think of it from 124mph to 186mph.
05-14-21, 09:43 PM
#12
Lexus Champion
To the thread topic: without reading the body of the thread, I have to say something. BMW must have halved its engine offerings already by this point. It’s like they put that damn 2 liter 4 cylinder turbo motor in every model, then some turbo 6, and a turbo 8, and a minutely limited production 12 cyl.
05-15-21, 06:52 AM
#13
Lexus Test Driver
To the thread topic: without reading the body of the thread, I have to say something. BMW must have halved its engine offerings already by this point. It’s like they put that damn 2 liter 4 cylinder turbo motor in every model, then some turbo 6, and a turbo 8, and a minutely limited production 12 cyl.
BMW currently offers a ton of engine options - diesel, hybrid, gas. They offer several different versions of the 4cyl, 6cyl and 8cyl. For now they still offer V12 in the M760i.
All of their powertrains are still the very best in class in terms of power output and efficiency.
