BMW not giving up on six- and eight-cylinder engines despite downsizing trend

Mercedes-AMG’s impressive but controversial move to downsize the latest-generation C63 from eight to four cylinders will not be followed by their German rivals in Munich..

Two BMW executives have indicated that the carmaker won’t be giving up on six- and eight-cylinder engines in its performance models.

In a recent interaction with Australian media, BMW M CEO Frank Van Meel confirmed that the next-generation BMW M3 (and M4 by implication) will retain its six-cylinder heart, Drive reported.

The reason, Van Meel explains, has to do with track driving.

"We always look into all kinds of concepts. In regards to downsizing, it’s also about performance output on tracks. And continuous performance output would make it really difficult to downsize to a four-cylinder if you are driving on tracks,” the M division boss said.

“And the M3 is used on tracks a lot, so that ruled out the possibility of downsizing.”

He added that the upcoming Euro 7 emissions laws in Europe will not necessarily favour smaller-capacity engines, according to Drive.

Interestingly, the next-generation BMW M3 is expected to be a mild hybrid rather than a plug-in hybrid like the M5, Carscoops reported. This could be to do with weight and overall balance for track driving, if we follow Van Meel’s previously stated chain of thought. However it might also mean that the M3, which produces 390kW in its current Competition guise, might not match the Merc C63’s colossal output of 500kW, but is that really going to be a problem to those enthusiasts who prefer a more track-oriented vehicle?

There will, of course also be an electric version of the M3, which will be a separate car built around the Neue Klasse architecture.

But what about the V8 engines in bigger BMW models?

Those apparently aren’t going anywhere either, and nor will they be replaced by downsized six-cylinder units, BMW board member Frank Weber confirmed in an interview with Automotive News.

“There are markets such as the US and Middle East where you cannot replace V8s with inline-six hybrids,” Weber said.

“This is not about performance. They are comparable in terms of acceleration, but customers like the smoothness, sound and feeling of a V8. We will continue to offer V8s.”

Although BMW has discontinued its iconic V12 engine, it still offers V8s in many of its bigger models, including the M5, X5, X7 and 7 Series.

However, it is also forging ahead with a mixed strategy that will see an increased focus on electric vehicles. The Bavarian brand sold 368,523 EVs in 2024, an increase of 11.6% over 2023, putting it significantly ahead of Mercedes, which sold 185,100.

IOL