Share

<b>BMW M3:</b> Engine details!

accreditation
The BMW M3 Concept car
The BMW M3 Concept car
Here are the first official engine details of the new V8 engine BMW is putting into the upcoming M3.

There has been a lot of speculation about the M3's engine and the official figures are not much of a surprise.

According to BMW the new engine has many features in common with the latest power unit highlighted by BMW in F1, with various technological concepts and principles, production processes and materials carried over from the F1 engine to the drivetrain of the new BMW M3.

However, it is clear that the 4.0-liter V8 is quite a rev beast. Peak engine power of 309 kW comes on at 8 300 r/min.

Engine torque, amounts to a mighty 400 Nm at 3  900 r/min on the new V8 power unit. Significantly, 85% of the engine's maximum torque is available throughout an enormous engine speed range of 6 500 r/min, with 340 Nm available from just 2 000 r/min.

This new V8, weighing a mere 202 kg, is a genuine lightweight - saving of some 15 kg over the six-cylinder power unit in the previous model.

In other words, the new engine easily sets off the weight of two extra cylinders. And a further point is that the high-speed engine concept allows a light drivetrain and very short transmission ratios.

BMW says the engine block of the new eight-cylinder comes straight from BMW's light-alloy foundry in Landshut near Munich, where BMW also builds the engine blocks for the company's F1 racing cars.

No performance figures are available yet.

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE