Photo: Motorauthority.com
This week, BMW decided to offer some lucky US Journalists the chance to experience their newest engine, a 1.5-liter 3-cylinder turbocharged unit that will be powering the German company's new hybrid sports car, the i8.
Having to deal with increasing pressure from fuel-efficiency and emission regulations, engines are bound to get smaller. BMW has to cope with these new standards and used its extensive experience in the field to create this brilliant piece of engineering.
Over the years, BMW discovered that the right displacement for a cylinder is around half a litre (500cc). That means that the most efficient and viable engines would have to be the 2-liter 4-cylinder and 3-liter 6-cylinder ones which, coincidently are, by far, the most popular engines in the world.
However, just by cutting a 3-liter 6-cylinder engine in half wouldn't get you a gem like the one we're looking at today. This unit uses BMW's TwinPower technology which implies variable valve timing, direct injection and a turbocharger thus proving that small engines can produce around the same power as larger, naturally aspirated ones, whilst also keeping fuel consumption to a minimum.
Seeing just how well the new, "baby engine" did with the body of a 1 Series we can't wait to see how it will do with the i8's lightweight chassis and its improved aerodynamic shape. Unfortunately we won't be seeing BMW's new flagship until 2014.
Via: MotorAuthority.com
Over the years, BMW discovered that the right displacement for a cylinder is around half a litre (500cc). That means that the most efficient and viable engines would have to be the 2-liter 4-cylinder and 3-liter 6-cylinder ones which, coincidently are, by far, the most popular engines in the world.
However, just by cutting a 3-liter 6-cylinder engine in half wouldn't get you a gem like the one we're looking at today. This unit uses BMW's TwinPower technology which implies variable valve timing, direct injection and a turbocharger thus proving that small engines can produce around the same power as larger, naturally aspirated ones, whilst also keeping fuel consumption to a minimum.
Seeing just how well the new, "baby engine" did with the body of a 1 Series we can't wait to see how it will do with the i8's lightweight chassis and its improved aerodynamic shape. Unfortunately we won't be seeing BMW's new flagship until 2014.
Via: MotorAuthority.com
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