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BMW V8 Clash: E39 M5 versus E92 M3

BMW is not particularly known for its V8 engines. If you want to pick an engine architecture that immediately spells BMW you’ll be safer off with an inline 6-cylinder one. However, that doesn’t mean that their V8s should be overlooked.
BMW E92 m3 vs BMW E39 M5 1 photo
Photo: screenshot from Youtube
Probably one of the most praised such engines in the world is the S65 unit that used to be the beating heart of the previous M3 models. Developed from the S85 5-liter V10 engine from the E60 M5, this peach is a 4-liter V8 making 420 HP and 400 Nm (295 lb-ft) of torque.

We’re not here to discuss specific outputs though but rather to pit this engineering beauty (that was lighter than its predecessor, a 3.2-liter inline 6-cylinder engine) against one of its brothers.

Under the bonnet of the E39 M5, a 4.9-liter V8 used to be fitted when the car was in production. Even though its specific output was not on par with the S65’s, the S62 had a different sound to it, one that is forever stamped on the back of the brain of fans around the world.

As you probably know it’s because of the bore and stroke of the cylinders as that’s the one thing that defines the way a car sounds. According to BMW, the perfect measurement in terms of acoustics, performance and efficiency is the 500cc cylinder but it seems like the older units didn’t abide by that rule at all times.

Even so, we beg to differ as there are plenty of 5-liter V8s out there that sound absolutely stunning. We’ll only mention the Jaguar F-Type R and rest our case. Until you get to drive one of those Brits, check out this in-house comparison between the S62 and S65 engines.

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