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Wiesmann Is Back, Signs V8 Engine Deal With BMW M

Wiesmann, for the uninitiated, was an automobile manufacturer specialized in hand-built sports cars. Founded in 1988, liquidated in 2014, and many comeback rumors later, the Dulmen, Germany-based automaker is back in business. And somewhat expectedly, Wiesmann will make use of BMW engines.
Wiesmann MF5 11 photos
Photo: Wiesmann
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The engine procurement deal was announced only recently, with the German automaker relying on the M division for V8 power. The Bavarian heart will most likely come in the form of the 4.4-liter twin-turbo S63 that made its debut in the F90 M5, which comes as standard with an eight-speed automatic gearbox.

Powered by BMW M since 1993, Wiesmann didn’t mention the name of the model that will be propelled by the S63 V8. According to the company, the exact date when the all-new model will go on sale in Europe will be announced at a later date, probably in the first half of 2018 if things go to plan.

“Signing this contract with our preferred partner BMW is a milestone for Wiesmann Sports Cars. In the pre-development phase, which has now been concluded, we worked together extremely well and we are delighted to be able to collaborate with our reliable top partner BMW Group,” declared chief executive officer Mario Spitzner.

The first-ever Wiesmann offered for sale is the MF 30, which shipped with the 3.0-liter M54 inline-six seen in older BMW models such as the E46 330i, E39 530i, and E65 730i. The newest Wiesmann of them all is the MF5, offered in both fixed-head coupe and open-top roadster body styles. The MF5 packed an older S63 V8, churning out 555 PS (547 PS) and 680 Nm (602 lb-ft) of torque.

There’s no denying the yet-unnamed comeback model will be more performance-oriented than the MF5, though it’s hard to put a price on a limited-production boutique sports car. The MF5 used to retail at €189,500, which is a lot of money for the customer that wants something a little bit more panache than the grand touring-oriented BMW M6. But all in all, Wiesmann is a special automaker, and we’re glad the company is back in business.
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About the author: Mircea Panait
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After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well.
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