Head of BMW’s M division, Frank van Meel, confirmed that the company is actively working to adapt its V8 and six-cylinder engines to meet the upcoming Euro 7 emissions standards, which will allow them to remain in production for the foreseeable future. Speaking to the Australian media, van Meel emphasized that BMW M has no intention of abandoning the performance provided by internal combustion engines and that they remain a key part of the long-term plans.
“We said we don’t want to give up the internal combustion engine, so we’re currently adapting our inline six and V8 to Euro 7 standards, and that will happen this year,” he told Drive magazine. The current backbone of the M range consists of two key powerplants: the 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 (S68) and the 3.0-litre straight-six (S58), which power everything from the M3 and M4 to large SUVs like the X5 M and sedans like the M5.
However, keeping these engines alive under the Euro 7 standard is no easy task. The main challenge is not only the amount of emissions, but the requirement to maintain a perfect air-fuel ratio (Lambda 1) in all driving conditions. This effectively prohibits the practice of “fuel cooling” (running a rich mixture) previously used for thermal management in high performance engines. The new M5 already gives a glimpse of the future. The power of its V8 engine in the European market has been reduced from 585 hp to 544 hp as part of the transition to a plug-in hybrid system. However, thanks to the electric motor, the total power of the system amounts to an impressive 717 HP. It is interesting that this reduction in the power of the gasoline engine only applies to the EU market, while customers in the US will still get the “unlocked” version of the V8 engine.
A ‘power of choice’ strategy for the future
A similar reduction in power could also happen to the in-line six, which currently develops up to 543 hp in the M3 CS and M4 CS models. Van Meel points out that the company’s strategy is to follow customer demand instead of imposing a single solution. Because of this, future models, such as the next-generation M3 (G84), will likely be available with both gasoline and all-electric powertrains, bearing the “iM3” designation. This dual approach, known as the slogan Power of Choiceallows BMW to satisfy both traditionalists and those ready for an electric future.
“As long as there is demand from the market, which is currently high, we will continue to produce petrol cars. The good news is that we have both ways, so we don’t have to make a final decision right now. We can continue like this and have a broad portfolio with the right offer for everyone,” he said.
This is probably the most important message. BMW seems to have learned its lesson, partly by observing the negative public reaction to the competition’s decision to drastically downsize engines, as in the case of the Mercedes-AMG C63 model.