With the launch of the next generation F10 BMW 5-Series arriving in 2010, the high-performance M5 version is to follow a year later. However, the M5 will lose its Formula One inspired naturally aspirated V10 engine, according to Automotive News.
Despite the low volume 2002 Turbo of 1973 and E23 745i of the mid 1980's, BMW engineers have historically turned away from forced induction in favor of high revving naturally aspirated engines - from a performance point of view. However, with turbo technology advancements over the past decade, turbo charging has turned into a viable alternative to high displacement engines with comparable performance characteristics.
The first evidence of the changing BMW mindset was in 2006 with the award winning N24 3.0-liter twin-turbo inline 6 cylinder engine found in the BMW 335i E92 Coupe. Since them, this engine has found its way into the entire BMW model range.
Therefore, it's no surprise, BMW's newest turbo engine, the 4.4-liter V8 found in the X6 SUV, will be optimized for more power and put into the new M5 model due in 2011. According to an insiders, the new M5 will produce, "400 kW (536hp) and more of output."
Currently, Audi holds the horsepower title amongst German auto makers with their 580hp twin turbo V10 Audi RS6.
Next Generation BMW M5 to Get Twin Turbo V8 from X6
Lehmann Photo-Syndication / BMW M5 twin turbo
No more 10
By Brian Potter
July 8, 2008 5:00 PM
Filed Under: BMW, German, Rumours, Spy Photos
Comments
norther
July 8, 2008 5:24 PM
finally, something reasonable. i dont understand why they didn't put the same cofiguration in the x6 and the new 7 series, afterall...those are big cars. but no, 4.4 bi-turbo 400 bhp sounds sexyer.
janobr
July 8, 2008 5:32 PM
you say that audi is the most powerful with the 580 hp engine but mercedes puts its 65amg powerplant with 615 hp to cl s and soon the the new sl ( the old one had it)
Paul_e
July 8, 2008 5:42 PM
The 615hp MB engines are not available on sedan/estate versions, contrary to BMW's M and Audi's RS engines.
AG4
July 8, 2008 5:47 PM
Its the most powerful in its class. The M5 competes with the Audi RS6 and Mercedes E63 AMG.
The Mercedes S65 AMG is much more powerful than the RS6, but its in a different class since its an S-class.
benz_man
July 8, 2008 5:46 PM
I'm excited to hear this. The M5 is an amazingly agile vehicle. It just lacks low-end grunt. The turbos should take care of that. With the grunt issue out of the way, there really isn't any competition.
swifthead
July 8, 2008 6:02 PM
@Paul_e:
if AMG is not putting the 65 AMG engines in sedans then tell me what is S65 AMG???
radmeister
July 8, 2008 8:28 PM
It is a limousine, not same category. S65 is in the same class as 7 series bmw and Audi A8.
Andres2007
July 8, 2008 9:45 PM
The S class, the 7 series and the A8 are sedans. The S class Pullman is a limousine.
dmanero
July 8, 2008 6:34 PM
I have to say that the front bumber on the m5 is not my taste. They really need to rethink the intakes.
pzigly
July 9, 2008 8:12 AM
That is not how the bumper will look. This is just a car that has the shell of the current M5. They are just in the testing phase so that no one can see how the new Bmw will look. This is kind of like camaflougue look for now.
Get_real
July 8, 2008 9:57 PM
I think it's sad. It's the engine that makes me want the M5 more than its competition, even if those have more power and torque... Exactly same reason why I prefer 911 GT3 over 911 Turbo!
kimbo
July 8, 2008 10:03 PM
"I think it's sad. It's the engine that makes me want the M5 more than its competition, even if those have more power and torque.."
Exactly. I love that high-tech high reving V10 sound and the way it works. I'm enough with muscle V8s!!!
illest813
July 9, 2008 2:58 AM
id rather have a faster twin turbo v8 than a v10 that u have to fill up every 3 hours..not saying the v8 will be great, but its a step in the right direction. and i dont need to hear the same old argument "if u can afford a m5 you can afford gas" - that may work on ferraris and super cars, but doesnt apply here
Joe_Limon
July 9, 2008 6:40 AM
5.0 L naturally aspirated vs 4.4 L twin turbo'd. Uhm, I would have thought that the 5.0 would use less gas, turbo's cram extra air into the 4.4 L engine, along with that extra air is extra fuel, otherwise your running your air fuel ratio to lean.
pzigly
July 9, 2008 8:19 AM
I hope the turbos dont overheat the oil like on the 335i's...... A friend of mine had to return her BMW to the dealer and get a new car because her 335i was always overheating even after the dealer installed an expensive cooling system. Her new 335i overheated once or twice already so I dont know if BMW can really make a reliable turbo engine yet.
wisp
July 9, 2008 12:35 PM
Pzigly, are you sure your friend meant the double international engine of the year? I think you meant Kia Turbo engines coz there's no way that engine can fail so often and yet be named international engine of the year if there are better turbo engines out there. It's the best turbo engine out there.
timdog595
July 9, 2008 1:16 PM
i agree with wisp on that 335i engine. it is the best turbo engine out there. pzigly, your friends engine probably overheats because she doesn't know how to take care of it or something. you know female drivers don't know squat about driving or maintaining cars. well, most female drivers anyway.
pzigly
July 9, 2008 1:24 PM
Thats why I was so amazed that it did win engine of the year. If you check motortrend.com they tested the 335i vs G37 and in that test the engine overheated AGAIN!!!!
American-Rules
July 9, 2008 3:01 PM
All of those horse powers under the bonnet. F10 BMW 5-Series can't compete with the Porsche 911 Turbo - Power, Agility and Handling.
AG4
July 9, 2008 3:34 PM
Because the (larger 4-door, 5-seater) BMW M5 not meant to compete with the 911 Turbo.
The only Porsche the next generation M5 will probably be competing against will be the Panamera Turbo.
Schizo0223
July 11, 2008 9:51 AM
There are certain things that cannot be bent and the laws of physics are among them. A large 4 door saloon cannot be compared with a sportscar like the Porshe Turbo.
dr_dirt
July 9, 2008 3:57 PM
pzigly, The only way the 335 engine will overheat is to run it on an extended racing road course, a situation that doesn't occur unless you drive your car on a race course. Dinan sells a large oil cooler for such an event.
pzigly
July 9, 2008 10:07 PM
The infinity was driven just as hard though and it didnt overheat. Also even if that were the case. My friend who bought the 335i had the same problem and she was never on the track. The car went in limp mode 3 times (3 seperate occasions and 3 times to the dealer) and she was finally able to return that one and get a new one even after they put a oil cooler in it. She said the new car she recieved went into limp mode once already.
pzigly
July 9, 2008 10:25 PM
Also, why the hell would any person buy a 335i if they didnt want to push it once in a while.... I would not spend well over 40K for a car that has a chance of going into limp mode if I pushed it. This is a BMW its not supposed to give you trouble!!!
wisp
July 9, 2008 4:57 PM
I agree with AG4. Will Porshe then agree to compete with an identical car being the VERITAS RS 3 as it is powered by the BMW V10. Let's see how it will do against that car coz i'm pretty sure the power to weight ratios will be comparable.
dj
July 10, 2008 7:44 PM
the 1st 335i's that came out had no oil cooler on them. this caused the oil to heat up to a point where the computer got involved and cut performance and everything else (limp mode according to pzigly). this is a safety feature to protect the engine. the newer 335i's have a oil cooler on them, just a manufacturer's mistake, that takes nothing away from the car's performance, or handling....a 335i will leave a e46 M3 in a race, and there are not a lot of cars that can do that. for everyone who 'hates' on BMW's why is every manufacturer in every class trying to make there cars a carbon copy of 1,3,5,6,7,8 series???? ULTIMATE DRIVING MACHINE....can't afford it buy a honda/acura...next best thing....
pzigly
July 10, 2008 11:34 PM
The reason why BMW didn't put a oil cooler in some models is because they put it only in the sport model. To me that has to be the DUMBEST thing I have ever heard of. Basically BMW is saying that the people "only" spending $40k on this beamer to eat $hit. They dont put the option that will save your car from over heating. Basically it says that people "only" buying a $40 car do not deserve to have the R&D that a person buying the near or more than $50k price tag on this car. If they really did R&D on the regular model they should have realized this problem rather than letting the people who spent $40k of their hard earned money find it out. Any even DUMB a$$ car company can realize that when you turbo charge an engine it would need proper a cooling system. Nissan tested the GTR all around the world and tested it on The Ring for thousands of hours, trying to beat up the car as much as could and they found that their car never overheated. Only then they proceed to start selling the car.
To anyone buying a beamer. If you want to save a little of your money, BMW has not dont proper R&D on their models without options. BMW doesn't care about you.
And dont tell me that BMW fixed the problem because it should have never happened in the first place!!
Schizo0223
July 11, 2008 9:57 AM
Pzigly...I knew the GTR or Nissan had to be mentioned sooner or later.
I really admire your fanaticism for the GTR.
Everyone that comes to this site should pitch in $5.00 so that we can buy you a GTR :)
pzigly
July 11, 2008 10:44 AM
I didnt want to mention it lol. I just wanted to use an example of a turbo engine that could take a beating and that was the only one that came to mind. And thanks for the gesture but I will have my GTR in 2 years time. I have my own little savings.
dj
July 12, 2008 3:42 AM
the bi-turbo v6 engine won a engine of the year award....didn't see that happen with the GT-R mr zigly, so did the v10 in the M5, so did the v8 in the M3, and so will the bi-turbo v8, soooooooooo keep hating. BTW i saw a test recently where the E92 M3 beat your mighty GT-R......
pzigly
July 12, 2008 5:00 AM
There is no way in hell theat the M3 beat the GTR. NO WAY IN HELLLLLL. The GTR is a 2009 model that is why it was not put in the running. The GTR will PISSSSS on the M3. I already saw a professional car review where the 911 turbo the GTR and the M3 were put head to head the GTR came first 911 second and m3 was like 5 sec slower than both cars not even comming close. So stop talking out of your a$$
pzigly
July 12, 2008 5:20 AM
also at the end of the track run the brakes of the M3 stopped working because they overheated. Didnt happen to the GTR or the 911 GT3
dj
July 12, 2008 10:17 PM
you are a little bit too arrogant for someone so ignorant...check that link, but don't feel too stupid after.....
pzigly
July 13, 2008 12:50 AM
I saw that review. That mag is always biased towards BMW. The GTR can out brake the M3, can out accelorate the M3, can out corner the M3 and can out perform the M3 in every way possible. They didnt even take the time to test the GTR correctly. For the 0-60 time they turned the traction control on like a bunch of morons. They could have tested a a regular 3 series and said the trunk has more room and the rear has more leg room. That doesnt mean the m3 is a better car. The GTR has room for 2 golf bags and can still fit people in the back. Everyone replying to that video called C&D morons and biased. Some even said they are going to end their suscriptions because they do not properly test cars. EVERY OTHER CAR REVIEW SAYS THE GTR IS #1. That should show you how dumb that review was.
pzigly
July 13, 2008 12:55 AM
You dont compare a car like the GTR and the M3 to see which ones will carry your groceries better. You see which is better on the track. Even the people that like the M3 criticized that review saying that C&D are morons.
dj
July 13, 2008 7:16 PM
lol, idk where you live but it looks like your day to day roadways are similar to the nurburgring....for someone who feels so strongly about this GT-R i really do hope you get to at least drive one.....1 day
pzigly
July 14, 2008 4:31 AM
HAHA I live in California. Every supercar is here. Dont worry Ill have a GTR in 2yrs time. Thanks benz man for helpin. I swear the vein in my head was about to pop lol.
benz_man
July 14, 2008 3:06 AM
Have to agree with Pzigly on this one. As good as the M3 is, it doesnt hold a candle to the GTR. They are completely differnet vehicles, made for completely different market segments. No one shops the M3 and GTR against each other.
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