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Originally Posted by swamp2
The existence of the N63tu in no way proves or even makes a point counter to my claim.
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Well no of course not, nor did I assert that it did. My point - in case it wasn't abundantly clear - is that the development of the "S55" despite the existence of the N63Tu that offers the same or very similar output as the former counters your claim about money/cost. As a general rule the fewer types of engines you build, the lower your costs will be (less parts = great economies of scale).
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What part of this very good prior post did you miss,
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swamp, I didn't read that post nor any other that came after yours. I was responding to your post and your words only - no one else's.
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An I6 will be so much less expensive than any kind of modified N63.
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I don't think you understand. There is no need whatsoever to modify the N63tu that I spoke of in my post (not an N63, incidentally, as you've stated). It could be dropped into an M3/M4 as is, just as the N54 was for the 1M (aside from a different flywheel in that case, IIRC).
From an R&D perspective, I am struggling to come up with a convincing argument that could demonstrate how taking an N55 and reworking the entire induction system, valvetrain, and heads to create an "S55" will somehow save money vs. just using the N63tu V8 that's already been developed for the 6 and 7 series range of products.
I don't really want to get into a long winded debate or pissing match of any kind, but in my mind the truth in all this is pretty darn clear - BMW M is developing the "S55" not because it is the cheapest solution, but because it meets their needs best which include not just costs, and not even just efficiency or performance either, but also some degree of exclusivity and some degree of heritage too, and probably other intangibles that the marketing minds at BMW have ways of quantifying with respect to monetization. So then, I think even skullbusa has come up a bit short as far as all of the factors at play when it comes to making the business case.
Going back to your original post, if an S65 with FI and/or DI would have met those needs best, then that is exactly what we'd have, even if it weren't necessarily the lowest cost to develop. And going back to my post, even if the N63tu is the least costly, if it doesn't meet all the needs of the product (read: exclusivity) then it is not going to make the cut. So what we end up with is something in the middle - not the cheapest engine to build, but no doubt cheaper than taking the current M3 engine and furthering its development. When you are trying to maintain your position in the marketplace as the enthusiast's #1 performance luxury sedan/coupe on the market, you have more to consider than just the number crunching from the bean counters and the engineers. You have to build the car that the ever-changing marketplace wants.