BMW F80 M3 to Run on E85 Ethanol, or So Thinks Its Test Driver. Doh!

Jason · 11-23-2012, 05:21 PM

BIMMERPOST NEWS

BMW F80 M3 to Run on E85 Ethanol, or So Thinks Its Test Driver. Doh!

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COMMENTS

Seeing the 2014 M3 Sedan (F80) in the harsh winter of northern Sweden this time of the year for cold weather testing is no surprise. Nor is seeing the prototype at a gas station being refueled.

But, the type of fuel that this F80 M3 test car was being filled with by its driver was certainly surprising. An astute witness captured these images at a gas station in Kode, Sweden, while witnessing the test driver of the M3 refueling the car with E85 ethanol fuel (a blend of 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline).

So, is BMW testing an M3 which is powered by ethanol fuel? Seems unlikely. Human error seems to be the cause as the witness described the seemingly confused test driver first grab the wrong fuel pump handle (blue is for ethanol, green is for regular gasoline in Sweden) and then initially look for the fuel door on the wrong side of the car. The driver may also have mistaken the blue pump handle for regular gasoline because 98 octane gas in Germany (where we assume he's from) is marked by a blue handle.

Another (unlikely) possibility may be that the wrong type of fuel is being filled on purpose in order to test the ill effects of it on the F80 M3 engine - a turbo inline 6.

There was no report on the results of this scene, but if this was truly a mistake, we picture a still confused test driver wondering why the M3 prototype's engine is behaving oddly, running rough, and/or being down on power.

Follow our F80 M3 / F82 M4 coverage and news @ http://www.bimmerpost.com/m3/f30m3/

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Via Teknikens Varld

M ETT · 11-24-2012, 11:03 AM

Here's hoping that the M3 will cope

Transfer · 11-24-2012, 01:49 PM

Maybe it will have one of these USDM badges on it:

bimmerJP · 11-26-2012, 12:23 PM

Ouch...

ArabianSensation · 11-26-2012, 12:32 PM

E85 + tri-turbo I-6 = big power

At least, I hope they are testing an E85 map.... or this guy is getting fired.

DASHOCKER · 11-26-2012, 12:38 PM

that stuff will eat seals. can you say hpfp failure.

vasillalov · 11-26-2012, 12:38 PM

Why is everyone assuming that this is wrong? Come on now... This is a test mule. BMW sells cars in Brazil and by law the ethanol content there is 25%. How do you know if BMW is not testing special ECU programming to take advantage of pure ethanol?

Hell, the N54 engine in the E90 335i is perfectly happy with E50 fuel blends and proper software!

ASAP · 11-26-2012, 12:49 PM

ohhh my lord... if this thing can run on e85 blends from the factory then I will have a heart attack!!! I think it may be wishful thinking however.

FogCityM3 · 11-26-2012, 01:17 PM

Wouldn't potentially running on E85 (at least as a map flex/fuel), be completely in-line with BMW's focus on improving emissions? Seems that at least exploring the use of E85 is within the realm of plausability.

Gugs · 11-26-2012, 01:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DASHOCKER

that stuff will eat seals. can you say hpfp failure.

Oh really tell me more about stuff eating seals.
Mabby u should learn about corrosion inhibitors
and the laws passed in 1996 in the US regarding ethanol content in gasoline and the required changes to ALL fuel systems to account for ethanol corrosion.
Just mabby

Vector Pilot · 11-26-2012, 01:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vasillalov

Why is everyone assuming that this is wrong? Come on now... This is a test mule. BMW sells cars in Brazil and by law the ethanol content there is 25%. How do you know if BMW is not testing special ECU programming to take advantage of pure ethanol?

Hell, the N54 engine in the E90 335i is perfectly happy with E50 fuel blends and proper software!

Thanks. Who are we to speculate what the hell they're up to, it's test mule!

FrankiE90 · 11-26-2012, 01:49 PM

smooth and fast.
e85. why not.

RARZED4 · 11-26-2012, 01:52 PM

mkoesel · 11-26-2012, 02:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vasillalov

Why is everyone assuming that this is wrong?

I think primarily because of this account from the scene:

"Human error seems to be the cause as the witness described the seemingly confused test driver first grab the wrong fuel pump handle (blue is for ethanol, green is for regular gasoline in Sweden) and then initially look for the fuel door on the wrong side of the car. The driver may also have mistaken the blue pump handle for regular gasoline because 98 octane gas in Germany (where we assume he's from) is marked by a blue handle."

So, whether or not he meant to select E85 fuel, he was at any rate not altogether sure of himself at the time he made this fuel stop. It could easily have been a mistake.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mhabs

Wouldn't potentially running on E85 (at least as a map flex/fuel), be completely in-line with BMW's focus on improving emissions? Seems that at least exploring the use of E85 is within the realm of plausability.

Emissions may be better (I don't know, honestly), but efficiency is generally worse.

http://ask.cars.com/2008/07/e85-gas-mileage.html

So any decrease in emmisions on a per unit of fuel basis may be negated by the fact that you will probably need more fuel to cover the equivalent distance.

I am sure BMW has explored E85, and probably has ongoing tests involving the alternative fuel. But I have my doubts that the F80 M3 is part of this research.

STi_traitor · 11-26-2012, 02:02 PM

E85 gets big numbers with turbocharged vehicles with very little modification to be done.......if it's mapped for it!

Transfer · 11-26-2012, 02:06 PM

Hang on a sec. The pump housing shows E85 in green on sticker on the side.

IMG · 11-26-2012, 02:07 PM

Would be so awesome if it runs on straight E85 !

PUREPHAZED · 11-26-2012, 02:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by img

Would be so awesome if it runs on straight E85 !

I have to agree! Hats off to the BMW engineers.

B,

M

IMG · 11-26-2012, 02:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PUREPHAZED

I have to agree! Hats off to the BMW engineers.

B,

M

Would be sick,i hope the fuel delivery system and pumps are built for it

n54door · 11-26-2012, 02:19 PM

Can we confirm he actually grabbed the handle for e85 and not regular?

There are two handles, and the one he grabbed is blue. The other is a green one and it matches the green E85 sticker on the pump.

Erich2142 · 11-26-2012, 02:35 PM

You never know, maybe its some kind of a new test to see if the 85 will do any damage to the new engine.

macadam · 11-26-2012, 02:39 PM

Blue = E75 in winter and E85 in summer.
Green = 95 octane with 5-15%(?) ethanol blend in it.

It would be awesome if it would run on E85! It does have lower energycontent compared to regular fuel but ignition can be optimized alot more. You normally reach MBT-timing without knock!

11-23-2012, 05:21 PM	#1
Jason Administrator 43486 Rep 21,323 Posts Drives: F80 M3 Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: USA iTrader: (0)	BMW F80 M3 to Run on E85 Ethanol, or So Thinks Its Test Driver. Doh! BIMMERPOST NEWS BMW F80 M3 to Run on E85 Ethanol, or So Thinks Its Test Driver. Doh! 66 COMMENTS Tweet Seeing the 2014 M3 Sedan (F80) in the harsh winter of northern Sweden this time of the year for cold weather testing is no surprise. Nor is seeing the prototype at a gas station being refueled. But, the type of fuel that this F80 M3 test car was being filled with by its driver was certainly surprising. An astute witness captured these images at a gas station in Kode, Sweden, while witnessing the test driver of the M3 refueling the car with E85 ethanol fuel (a blend of 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline). So, is BMW testing an M3 which is powered by ethanol fuel? Seems unlikely. Human error seems to be the cause as the witness described the seemingly confused test driver first grab the wrong fuel pump handle (blue is for ethanol, green is for regular gasoline in Sweden) and then initially look for the fuel door on the wrong side of the car. The driver may also have mistaken the blue pump handle for regular gasoline because 98 octane gas in Germany (where we assume he's from) is marked by a blue handle. Another (unlikely) possibility may be that the wrong type of fuel is being filled on purpose in order to test the ill effects of it on the F80 M3 engine - a turbo inline 6. There was no report on the results of this scene, but if this was truly a mistake, we picture a still confused test driver wondering why the M3 prototype's engine is behaving oddly, running rough, and/or being down on power. Follow our F80 M3 / F82 M4 coverage and news @ http://www.bimmerpost.com/m3/f30m3/ Via Teknikens Varld
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11-24-2012, 11:03 AM	#2
M ETT Private First Class 7 Rep 130 Posts Drives: 1M VO, F30 EBII Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Northern Europe (Next door to Santa) iTrader: (0)	BMW test driver screwing up Here's hoping that the M3 will cope
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11-24-2012, 01:49 PM	#3
Transfer Major General 5295 Rep 5,875 Posts Drives: Bronco Wildtrak, Tesla MYP Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Issaquah, WA iTrader: (1)	Maybe it will have one of these USDM badges on it:
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11-26-2012, 12:23 PM	#4
bimmerJP First Lieutenant 11 Rep 380 Posts Drives: 2008 e90 335i Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Texas, the United States of America, Planet Earth, Universe iTrader: (0)	Ouch...
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11-26-2012, 12:32 PM	#5
ArabianSensation Lieutenant 38 Rep 475 Posts Drives: M3 Join Date: May 2009 Location: Chicago iTrader: (0)	E85 + tri-turbo I-6 = big power At least, I hope they are testing an E85 map.... or this guy is getting fired. __________________
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11-26-2012, 12:38 PM	#6
DASHOCKER The power of V! 103 Rep 1,971 Posts Drives: 2007 335i coupe steptronic Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: NYC iTrader: (0) Garage List 1998 Lexus Gs400 [0.00] 2010 ebony & ivory [0.00] 2006 BMW X3 [0.00] 2009 pics [0.00] 2009 e92 335 xdrive [0.00]	that stuff will eat seals. can you say hpfp failure. __________________ 2007 335 coupe Alpine white, steptronic, sportpack, etc. (gone) 2006 X3 3.0 steptronic Titanium Silver, 2009 E92 335xdrive, next.... Caddy CTS_V! 13 Lincoln MKZ? hmmm.
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11-26-2012, 12:38 PM	#7
vasillalov Mad Linux Guru On The Loose 1180 Rep 5,452 Posts Drives: 2008 335i Sedan, 2023 M3 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Chicago, IL iTrader: (5) Garage List 2023 BMW M3 [0.00] 2008 335i E90 [8.00]	Why is everyone assuming that this is wrong? Come on now... This is a test mule. BMW sells cars in Brazil and by law the ethanol content there is 25%. How do you know if BMW is not testing special ECU programming to take advantage of pure ethanol? Hell, the N54 engine in the E90 335i is perfectly happy with E50 fuel blends and proper software! __________________
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11-26-2012, 12:49 PM	#8
ASAP Major General 10850 Rep 9,022 Posts Drives: '23 X3 M40i Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: FL iTrader: (0)	ohhh my lord... if this thing can run on e85 blends from the factory then I will have a heart attack!!! I think it may be wishful thinking however. __________________ 2 x N54 -> 1 x N55 -> 1 x S55-> 1 x B58
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11-26-2012, 01:17 PM	#9
FogCityM3 Colonel 507 Rep 2,397 Posts Drives: M3 (E90) & Porsche GT3 RS Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: San Francisco iTrader: (0)	Wouldn't potentially running on E85 (at least as a map flex/fuel), be completely in-line with BMW's focus on improving emissions? Seems that at least exploring the use of E85 is within the realm of plausability.
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11-26-2012, 01:49 PM	#12
FrankiE90 Major General 666 Rep 8,800 Posts Drives: Krooked Sk8board Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Pasadena, Ca iTrader: (11)	smooth and fast. e85. why not. __________________ FrankiE90 AKA:.[The TANK] *CLICK THE SIG E90s (been gone but not forgotten) • KW clubsports • • • • • • • • • • 18" BBS GT4 // Build E30 (pending) + E46 M3 Wagon ESTORIL Blue
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11-26-2012, 01:52 PM	#13
RARZED4 Private First Class 55 Rep 118 Posts Drives: MerlinTiCx Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Falls Church, Virginia iTrader: (0)	E85=105 octane...
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11-26-2012, 02:02 PM	#15
STi_traitor Banned 108 Rep 996 Posts Drives: BTG 2014 - 3 Laps Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Bavaria iTrader: (0)	E85 gets big numbers with turbocharged vehicles with very little modification to be done.......if it's mapped for it!
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11-26-2012, 02:06 PM	#16
Transfer Major General 5295 Rep 5,875 Posts Drives: Bronco Wildtrak, Tesla MYP Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Issaquah, WA iTrader: (1)	Hang on a sec. The pump housing shows E85 in green on sticker on the side.
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11-26-2012, 02:07 PM	#17
IMG 1182 Rep 7,713 Posts Drives: E90 M3, E60 M5, F90 M5CS, M4 C Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Location iTrader: (6)	Would be so awesome if it runs on straight E85 !
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11-26-2012, 02:19 PM	#20
n54door Banned 89 Rep 808 Posts Drives: 09' 135i 6AT FBO - MHD Tuned Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: DFW iTrader: (5)	Can we confirm he actually grabbed the handle for e85 and not regular? There are two handles, and the one he grabbed is blue. The other is a green one and it matches the green E85 sticker on the pump.
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11-26-2012, 02:35 PM	#21
Erich2142 Private First Class 12 Rep 139 Posts Drives: E92 M3, Ducati 848 Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Toronto iTrader: (0)	You never know, maybe its some kind of a new test to see if the 85 will do any damage to the new engine. __________________ 09 E92 M3 2011 Ducati 848
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11-26-2012, 02:39 PM	#22
macadam Registered 0 Rep 2 Posts Drives: 320D M Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Sweden iTrader: (0)	Blue = E75 in winter and E85 in summer. Green = 95 octane with 5-15%(?) ethanol blend in it. It would be awesome if it would run on E85! It does have lower energycontent compared to regular fuel but ignition can be optimized alot more. You normally reach MBT-timing without knock!
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