Official: BMW F80 M3 / F82 M4 Brings Back the Inline 6 Engine

[Jason]

BIMMERPOST NEWS

Official: BMW F80 M3 / F82 M4 Brings Back the Inline 6 Engine

385
COMMENTS

Tweet

We can finally confirm that the next generation M3 (F80 / F82) will be powered by an inline 6 cylinder engine. We spoke to the President of BMW North America, Mr. Ludwig Willisch, at a current BMW event and he has officially confirmed that the next generation M3's engine will indeed feature an inline 6 layout and not a V6.

Until now, there has been no official confirmation (nor denial) from BMW on whether the F80 sedan and F82 coupe's motor would feature an I6 or rumored V6 configuration (although it's been all but a foregone conclusion that it will utilize forced induction by way of turbos).

Mr. Willisch added that a V6 configuration was previously considered (including whether a motor based on the current M3's S65 engine minus two cylinders was appropriate), but ultimately ruled out.

Whether the F80 M3's inline 6 will feature two or three turbos remains to be seen. An earlier BMW filed turbo patent shows that the company has developed (or is developing) electric turbo technology; so a bi-turbo or tri-turbo inline 6 engine could possibly see the implementation of one or more electric turbos.

Despite the next M3 sedan being at least 1.5 to 2 years away, we now know the following. It will be:

• Lighter than current M3
• Faster than current M3
• More powerful than current M3
• More efficient than current M3
• Powered by an inline 6 cylinder [turbo] engine
• Offered with optional or standard manual transmission (if previous spy photos are any indication)
• Introduced no earlier than late 2013 - early 2014

Follow all our F80 M3 / F82 M4 news at http://www.bimmerpost.com/m3/f30m3/

Here are the first spy photos of the F80 M3 / F82 M4 engine:

[Jake C]

Thanks for the info.


- J

[EdM5]

Thanks, but we"ll have to wait another 1.5 - 2 years?

[Xelloss]

Inline 6 FTW!!!

[Harold Wood]

Sounds good to me, I wonder how much carbon fibre will go into the production car?

[kueks29]

I bet against the I6!!!!!

At the weekend was 24-hour race at the Nurburgring and there were some people of the M-GmbH!
Of course, no one has the letter "R" (I) or "V" in the mouth, but there are clear indications were given that there will be no I6!

But there is nothing new that blows anything out America, the department, which was not true after ...

[AlpWhite11]

Originally Posted by kueks29

I bet against the I6!!!!!

At the weekend was 24-hour race at the Nurburgring and there were some people of the M-GmbH!
Of course, no one has the letter "R" (I) or "V" in the mouth, but there are clear indications were given that there will be no I6!

But there is nothing new that blows anything out America, the department, which was not true after ...

Think I'll trust the president of BMWNA.

Great to hear the return of an inline!

[MSPORTWORLD]

Thank goodness

[kdbryce]

ughhhhhh

it's just sad to see the v8 go.

i bet Merc will keep theirs. or at least put the 5.5 in

[ES_TRADER]

happy to know the S65 is now one of a kind and probably will have demand for it once its off production...first and only M3 ever to have a V8.

[SamS]

I don't think I've heard an I6 that sounds as good as the S65.

I know why they had to do it, I just remain skeptical that an I6 will give me the same feeling as the S65 V8.

[hwelvaar]

Originally Posted by 09BlkSapphire

Think I'll trust the president of BMWNA.

Think he's just a sales/marketing puppet of BMW Europe, and noway involved with R&D (all in Germany).

But doesn't mean he can't be right about the topic.

[AlpWhite11]

Originally Posted by hwelvaar

Think he's just a sales/marketing puppet of BMW Europe, and noway involved with R&D (all in Germany).

But doesn't mean he can't be right about the topic.

Even if he's just a marketing guy, no marketing president is going to make that comment without being sure. Or else they would just not make the comment in the first place.

[doublevanosrc]

[gary88]

[MrClean335i]

Great news. I am happy to hear the M3 is going back to a I6

[Park2670]

This is wonderful news!

[stubenhocker]

Long Live the Inline Six!

[malter2.0]

Great news! Now waiting for the following news.

-300lb diet
-elimination of turbos
-9000rpm redline
-440hp N/A


And we are set!

[czechchamp]

Excellent!!!

Glad I6 is back!!

[almuhairi]

Just to make it clear for me

Whats the difference between l6 or v6

[jmsent]

Originally Posted by Jason

Despite the next M3 sedan being at least 1.5 to 2 years away, we now know the following. It will be:

• Lighter than current M3
• Faster than current M3
• More powerful than current M3
• More efficient than current M3
• Powered by an inline 6 cylinder [turbo] engine
• Offered with optional or standard manual transmission (if previous spy photos are any indication)
• Introduced no earlier than late 2013 - early 2014

This. ^