New BMW M3 has 420 Horsepower
Source: BMW | Published: March 26, 2007

Its name alone spells out the epitome of ultimate driving pleasure: the BMW M3. And now the new version of BMW M GmbH’s most successful high-performance sports car bears out this claim once again, at the same time providing a thrilling answer to the question asked by so many sports car fans around the world whether a further improvement is still possible at all.

And the answer is yes – for the new BMW M3 offers more in every respect. This applies not only – but particularly – to the power unit: After 15 years and two model generations, the trendsetting six-cylinder has now found its successor. The new BMW M3 is entering the market with an eight-cylinder power unit – more cylinders, larger capacity, more power, higher engine speed. And it is fair to say from the start that this will also mean an even more thrilling experience on the road.

The benchmark the new power unit was required to exceed could hardly have been greater: BMW’s 3.2-liter straight-six has gained fame and admiration the world over, receiving a long list of awards and prizes. Acknowledged several times as the “Engine of the Year” and developing a supreme 333 bhp in its last version, this power unit made the BMW M3 not only the ultimate performer in the segment of high-performance sports cars, but also a genuine best seller.

The fact still remains, however, that everything has its time. And now the time has come for the six-cylinder to bow out and leave the stage. The time has come for the advent of the new V8 in the new BMW M3.

The specifications of this new high-performance power unit alone clearly confirm the enormous progress this engine has to offer. Engine displacement is 3,999 cc, maximum output is 420 bhp. Peak torque of 295 lb-ft is just as impressive as the top engine speed of 8,300 rpm. So clearly, the new BMW M3 is striking out for the top right from the start through its thrilling performance.






Ideal Dimensions for Performance at its Best

Displacing 500 cc per cylinder, the new V8 power unit meets the ideal concept of the most demanding engine designers right from the start through its engine dimensions alone. And the other design criteria – all the way from the engine’s dimensions and filling capacities through the number of components to the weight of the engine – likewise represent the very best achievable today.

Over and above these qualities, the new eight-cylinder offers all the typical M-tuned features of BMW’s regular production cars such as double-VANOS, individual throttle butterflies, and high-performance engine electronics.

At the same time the number of cylinders, the M high-speed engine concept, and the low weight of the engine clearly prove that the responsible engineers, in creating this power unit, were inspired and guided by the eight-cylinder featured in the BMW Sauber F1. For the new engine has many features in common with the latest power unit highlighted by BMW in Formula 1, with various technological concepts and principles, production processes and materials carried over from the Formula 1 engine to the drivetrain of the new BMW M3.

In terms of specific output, the new V8 significantly exceeds the benchmark of 100 hp per liter acknowledged as a convincing sign of sporting power and performance. But even so, power is not everything. Rather, the dynamic driving experience provided by a car depends to a great extent on its acceleration and handling, resulting, not least, from the weight of the car and the actual thrust of the engine. The thrust or traction acting on the drive wheels, in turn, results from engine torque and the overall transmission ratio.

The M high-speed engine concept allows optimum transmission and final drive ratios further enhancing the impressive thrust and power of the engine. Indeed, BMW M’s engineers have found a new dimension in developing the engine of the new BMW M3, with the eight-cylinder achieving maximum engine speed of 8,300 rpm.

The second factor crucial to thrust and performance on the road, engine torque, amounts to a mighty 295 lb-ft at 3, 900 rpm on the new V8 power unit. And about 85 per cent of the engine’s maximum torque is available throughout the enormous engine speed range of 6,500 rpm, with 251 lb-ft available from just 2,000 rpm.

Engine Block Straight from BMW’s Formula 1 Foundry

The engine block of the new eight-cylinder comes straight from BMW’s light-alloy foundry in Landshut near Munich, where BMW also builds the engine blocks for the Company’s Formula 1 racing cars. The cylinder crankcase, in turn, is made of a special aluminium silicon alloy, conventional cylinder liners being replaced by hard silicon crystals. The iron-coated pistons, finally,
run directly in the uncoated, honed cylinder bore.

High engine speeds, compression forces and temperatures cause extreme loads acting on the crankcase. Hence, the crankcase is compact in its dimensions and comes in torsionally resistant bedplate design ensuring very precise crankshaft bearing and running conditions. The relatively short, forged crankshaft is likewise very stiff in terms of its flexural and torsional qualities, but weighs only 44 lb.

Innovative Exhaust System

Through its design and configuration, the exhaust system for the new V8 power unit optimizes the cylinder charge cycle, ensuring an optimum surge of power and torque at all times. And again, this component has been designed and built from the start for consistent lightweight qualities.

The exhaust manifolds are made in an internal high-pressure remoulding process, the desired contours of the stainless-steel pipes being shaped from inside under pressure of up to 800 bar. The result is extremely thin walls measuring just 0.65–1.00 millimeters (0.0256–0.0394´´ ) in thickness, optimizing flow conditions with minimum resistance, light weight, and optimum response of the catalytic converters.

Exhaust emissions are cleaned by no less than four catalysts and the engine naturally complies both with the European EU4 standard and the US LEV 2 requirements.


http://www.rsportscars.com/eng/articles/m3_v8.asp

 

Hell of an engine. Wonder if there will be an "M" button on the wheel of the M3, or will 420hp be on tap all the time? Maybe just for automaticly adjusting the settings of trans and suspension along with engine tuning to work together.

 

That peak torque number seems a little low, but European V8s typically don't offer similar torque to the their American counterparts. I'd like to see a graph once someone hits a dyno with one of these.

 

Whats interesting is that it has a better tq/cubic inch than the LS7. Still, I've always prefered my V8s to have tq....and lots of it.

 

Not really uncommon for an OHC engine vs. an OHV engine.

I don't think the LS7 has much to fear from this engine.

I wonder how the weights and dimensions compare between the two (not to mention the cost)?

 

The old adage will typically prove true, There is no replacement for displacement...when it comes to torque.

It's only 4.0L. This engine is a screamer, it's built for high RPM power output...it's not built for low speed grunt. 8300 RPMs, that's insane for a V8, imagine what that thing sounds like at full steam?

I had the old 3.2L M3, with the Dinan upgrades done to it. It too was a real screamer. I had it on the dyno a few times, and people would literally start backing away from it. It wasn't as loud as the typical V8 with dual exhaust at low rpm's, but once it got past 6500rpm's, it would make the hair on the back of your neck stand up.

Think F1, not John Force.

 

No doubt. Kinda like the Ferrari 4.3L that goes to ~8500 or so.

However, I can say after driving a couple Z06s that the 7.0L, long-ish stroke LS7 at 7000 rpm will get your blood pumping too.

 

This was pretty much my first thought too. Very impressive piece, high RPM, compact size, loads of HP but it does seems low on the torque side.

I do like and admire the 3 series cars especially, (and I catch myself drooling over) the M car. However, were I in the position (and it would be nice, very nice) to consider owning one of these expensive and well regarded cars I'm not 100% sure I'd jump the GM boat. I'm not saying GM cars are never faulty or are otherwise "superior", maybe it's a case of "better the devil you know" type of scenario, at least for me. Such 3-series (potentially expensive to fix) nemeses such bad water pumps and rads, easily fouled pick-ups in the gas tank and the whole rear end assembly breaking free of the car (OK, so this was primarily an E36 thing but it has happened to E46 cars as well) are things that give me pause. In cars that are so expensive and "refined" I'm not sure that these are issues that should be present on an on-going basis.

Back on topic though, the new M3 does look like an even more potent car than the outgoing model.

 

I'd rather have a Z06.

 

what if you need to move more than 2 people around at a time?

 

I have a Suburban for that.

 

As I said in another thread, it seems like a way over "techy" engine than needed.

My question:
How big is the footprint of the engine, and the weight compared to a LS2 or LS7?

The TQ is seriously lacking for a 420HP engine. This is exactly why I'm not a huge fan of lower displacement high revving engines. You have to drive the p1ss out of them to get the full potential. I'm eager to see the mpg ratings as well. Might be fun for a track day, but that's like 1% or less of it's typical usage.

It is a very nice engine, but seems over designed for HP rather than TQ to me. I would rather see 380 HP and 340 TQ out of that engine.

Dan

 

I wonder if you'll have to use a joystick through 11 menus to change the cabin temperature...

 

That's what I thought of too. The 360 Modena and F430's V8 has a similar output on paper to the Bimmer's. I just hope BMW didn't focus too much on the top end that it neglected the low rpm punch. The M3 doesn't need to turn into a S2000.

 

From what I gather from the BMW crowd, this new engine is both loved and loathed. Many BMW enthusiasts believe that the straight six in the M3 is the only true performance engine the M3 should have.