BMW really wanted a six -cylinder engine for E39 M5. This, on his face, was not unusual. Each E28 and E34 M5s had straight energy, but as we all know, the E39 M5 ended with V-8 capacity of 5.0 liters. It took some time until BMW reached there, and the company considered something unimaginable-A V-6.
BMW Blog We caught our attention to This story is from BMW North America About the development of E39 M5. In it, Alex Hildbrendt, the chief engineer of the E39 M5, revealed that before settling on the V-8, BMW M abandoned V-6, six straight trucks, and even turbocharged for the third generation M5.
“We were at the end of the energy crisis in Europe, and there was some doubt whether this type of car would find more demand for the market,” said Hildbrandt. ((Karlheinz Kalbfell, who was then the BMW M leader) was keen to play this card of fuel efficiency, which does not mean that we will not have strong engines, but the efficiency of the engines should be great in comparison with power. Add fuel consumption and energy at the upper end of the RV range, instead of torque in the middle. “
Photo by: bmw
BMW started working on E39 M5 again in 1993, and Hildbrandt said that the company spent two years thinking about a car for the car. BMW did not reveal any details about either the six or V-6 straight turbocharged charger, so we don’t know how much the idea got. Other auto manufacturers were giving up six straight tools for V-6S in the 1990s, but BMW remained steadily in favor of maintaining their six cylinders in a row.
It seems that Kalbfell did not like the V-8 idea. I thought the straight six was the heart and spirit of BMW, and he also felt that M cars should have high recovery engines. The M5 should not be a muscle car with a lazy V-8.
But the idea of six cylinders was not working. BMW was not satisfied with the turbocharged charging, and the administration did not want a significant spending in developing a complex engine dedicated to a low -size car. The first M cars in expensive expensive sales were very expensive, to a large extent due to their engines derived from the race that prompted MSRPS beyond their counterparts other than M. Meanwhile, the basic price of American specifications E36 M3 was with more infantry, the straight -on on the basis of production and the reasonable basis selling in huge numbers, which puts a mold of success for the upcoming M cars.
Photo by: bmw
After years of Dilly-Dallying, the BMW M is finally in the bullet. It took 4.4 liters of M62 V-8 in 540i, expanded to 5.0 liters, suitable for dry lubrication, and individual suffocating bodies. S62 V-8 for M5 Revived to “JUST” 6600 rounds per minute, but it reached the goal of 400 hp. No one really cared about the low red line, and in practice, the S62 was only lazy. With this type of force allied with an upgraded version of the 5 -series series of chain already, and a six -speed manual gearbox, BMW M implemented a great recipe to perfection with E39 M5.
BMW finished selling 20,482 examples on E39 M5. Not a lot of cars in the great plan for things, but more than any of their predecessors. With a few $ 70,000 in the United States, the E39 M5 was a great success in America, with about half of the total production to the states. BMW was sold for three times the number of E39 M5s here as it did with the E28S and E34S combined.
“Without V-8, we will not have an opportunity to make the United States on board, and without the US volumes, the project was not profitable at all.”
The BMW M brand is now firm, thanks to a large part of the E39 M5. BMW M got its high-recovery methods in the 2000s with E60 M5 M5 and E63/E64 M6 that runs the V-10 and V-8 operating in V-8 E90/E92/E93 M3, but those days have ended. The competing needs for more power with a better economy and emissions forced M to embrace the turbocharged shipping, and now electrification.
Perhaps it can not be conceived just a few years ago. But it cannot be conceived like BMW V-6.
