BMW News: BMW will equip U.S. cars with 4-cylinder engines

http://www.autonews.com/article/2009...909159982/1172
FRANKFURT MOTOR SHOW
BMW will equip U.S. cars with 4-cylinder engines

Jason Stein
and Diana T. Kurylko
Automotive News
September 15, 2009 - 3:46 pm ET

FRANKFURT -- BMW plans to offer four-cylinder gasoline engines in the United States in an effort to meet stricter fuel economy rules.

Introduction of the powerplants, equipped with the automaker's next-generation twin turbochargers, “is the goal and we will do it,” Jim O'Donnell, CEO of BMW of North America, said today on the sidelines of the Frankfurt auto show.

O'Donnell said the engines will allow the automaker to reach U.S. targets before 2015. Under federal guidelines proposed today, automakers will have to improve the fuel economy of their fleets by 5 percent annually before a national standard of 35.5 mpg takes effect in the 2016 model year.

BMW will add a four-cylinder variant for its next 3 series in the United States by spring 2012, O'Donnell said. The automaker already equips its European 3 series with four-cylinder gasoline and diesel engines.

BMW also is considering adding four-cylinder gasoline engines to its X1 and X3 crossovers and 1-series model in the United States.

In Europe, the X1 will be available with a four-cylinder, twin-turbo diesel engine when it launches this fall. The X3 and 1 series also are offered with four-cylinder gasoline and diesel engines in Europe.

“We see potentially a significant market that could get to 100,000 four-cylinder engines” in the United States, O'Donnell said.

....this is good news for the economy minded....

....Bad news for other folks...for many years, way back in the deep recesses of my mind, there was one car i gave thought to owning when the time was right. i have not had a car in the last 2 years. one mitigating factor was that we only own one parking space in our condo garage, another i like to walk. as luck would have it, one factor went away, a neighbor/friend, an old sailor retired and sold his car. where normally you would have to pay $300 a month, i can have this spot for a hundred dollars a month. so, i start preliminary gathering info on my car. i have been 10 years without reading much in car area so i'm out of touch. reading the wall st journal, there is my car. The Ghost, it looks beautiful. i read further, this Ghost is a real amorphous apparition, it looks like a Rolls but it's really a BMW. Steel, not aluminum body, a BMW platform, 7 series, BMW electrics (maybe I-Drive) it does have the distinctive Rolls grille. A cruel end to that dream. i cannot justify the $400,000 for the Phantom and it would seem pretentious. i just cannot own another BMW until they refund my $2600 which they are presently dickering over. Now i'm left with the also ran, the VW that copied the chrysler 300, the Continental...

Originally Posted by jimjim

....Bad news for other folks...for many years, way back in the deep recesses of my mind, there was one car i gave thought to owning when the time was right. i have not had a car in the last 2 years. one mitigating factor was that we only own one parking space in our condo garage, another i like to walk. as luck would have it, one factor went away, a neighbor/friend, an old sailor retired and sold his car. where normally you would have to pay $300 a month, i can have this spot for a hundred dollars a month. so, i start preliminary gathering info on my car. i have been 10 years without reading much in car area so i'm out of touch. reading the wall st journal, there is my car. The Ghost, it looks beautiful. i read further, this Ghost is a real amorphous apparition, it looks like a Rolls but it's really a BMW. Steel, not aluminum body, a BMW platform, 7 series, BMW electrics (maybe I-Drive) it does have the distinctive Rolls grille. A cruel end to that dream. i cannot justify the $400,000 for the Phantom and it would seem pretentious. i just cannot own another BMW until they refund my $2600 which they are presently dickering over. Now i'm left with the also ran, the VW that copied the chrysler 300, the Continental...

I guess we will never again see a 316 or 318 over here. More's the pity. THOSE were really fun to drive. None of this "push pedal down car goes fast" stuff.

Do you think this means they will have the 3 model line up of a 4cyl TT >> 6cyl TT >> M3(V8 TT?)? It will be interesting to see how they will pull this off and where the price points will be at. It will be confusing if they offer a 1 series 6cyl for less/about the same price as a 4cyl 3. Only time will tell, but it will be interesting to see what comes. I will not hold my breath for a Z1 4cyl TT though, but I will dream.

Sheesh. I remember 11 or 12 years ago when I was running Cutter BMW that BMWNA made such a big deal out of the fact that they would not be offering 4-cylinder vehicles any longer in North America...

Well if anyone wanted a BMW owned 4 cylinder they'd go with the Mini Cooper, no? Yes it was bought by BMW not actual BMW but i still consider it a BMW equivalent.

Originally Posted by dvsgene

Well if anyone wanted a BMW owned 4 cylinder they'd go with the Mini Cooper, no? Yes it was bought by BMW not actual BMW but i still consider it a BMW equivalent.

The engines in the current MINI are built at BMW Plant Hams Hall. That same plant also assembles all 4-cylinder petrol engines used in BMWs.


http://www.bmw-plant-hamshall.com/
http://www.bmw-plant-hamshall.com/co...ctory_data.pdf


The inline-4s used in BMWs are pure BMW design.

The MINI engines are a joint venture with PSA-Citroen. The design is based on an existing Peugeot motor. BMW shared technology and contributed to a redesigned head and other improvements. This joint design motor is also used in some French cars.

Originally Posted by Spicey

D It will be confusing if they offer a 1 series 6cyl for less/about the same price as a 4cyl 3.

Already happening here. Price over lap between MINI, 1er and 3er:

116i 3-door --> £16,415
MINI Cooper S Hatch --> £16,580
MINI Cooper S Clubman --> £17,530
318i ES Sedan --> £21,525
MINI JCW Clubman --> £22,230
318i M-Sport Sedan --> £24,735
125i M-Sport coupe --> £25,175
135i M-Sport coupe --> £29,615

(M-Sport is an option package, not ///M)

I'd expect similar overlap if these models are sold in the US. I don't expect to see anything like the 116i 3-door show up in the US.

MINI JCW is a very different car than a 318i. I doubt they compete with each other.

I could see a few people walking into a dealership to look at a 118i 3-door and leaving with a Cooper S Clubman.

Originally Posted by Jon S.

Sheesh. I remember 11 or 12 years ago when I was running Cutter BMW that BMWNA made such a big deal out of the fact that they would not be offering 4-cylinder vehicles any longer in North America...

Thanks to Tom Purves the 4 died, but since he left last year Jim O' has been pushing for smaller more efficient engines.... like he has a choice with the future EPA numbers.