The New BMW M3 V8 Engine Specifications

m3-v8-logo.jpg

BMW’s new and upcoming E92 BMW M3 marks the shift to V8 power after 15 years of six-cylinder power. The E46 M3’s 3.2 litre straight-six was a legend, and is still being used by the current Z4 M Coupe and Roadster. The engine clinched the Engine of the Year award multiple times. It made 343hp in it’s latest edition. But in it’s main application in the M3, it’s time for it to bow and leave the stage and make way for it’s successor, the new BMW M V8 engine.

This new engine displaces 3,999cc and makes 420hp at 8,300rpm, It is a screamer, revving all the way to a redline of 8,400rpm. Torque peaks at 3,900rpm with 400 newton meters, with 340Nm available from as low as 2,000rpm. The new 4.0 litre V8 is also amazingly lighter than the 3.2 litre inline-6 it replaces, weighing in at a mere 202kg, 15kg lighter than the inline-6, despite an additional 2 cylinders and all the extra valvetrain parts for a 90 degree V-design.

The valvetrain uses double-VANOS variable camshaft control now with a new low pressure design, and intake is via eight individual throttle butterflies for the best in engine response time. And of course, in line with BMW’s new Efficient Dynamics plan, it has Brake Energy Regeneration, usually not found in non-hybrid cars.

While it all looks impressive, I was expecting more torque than this, however it’s very commendable that BMW managed to make most of the torque available from a relatively low RPM, despite the very wide rev range that peaks at 8,300rpm. I wonder why BMW decided not to fit the engine with direct injection.

Somehow I feel the M3 is not going to be as exciting as I thought it would be. Sure, it’s an M3, and I would love the chance to drive it if somehow circumstances let me. But just not that much. I reckon a 335i M Sport tuned up to the regions of 370hp and ALOT more torque than the 400Nm this V8 makes as well sounds like the better deal. Just give it a Hartge LSD for it to keep up with the M3 with that wonderful M differential around the corners. But of course that’s all aftermarket and in the end, it still wouldn’t be an M3. It would just be a tricked out 335i. And later, a tricked out M3 will come along and smoke it.

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Paul Tan

After dabbling for years in the IT industry, Paul Tan initially began this site as a general blog covering various topics of personal interest. With an increasing number of readers paying rapt attention to the motoring stories, one thing led to another and the rest, as they say, is history.

 

Comments

  • e-nabilll (Member) on Mar 23, 2007 at 12:23 pm

    Another Engine of The Year Award in the Bag !

    although the Audi Rs4, 4.2FSI V8 Seems To Be Getting alot Of Good Reviews As well…

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  • gtaste (Member) on Mar 23, 2007 at 1:13 pm

    New M3 engine should take the cake compares to RS4 4.2 V8 FSI. Individual Throttle body and cracked trapezoidal connecting rods are few details that why this engine is truly bespoke. Fuel consumption should be much better than audi as well…

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  • lazycaT (Member) on Mar 23, 2007 at 1:39 pm

    BMW M didnt use direct injection because this is a high revving engine. Unlike Audi's V8.

    All F1 cars dont use direct injection too.. its impossible to have direct injectors operating at 18000 rpm…

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  • Paul Tan on Mar 23, 2007 at 1:46 pm

    the rs4's v8 goes all the way up to 8000rpm, is that not high revving?

    besides technical limitations if any, f1 rules prohibit direct injection, so they couldnt implement it if they wanted to.

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  • hondadriver (Member) on Mar 23, 2007 at 5:11 pm

    Paul, does it say anywhere in there that the engine is derived from the V10 of the M5? Its quite a long article, and after reading it through I didnt see any references to the V10.

    Seems to be more of an inspiration from the current F1 V8 engine than anything.

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  • silverfish (Member) on Mar 23, 2007 at 6:03 pm

    LOL…before some of you guys start comparing the Audi 4.2 V8 with this BMW 4.0 V8, maybe you should read about it a little bit first.

    Paul; you are right, the Audi V8 goes right up to 8250rpm, revs freely, loads of torque across the rev range and has gotten raves reviews everywhere (hey Audi builds champion LeMans racers as well, so they've got to know something). The Merc AMG 6.3 V8 is also one stunning piece of engineering but that's another story. So BMW doesn't get all the plaudits when it comes to egine building.

    Anyway, if you want to compare on paper figures, both the BMW unit and the Audi one makes 309kW/420PS. But, the Audi V8 has slightly more torque at 430Nm compared to 400Nm for the BMW V8 (courtesy of the slightly bigger displacement???). Both revs in excess of 8000rpm. I can't seem to find the weight figures for the Audi V8 (hopefully somebody can fish this out) but it is a very light engine as well. So they stack up to each other on paper.

    That is all good, on paper. But as they say, the proof is in the pudding. So we'll just have to wait till somebody jumps into both cars and give it a spin before they come out with the verdict.

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  • adrian (Member) on Mar 23, 2007 at 7:18 pm

    If only I was a multi millionaire, I'd get both the RS4 and M3. They're both astonishing marvels of engineering. Who cares if one is better than the other. Audi fans will be Audi fans and BMW fans will always be BMW fans….

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  • mycar_stolen (Member) on Mar 23, 2007 at 7:23 pm

    this car so good, need to spend more time in europe getting more euro then only can buy it in malaysia, in europe this car is nothing la, if you want you can buy it, crazy la.

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  • proton GL (Member) on Mar 23, 2007 at 8:03 pm

    to power this

    http://blog.worldcarfans.com/index.cfm/8070322.00…

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  • hondadriver (Member) on Mar 23, 2007 at 8:18 pm

    mycar_stolen, if you knew anything about the cost of living in europe, you will know that not just anyone can afford a car like the M3, even in Germany. If this were true, there will be no market for the clios, 207's, 106's, fords, fiats…etc. etc. of the world. It is still an expensive car for europeans, end of story.

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  • proton GL (Member) on Mar 24, 2007 at 1:29 am

    lazycaT said,

    March 23, 2007 @ 5:39 am

    BMW M didnt use direct injection because this is a high revving engine. Unlike Audi’s V8.

    All F1 cars dont use direct injection too.. its impossible to have direct injectors operating at 18000 rpm…

    ——————————————————-

    lazycat,

    i think if it direction, at 18000rpm or so, injection pulsation need a super accuracy, timing in a fraction of….which is f1 engine designer wont take risk of it as a problematic part as relability is concerned in f1 racing,

    so the fuel system almost like a continous the injector in the each trumpet, as if act like almost a function of mulit carburator ,in a way.

    so the fuel vapour is sucked in regardeless the real super correct timing of injector pulse, …………..old venturi applied,

    same as valvetronic, its a 'leceh' thingy, …choose to go for individual butterfly per choke/throttle, for revvy engine. (light and reliable)

    looks like 'tech' to discard for a brute relible act.

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  • armandd (Member) on Mar 24, 2007 at 2:55 am

    the M3 looks stunning, except for the bulging hood..

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  • cbljkkj (Member) on Mar 25, 2007 at 2:10 am

    Compression ratio is 12.0:1!! Wowsers. Kinda disappointed with the torque figures though.

    Does anyone know why BMW forfeited the SMG 2/3 transmission for the car? Going back to basics eh? Front engined, rear wheel drive, manual transmission and loads of power.

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  • kei9 (Member) on Mar 25, 2007 at 5:19 am

    ANOTHER GREAT IMPROVEMENT !

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  • topgunthang (Member) on Mar 25, 2007 at 7:10 am

    quite good i'd say. not much difference from the ferrari f430's v8 considering the price difference. and of course its a german engine.

    the paper sepcs when comapared to the audi rs4 is close enough to be a good match. so lets see who makes the better car (or the rest of it) even though the audi is using awd. the nissan skyline could be a good comparison as well with nissan gunning it towards the porsche turbo.

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  • lazycaT (Member) on Mar 26, 2007 at 12:07 am

    Yup totally agree with you protonGL,

    valvetronic can only operate up to 7000 rpm or so… the actuators cant operate reliably above that hence they stick with throttle butterflies…

    it should also be an issue with reliability that bmw doesnt want to risk direct injection in this V8. Afterall, bmw had problems with the e46 m3 s54b32 engine when it was first released… they started exploding haha (wikipedia)

    reliability > tech ?

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  • How much would the M3 V8 engine with transmission cost? I wanna restore my 73 BMW 520. I was born in it and so it has a real sentimental value.

    Lewi

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  • pideksa99 on Mar 11, 2012 at 6:33 pm

    yeah it’s my dream car. thank you for this info. your post is very useful for me.

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  • rajesh singh on Dec 15, 2012 at 7:41 pm

    v8 engine is going to rock the automobile world

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
 

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