BMW’s new N55 engine family’s 306 horsepower and 400Nm power and torque output figures reminds us of the original moment when BMW first announced it was bringing back forced induction into the BMW engine line-up. The N54 engine was factory rated to put out that exact same amount, and it did that via the use of gasoline direct injection and two turbochargers running together, fed gas from three cylinders each.
Three years later, we still have 306 horsepower and 400Nm of torque, but BMW has achieved it using only one turbocharger instead of two. The new N55B30 engine also churns out peak boost and torque faster than the N54, with 400Nm hit at the 1,200rpm point instead of the N54B30’s 1,3000rpm mark.
The single turbocharger uses twin scroll technology. A twin scroll turbine housing uses dual side by side exhaust gas inlets into the housing, fed by two sources of exhaust pulses. A single path is also not able to take advantage of all the exhaust gas pulses effectively. Since there are two passages, each has a smaller overall volume than a single scroll turbo path, thus the exhaust velocity of each pulse can be maintained.
The N55B30 is not the first BMW engine to use a twin scroll turbocharger, as the BMW Prince engine in the MINI Cooper S also uses one. In the Cooper S, the turbocharger’s twin-scroll principle is fed by two sets of two cylinders each, while in this N55 inline-6 engine it is two groups of 3 cylinders each.
The N54 did not feature Valvetronic because in a turbocharged engine, throttle losses can be countered by the positive pressure of the turbocharged air being blown into the engine. But the main reason there was no Valvetronic is because the complexity of designing a cylinder head that could fit Valvetronic mechanisms as well as direct injection. It is because of this reason that the N53 normally aspirated direct injection engines also do not feature Valvetronic.
BMW engineers probably finally managed to cram all that technology into the engine and make it possible for them to work all together. The new N55B30 has both a new generation Valvetronic variable valve management system and High Pressure Injection (direct injection at up to 200 bar). Valvetronic replaces the throttle butterfly functions with a control unit infinitely varying the valve stroke on the intake valves. This means the intake is not obstructed by a partially closed throttle during low load operations. The new N55 also features a map-controlled oil pump which takes up less energy, which BMW says is a first in a turbocharged engine.
One of the variations of the Volkswagen EA888 engine also features variable valve management combined with direct injection but the EA888’s valvelift system is only fitted on the exhaust valves of the engine and works in two stages – a high cam and a low cam, unlike Valvetronic which is continuously variable.
Fitted in the newly unveiled BMW 535i GT, the new N55B30 engine takes the machine from 0 to 100km/h in just 6.3 seconds, up to a top speed of 250km/h.
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Wow..powerful engine
I can't understand the recent craze for power, esp amongst the German carmakers. In a world of rising fuel scarcity, we should be aiming for fuel-efficient small and hybrid cars, not 300hp or 500hp monsters.
[quote comment="241485"]I can't understand the recent craze for power, esp amongst the German carmakers. In a world of rising fuel scarcity, we should be aiming for fuel-efficient small and hybrid cars, not 300hp or 500hp monsters.[/quote]
Not only did they produce such high powered engines, but these engines are fuel efficient as well.
Are you expecting them to run a 1.3L 3 cylinder high efficiency diesel engine in their 5 or 7 series?
The weight of the car alone already negates the use of such engines.
And this is why they put more effort in increasing the performance of not-so-large displacement engines through forced induction while at the same time make them sip fuel frugally as well.
Just my 2 cents only.
Sweet and wicked engine though.
Maybe they should put both N54 and N55 in the same car and have a shootout/comparison between both engines.
i dont have enough knowledge to judge anything here.
Twin scroll turbine..evo's using it long time ago…is it the same tech?
Turbo 3 liter doing the job of a normal 5 liter engine (and doing it more efficiently as well)
It weighs less and uses less fuel – whats not to like?
Soon we will see 1.3 liter turbos replacing normal 2 liter engines on your camrys and accords…
1.3 liter wt 2.0 liter power…yeap, cheaper road tax too!..VW Touran 1.4TSI available in Spore wt 2.0 liter like power & torque!
BMW will win the world engine awards……again.
A super efficient 1.4L TFSI engine in an Audi A4/A6 is fine. But a supercharged 3.0 TFSI V6 that can do 0-60 in 5 sec and a top speed of 250kmph is sure waste.
Of course people are rich and can afford it so but its still a waste to me. After all the efforts to reduce global warming and switch off your lights for Earth day, the rich just waste in all to do 0-60 in 5 secs. That's the point of my arguement
(Sorry to use Audis instead of BMW as example)
[quote comment="241517"]A super efficient 1.4L TFSI engine in an Audi A4/A6 is fine. But a supercharged 3.0 TFSI V6 that can do 0-60 in 5 sec and a top speed of 250kmph is sure waste.
Of course people are rich and can afford it so but its still a waste to me. After all the efforts to reduce global warming and switch off your lights for Earth day, the rich just waste in all to do 0-60 in 5 secs. That's the point of my arguement
(Sorry to use Audis instead of BMW as example)[/quote]
Drive your PRIUS and lick your own shit instead of washing using water or wipe with toilet roll. Save the planet, you can do it. Oh yeah don't breath, carbon oxide
[quote comment="241517"]A super efficient 1.4L TFSI engine in an Audi A4/A6 is fine. But a supercharged 3.0 TFSI V6 that can do 0-60 in 5 sec and a top speed of 250kmph is sure waste.
Of course people are rich and can afford it so but its still a waste to me. After all the efforts to reduce global warming and switch off your lights for Earth day, the rich just waste in all to do 0-60 in 5 secs. That's the point of my arguement
(Sorry to use Audis instead of BMW as example)[/quote]
lol.
At the same token, why not all take public transport, or walk/bike to work? I used to walk to work everyday (so ok, it was not as hot as here in malaysia) ….even then I had a car (make that 2!) that does 0-100 in 4.8s that can burn though a tankfull of high octane stuff in less than 200kms.
The difference is choice. Just because I can doesn't mean I have to.
Paul said:
One of the variations of the Volkswagen EA888 engine also features variable valve management combined with direct injection but the EA888’s valvelift system is only fitted on the exhaust valves of the engine and works in two stages – a high cam and a low cam, unlike Valvetronic which is continuously variable.
—
Paul..
Isn't that was a little bit more similar to Campro CPS + VIM? Let say… 60% in theory at least?
We are talking about this stuff combined with direct injection. Campro CPS is a relatively basic engine compared to all of this.
offtopic : paul do u hv heard about proton campro turbo news??
It is scheduled to come out in the second half of next year.
Great engine… too bad it is wasted on that ugly 535i GT. Wonder if they have plans to use the engine on M3… now that is super.
Offtopic:
Paul, any clue on which platform proton plans to apply the campro turbo?
please make it exora… I plan to buy one!
thats why no body buys the Satria neo CPS, becos they are waiting for turbo version?
wow. all that power…. in such a "small" package.
[quote comment="241583"]thats why no body buys the Satria neo CPS, becos they are waiting for turbo version?[/quote]
apparently the neo cps is selling more than proton expect.. saw in the papers the other day, some guy complaining in a letter that he waiting long time for his car
[quote comment="241485"]I can't understand the recent craze for power, esp amongst the German carmakers. In a world of rising fuel scarcity, we should be aiming for fuel-efficient small and hybrid cars, not 300hp or 500hp monsters.[/quote]
car companies build cars that people want to buy. if "bmw" customers dont want a small cc, hybrid, small car etc.. why should they build them? if they do, they'll probably not sell any, lose lots of money doing R&D, and probably end up bankrupt eventually. its like asking ferrari to build a car with a 1.4 litre turbo.
Paul,
why lately you are so obsessed with BMWs??haha..
with all this development…it clearly show our future will be still depending on fuel…and progress of petrol engines are so very slow..more than 100 years of evolution and revolution we have done nothing new than just fine tuning it!!
companies like BMW with its engineering capabilities must start hybrid cars or even electric cars so that advancement can be done more rapidly…
BMW likes to shout about their technology and I being a geek love reading about it, which gives me material to write about. The new E-Class comes with turbo engines but Mercedes does not say much about them… the last really technical piece of info about a new engine was for their twin turbo diesel that makes 204hp or something.
[quote comment="241609"]Paul,
why lately you are so obsessed with BMWs??haha..
with all this development…it clearly show our future will be still depending on fuel…and progress of petrol engines are so very slow..more than 100 years of evolution and revolution we have done nothing new than just fine tuning it!!
companies like BMW with its engineering capabilities must start hybrid cars or even electric cars so that advancement can be done more rapidly…[/quote]
bmw already has much of the technology. they've also been running alternative fuel vehicles in certain cities for testing many years already. just because they have it, doesnt mean they should put it up for sale today. car sales today are still extremely customer driven. in europe today, customers want diesels, which is why all car companies there have so many diesel variants. if 5 yrs from now, customers start to demand EV's or hybrids.. i gurantee you will see these cars start to be offered more widely by all manufacturers. Also, just because bmw customers dont want them yet, doesnt mean others think the same, which is why honda and toyota are pushing hard on hybrids, because they have a customer base for them.
[quote comment="241609"]Paul,
why lately you are so obsessed with BMWs??haha..
with all this development…it clearly show our future will be still depending on fuel…and progress of petrol engines are so very slow..more than 100 years of evolution and revolution we have done nothing new than just fine tuning it!!
companies like BMW with its engineering capabilities must start hybrid cars or even electric cars so that advancement can be done more rapidly…[/quote]
That's exactly my point. I am glad not everyone are so selfish….
"The difference is choice. Just because I can doesn’t mean I have to."
Speaking of horsepower and fuel consumption, my friends 400hp GTI consumes less fuel than my stock one… go figure!
Its all about efficiency.
Oh… and my GTI consumes less fuel than my Hyundi Getz!!… go figure again!!
(All tested with same route and same driving style… of course)
A test bed for the next generation 5 series and as usual BMW wants to stay 1 step ahead of Audi and Merc again. It'll definitely be pushed to the limit in the next M5.
well some of us actually like to drive cars that dont sound like bumblebees enjoy your prius keith duckworth