BMW M5 to Return to V10 Engine? We Don’t Think So!
An older rumor is now causing waves once again in the wide mass of BMW enthusiasts. One of the most trusted sources inside the Munich headquarters, the one known around the forums as Scott26/Herr27 dropped a bomb on Bimmerpost at the beginning of August, saying that the future M5/M6 could return to the V10 configuration. Needless to say that everyone lost their mind thinking about the possibility.
Don’t get us wrong, we’d probably be the first to commend such a move but there are a couple of obvious reasons that make it damn near impossible, not to go all the way and say it as it is: just a dream. Here’s why.
European Union Regulations
The recent downsizing, forced induction trend is not something the manufacturers plotted in a closed room to drive us all crazy. It’s being forced upon them so that they can comply with the ever tightening regulations of the European Union.
According to them, the average CO2 number for the fleets of the companies making cars on their turf must drop beneath 100 grams per kilometer by 2020. That target is incredibly hard to reach and, despite making serious improvements over the last few years, most companies will struggle to reach that status. What’s even worse is that those who won’t be able to do it in time will be fined possibly leading to bankruptcy. It’s no joke.
In this regard, the emissions of compact cars that sell in high volumes are counterbalancing the ones of the supercars that have big engines with tons of power. Since the latter category sells in limited numbers, a balance is finally achieved. However, that doesn’t mean that these supercars don’t have to chip in as well. That’s why we’re seeing all naturally aspirated engines replaced.
The M5 is a big seller
If the M5 would’ve been sold in just 5 or 10 units over its production, such a move could’ve been done. Heck, they probably wouldn’t have removed the S85 engine in the first place but they did. And that’s because the uber-sedan is very popular, thousands of it being sold every year.
The numbers keep on growing as well, as more and more people of the world start finding millionaire status. Therefore, the big sales are driving CO2 emission averages up.
It wouldn’t fit the current EfficientDynamics philosophy
In recent years, a lot of hard work and research has been invested into making the BMW engines as fuel efficient as possible and as modular as possible at the same time. Introducing the B-family of engines is no coincidence.
These plants have interchangeable parts of up to 40 percent between diesel and petrol engines. Furthermore, they are all based on a perfect formula developed by the engineers that claims the perfect size for a cylinder (in both performance, consumption and sound) is 0.5-liters or 500cc.
Making the new M5 with a V10 engine under the bonnet would imply raising the displacement from the 4.4 liters of the S63 engine to 5 liters, just like the old S85. That would simply be too big and go against everything BMW told us over the last months to justify the downsizing of the M3 engine. It’s just highly unlikely.
How about turbocharging it? Wouldn’t that make it more efficient?
It would but not by a considerable margin. Sure, it could have the potential to be an extremely powerful engine with close to 1000 Nm of torque and over 650 HP but it would also be very heavy. Furthermore, turbocharging it would defeat the purpose as most enthusiasts see in a return of the V10 a return to the naturally aspirated units.
Anything else?
The same source claims that a Touring model would also be in the works. That we can stand behind as BMW has done it before with the E61 M5 and it could do it again. It would also be spurred on by the growing sales of the Audi RS6 that is currently unchallenged by BMW.
It’s also a possibility to see an M Performance of the X1 with around 300 HP under the bonnet. That fits perfectly over the rumors that claim there’s a 2-liter 4-cylinder turbo engine in the works for MINI JCW models that would make that kind of power.
BMW M5 to Return to V10 Engine? We Don’t Think So!
I'd never buy them because of that.
