MrX123

Before anyone says anything, yes, I did a search but didn't really find anything.

I am appalled at BMWs strategy. Don't get me wrong, I understand it, but I still think it's awful. Some people buy BMWs for more than just cachet....the glorious I6 being one aspect. Everything, the starter sound, the exhaust note, the silken smoothness, those are just BMW hallmarks (and you can't really get them anywhere else), and it really is sad (and the dawn of a new, depressing era) that they're abandoning their roots and going mainstream. I'm not a fan of the new 5 series really anyway, but to plummet 50k+ down for a 4pot? And the current 528 already beats a Corolla MPG wise, and while the N54 and 55 are beasts for sure, some people prefer the "old school" style of a wonderful NA BMW I6. What are they thinking?

I don't care if it has more power, and I don't care if it works everywhere else in the world; this is America. The E39 was seriously probably the most fun car I've driven (and I've driven alot), and now we have electric, numb steering, a thousand more pounds, and a 4 cylinder to boot?

No, thanks. Especially for over 50 grand.

I would be interested in a healthy debate here. I've seen alot of people that are pro-N20 and I just can't in a million years agree.

Crazy Bimmer

Its the first thread in automotive news. https://acurazine.com/forums/showthr...=804981&page=3

But overall I agree with you but i think the masses who buy the 528i wont really care. Then again ill leave judgement till i actually drive one. People also cried when BMW went turbo withthe N54 but that has been a hit.

Reviews been pretty positive about the N20 though.

http://www.autoblog.com/2011/08/19/2...k-spin-review/

http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/...t_drive_review

OperationDarkie

iTrader: (1)

Yeah but from what I hear now only the real enthusiasts buy the performance model BMW's.

Everyone else just buys it for the name brand. So really the posers will be buying the 4 cyl.

MrX123

Good point, but that's just sad. What is happening to all these car makers? 15 years ago the ONLY poser BMW was the 318 (with a 4 pot!)...ALL the rest were sick...

JS + XES

iTrader: (1)

If it wouldn't sell, they wouldn't do it.

But, in reality, it will sell just fine. It's all about making good business decisions.

From the car enthusiast point of view, it doesn't make any sense though. I agree. It's a pretty sad reality.

ttribe

Sadly, this pretty much sums it up.

invisiblewar

how is it sad? if they increase sales due to this, well most likely see better enthusiast oriented cars. BMW is a larger car manufacturer, they need high volume cars and they need a few low volume cars. As long as they keep making the M cars and putting a variety of engines in their cars, Im alright with this decision.
If you dont like the 4 banger, get the 6

Shift_Acura

CLtotheTL32

iTrader: (3)

Sanitor. Where are you?

charliemike

Everywhere else in the world buys four-cylinder diesel BMWs and the world didn't end.

It's just taken longer for us to get to the point where our market isn't strong enough with $4/gal gas to justify the smaller I6s anymore.

gr8ness97

iTrader: (5)

If the fuel economy is better, then that would be the argument....

ttribe

I guess I don't see what the problem is with lamenting the fact that we have reached the end of an era; an era when even the lowliest of BMW's could be counted on for a bit of an exhaust growl at start-up and an inherent leaning toward customers who loved to drive their cars, not just use them to get from A to B. Sure, the market (and the world) has marched on, but why is there shame in saying - "I wish it weren't so."?

loulinjai

Just my opinion, I'm all for the N20. I was eyeing the 323i and 328i, but during the test drive, I wasn't too impress about the lack of torque, same with my TSX. The 335i is a bit of overkill for my daily use. I am eyeing a 328i in the near future

StreetKA

iTrader: (8)

everyone will buy 335i

neuronbob

Hmmm. Sounds the same as Honda/Acura giving up on the V8 RL.

While I, as an enthusiast, have complained along with everyone else on this site, it does turn out that Acura, with no V8 engines in its lineup and an entry luxury car AND SUV with 4-cylinders, was simply ahead of its time.

I now leave you to your misery and I do agree with you who lament the end of an era.

Aman

It's only one four-cylinder engine, guys. As long as it sticks to the base models for now it doesn't really matter.

Costco

The difference there is BMW is downsizing from I6s and V8s and a V10 to turbocharged I4s I6s and V8s.

Honda/Acura never had a production V8. Maybe they were ahead of the times

tmnhs81

I absolutely my 2.5 inline 6. BMW can keep their 4.

alex2364

The I4 is turboed and it has more torque and faster than the I6 it replaces.

Will Y.

The BMW 2002 used only 4 cylinder engines.
The first M3 was a 4 cylinder.

I thought it was sacrilegious for BMW to put 8-cylinder engines into the M3, 5- and 6- series cars.

Stapler

The 2002 also weighed a little over 2k lbs. I don't care what engine they use. I just don't care for the size of the cars (weight and dimensions). The real argument is against a 4cyl pushing a 4k lb car. I just find it interesting that with less peak hp and more weight the turbo 4 and that 8 speed transmission should be about even in a drag with the e39 540 (non sport)

invisiblewar

engines have come along way bro.
And its not an end of an era, theyre adding diversity to their line up.
And to some people, having massive amounts of power on tap isnt on the top of their list when shopping. Hell dont most flagships from bmw/audi/mb come with 4 bangers in other parts of the world?

MrX123

I can't recall a 4 cylinder car in my life that didn't sound dinky at start up and feel dinky at idle....I just don't want that in my 5 series!

The way a BMW I6 revs is heavenly, even if it's not FI super-duper quick.

phee

iTrader: (5)

People who buy 528s don't give a damn about engine choice. They believe their car is better because it has a propeller emblem on the front.

speedemon90

What about the M3 ditching the glorious high-revving V8 for a turbo'd six, although the six will have loads more torque, there's always trade-offs I guess

phee

iTrader: (5)

Also, ride in a eg civic with a b20 in it. That car does NOT feel dinky at startup

Costco

OperationDarkie

iTrader: (1)

honestly they should have did like nissan did in the past, make 2.5L I6 they ran those motors for like 20 years but it seems like everyone is trying to get away from the I6's for some reason.

I think they have the best sound besides a v8/v12 nothing says wow until you have heard a I6 with a great cat back exhaust, hell even the ones running screamer pipes and straight pipe still sound good.

Maybe I am just a fan of them.

knavinusa

It isn't likely BMW will abandon the I6, so I don't see any real problem with them offering a smaller engine for their lower trims. Also, a smaller, lighter engine can only mean good things for handling. Don't forget the original M3 actually came with a four-banger.

Legend2TL

I was curious so I checked
Corolla 35MPG EPA hwy
528i 32MPG EPA hwy

although not beating it it's still impressive the 528i gets that good a mileage.

i also don't see what the debat is about, 5 series have had I4 available in Europe for decades (since 1972). To me it's more about the character of the motor. My brother's 320i E21 2L was a lot more fun to drive than the eta I6 in his 325e E30.

The I4 D16 in my wife's Integra 1G was a fun motor, although only 113Hp it felt great to be rev'ed to 7K redline.

MrX123

So why change it? Like I said, some people (perhaps the minority) will sacrifice a mpg or two to not drive a 55k car with a 4 banger. I sure would.

http://www.craigselection.com/2010/1...ficiency-what/

---^ hardly anything insanely credible, but you get the idea. The '11 528i is hardly a gas hog...

BostonSilverTypeS

agreed!! to me the NA I6 N52, N52K, M54's ect...they are great reliable motors but to say they are amazing sound and sound powerful at start-up is really confusing me...IMHO those I6 motors in 528i's and 328i are slow as shit...nowadays there 4bangers that will do circles around those cars. Times have changed and smaller motors are getting stronger and more powerful with today's technology!!

why put a bigger motor in a car just for sound, when a smaller motor matches it power wise and weighs less and does the job just fine....this is basically American market finally catching up to what has been going on all over the world, including where BMW is originally from Germany!!

Like others have stated you don't like the 4pot, you go ahead and get your 6!! End of story

You have obviously not driven or seen a true sporty I4 much!! just to name a few that sound better then a NA I6 does just my

-E30 M3 (still a classic)
- Mini S John cooper Works
- EVO's
- WRX STI's
- S2k's
- Civics with Kswaps or B-series frankenstein LSVtec on ITB's revvin 9k
- DSM talon's/eclipses
- SRT4

you get the point and yes all those would embarass any N52 528i

Legend2TL

That's the thing the only thing BMW changing is offering a 4 cylinder in the states for 5 series, BMW (IIRC) has always had a I4 option in the 5 series from the beginning for other markets. I believe this is the first time they've offered in the US.

Is that a bad thing? Probably not, however personally I would want their I6 in any BMW. I'm guessing the main reason BMW has traditionally offered a I6 and V8 for the 5 series in the US is the power prestige marketing in the US market.

That 35MPG hwy for the Corolla I saw for a 2011 Corolla base on their website.

One interesting side fact, BMW won their first (and only) Formula One World Driver Championship in 1983 with the M12/13 motor which was based on the stock block cast iron block M10 I4 used to power BMW road cars (1600, 2002, 320i,...).

The motor was designed by BMW's Paul Rosche, who was asked how it felt to beat Ferrari and Renault purpose built twin turbo V6 racing motors with a stock iron block based single turbo I4 motor, he added that most of the blocks used in 82 and 83 F1 engines were used motors from BMW company road cars since the heat and stress from operation helped anneal the iron so they warped less in racing. They later went to ovens to do that annealing but suffice to say some BMW employees unknowingly pre-drove motors that went on to win a WDC. BMW does not allow tours at the M-group facilities but I've seen some interior pics and there are a few Paul Rosche photo's on their walls, long retired he's highly respected at BMW especially the racing and M-group departments.

http://www.europeancarweb.com/lookba...l/viewall.html

http://www.gurneyflap.com/bmwturbof1engine.html

So to us on this website we may think BMW is mostly about I6, but the BMW purists know the true roots of their turbo I4 heritage.

fuzzy02CLS

iTrader: (2)

I heard GM talk of Corvettes going to 6cyl turbo's....anything is possible.

myron

iTrader: (4)

you sure about that

cM3go

Having owned a 335i, an M3 and now a 328i, although I LOVED the M3 the most, I actually miss the 335i the most. The lowend torque of the twin-turbo engine had was fun and addicting to drive not to mention the same fuel economy as the 328i and more power to boot. I know the real discussion here is the fact that now the 5series will have a 4 cylinder, but the way BMW has been making engines now, I'm sure it will deliver and for those who need a little more umph, nothing a little tuning software won't fix!

TRIUMPHT

iTrader: (1)

Enough said.

Crazy Bimmer

This thread confuses me.

So 528i owners only buy for the badge according to some of you.

Yet now, enthusiasts rather have the I6?

neuronbob

Too many non-enthusiasts buy the low-end BMW to have that badge.

MTEAZY

...do you think this would sell well if it was called a 520i?