BMW will use technology to boost performance, mpg of next-gen engines
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BMW will use technology to boost performance, mpg of next-gen engines
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BMW will use technology to boost performance, mpg of next-gen engines
By RICHARD TRUETT | AUTOMOTIVE NEWS
AutoWeek | Published 04/09/06, 10:25 pm et
http://www.autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dl.../60409003/1041
BMW will use technology to boost performance, mpg of next-gen engines
By RICHARD TRUETT | AUTOMOTIVE NEWS
AutoWeek | Published 04/09/06, 10:25 pm et
DETROIT -- The era of making engines bigger is over at BMW.
The German maker of high-performance vehicles will stop making engines bigger to boost performance. Instead, BMW will use turbochargers, more efficient valvetrains and advanced electronics to boost performance while increasing fuel economy.
"The time to increase horsepower by increasing displacement is over," said Klaus Borgmann, senior vice president of powertrain development for BMW, during an interview at the SAE World Congress here last week. "I am very convinced that the time to increase displacement will never come back because increasing displacement automatically increases fuel consumption."
The move is part of a growing industry trend to improve performance without increasing engine size or hurting fuel economy, said Bill Rinna, an analyst with CSM Worldwide, a consulting company in suburban Detroit. "You are seeing a lot more engines with variable valve timing, direct injection and either supercharging or turbocharging," he said.
Rinna said BMW buyers expect safety and technical advances that improve handling and performance, and boost fuel economy through technology.
General Motors and Ford Motor Co. also plan to build smaller but more powerful and fuel-efficient engines. Ford's new 3.5-liter V-6, for example, makes 40 more horsepower than its current 4.0-liter.
Borgmann outlined several ways BMW will boost fuel economy starting this fall.
>> BMW is spreading its Valvetronic system, which varies the duration and lift of the intake valves to maximize fuel economy, emissions and performance, to the 2007 Mini Cooper. The sporty S version of the British-made hatchback will use a turbocharger, instead of the supercharger in the current model, and have direct fuel injection, Borgmann said, for about a 10 percent fuel economy gain over the 2006 car. Instead of bigger engines, he said, turbochargers will be used on other BMWs to improve performance.
>> In 2007, European BMWs will be equipped with a stop-start feature that turns off the gasoline or diesel engine when the car comes to a stop. The engine restarts immediately when the driver lifts his or her foot off the brake pedal. Borgmann said the feature is being evaluated for North America. Stop-start may not be suitable for hot climates, he said, because the air conditioning compressor stops working when the engine is off. The stop-start system will use a specially modified starter, instead of a belt alternator system, and a heavier-duty battery. The Mini Cooper also will have the stop-start system.
>> A new alternator management system BMW calls Brake Energy Recuperation makes more efficient use of the car's charging system. The goal is to capture some of the energy normally lost when a car is braking. Borgmann said the system keeps the battery charged at 80 percent to reduce the load, or drag, that the alternator places on the engine while the vehicle is cruising. When the driver applies the brakes, a sensor commands the alternator to produce a short blast of electricity to bring the battery up to a 90 percent charge. When the driver accelerates, the alternator is allowed to spin freely so no drag is placed on the engine. BMW will begin installing the Brake Energy Recuperation systems in 2007 on European market vehicles, along with stop-start.
>> Hybrids: In 2009, BMW will use a version of GM's Two-Mode heavy-duty rear-wheel-drive transmission that enables large cars and rwd SUVs to get an estimated 25 percent fuel economy improvement in city and highway driving. GM, which developed the transmission, is selling it to BMW and DaimlerChrysler.
BMW has not said which of its vehicles will get the Two Mode transmission. About 60 BMW engineers are working alongside GM and DaimlerChrysler engineers in Troy, Mich., to adapt the GM transmission to the BMW engine.
The fuel economy gains from the stop-start and Brake Energy Recuperation systems are borne out of some of the first technical ideas to come from BMW's Department of Energy Management, a special team of 100 engineers that BMW formed in 2003.
"BER, together with the stop-start system, it's about an 8 percent fuel economy improvement, depending on the driving cycle," Borgmann said. "That's about half the value of a hybrid system with very simple systems. We will introduce this in Europe in a broad range of cars because it is not so expensive," he said.
BMW is also looking at ways to capture energy wasted in the exhaust system to create steam to reduce the load on the engine.
"The outcome of the thinking of Energy Management is how can we deal with all the energy flows in the car and what can we do so that the customer has the most benefit," Borgmann said.
Several BMW cars in the United States are considered gas guzzlers and are subject to a special tax by the government.
"The BMW brand is not known to be very fuel efficient," Borgmann said. "It is important for BMW to be good there as well."
The German maker of high-performance vehicles will stop making engines bigger to boost performance. Instead, BMW will use turbochargers, more efficient valvetrains and advanced electronics to boost performance while increasing fuel economy.
"The time to increase horsepower by increasing displacement is over," said Klaus Borgmann, senior vice president of powertrain development for BMW, during an interview at the SAE World Congress here last week. "I am very convinced that the time to increase displacement will never come back because increasing displacement automatically increases fuel consumption."
The move is part of a growing industry trend to improve performance without increasing engine size or hurting fuel economy, said Bill Rinna, an analyst with CSM Worldwide, a consulting company in suburban Detroit. "You are seeing a lot more engines with variable valve timing, direct injection and either supercharging or turbocharging," he said.
Rinna said BMW buyers expect safety and technical advances that improve handling and performance, and boost fuel economy through technology.
General Motors and Ford Motor Co. also plan to build smaller but more powerful and fuel-efficient engines. Ford's new 3.5-liter V-6, for example, makes 40 more horsepower than its current 4.0-liter.
Borgmann outlined several ways BMW will boost fuel economy starting this fall.
>> BMW is spreading its Valvetronic system, which varies the duration and lift of the intake valves to maximize fuel economy, emissions and performance, to the 2007 Mini Cooper. The sporty S version of the British-made hatchback will use a turbocharger, instead of the supercharger in the current model, and have direct fuel injection, Borgmann said, for about a 10 percent fuel economy gain over the 2006 car. Instead of bigger engines, he said, turbochargers will be used on other BMWs to improve performance.
>> In 2007, European BMWs will be equipped with a stop-start feature that turns off the gasoline or diesel engine when the car comes to a stop. The engine restarts immediately when the driver lifts his or her foot off the brake pedal. Borgmann said the feature is being evaluated for North America. Stop-start may not be suitable for hot climates, he said, because the air conditioning compressor stops working when the engine is off. The stop-start system will use a specially modified starter, instead of a belt alternator system, and a heavier-duty battery. The Mini Cooper also will have the stop-start system.
>> A new alternator management system BMW calls Brake Energy Recuperation makes more efficient use of the car's charging system. The goal is to capture some of the energy normally lost when a car is braking. Borgmann said the system keeps the battery charged at 80 percent to reduce the load, or drag, that the alternator places on the engine while the vehicle is cruising. When the driver applies the brakes, a sensor commands the alternator to produce a short blast of electricity to bring the battery up to a 90 percent charge. When the driver accelerates, the alternator is allowed to spin freely so no drag is placed on the engine. BMW will begin installing the Brake Energy Recuperation systems in 2007 on European market vehicles, along with stop-start.
>> Hybrids: In 2009, BMW will use a version of GM's Two-Mode heavy-duty rear-wheel-drive transmission that enables large cars and rwd SUVs to get an estimated 25 percent fuel economy improvement in city and highway driving. GM, which developed the transmission, is selling it to BMW and DaimlerChrysler.
BMW has not said which of its vehicles will get the Two Mode transmission. About 60 BMW engineers are working alongside GM and DaimlerChrysler engineers in Troy, Mich., to adapt the GM transmission to the BMW engine.
The fuel economy gains from the stop-start and Brake Energy Recuperation systems are borne out of some of the first technical ideas to come from BMW's Department of Energy Management, a special team of 100 engineers that BMW formed in 2003.
"BER, together with the stop-start system, it's about an 8 percent fuel economy improvement, depending on the driving cycle," Borgmann said. "That's about half the value of a hybrid system with very simple systems. We will introduce this in Europe in a broad range of cars because it is not so expensive," he said.
BMW is also looking at ways to capture energy wasted in the exhaust system to create steam to reduce the load on the engine.
"The outcome of the thinking of Energy Management is how can we deal with all the energy flows in the car and what can we do so that the customer has the most benefit," Borgmann said.
Several BMW cars in the United States are considered gas guzzlers and are subject to a special tax by the government.
"The BMW brand is not known to be very fuel efficient," Borgmann said. "It is important for BMW to be good there as well."
#5
Originally Posted by spwolf
i read that before.. Kind of interesting how they say hybrid mpg benefit is only 16% ;-).
#6
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Originally Posted by JZA80MHU38
BMW has been using turbos for a long while -- the 2002 in the 70s, the 7 series in the 80s, and most diesel model since the 90s.
Man people r going to mod the snot outta those turbos
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I think it is sad to see BMW do this with such bulletproof and high output NA's they have produced.
MB may be winning the horsepower war, but they can't keep them from blowing themselves apart. (engines trannies, overall quality is to blame)
BMW has a tried and true record with NA cars and they should stick to it.
MB may be winning the horsepower war, but they can't keep them from blowing themselves apart. (engines trannies, overall quality is to blame)
BMW has a tried and true record with NA cars and they should stick to it.
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Originally Posted by O. L. T.
I think it is sad to see BMW do this with such bulletproof and high output NA's they have produced.
MB may be winning the horsepower war, but they can't keep them from blowing themselves apart. (engines trannies, overall quality is to blame)
BMW has a tried and true record with NA cars and they should stick to it.
MB may be winning the horsepower war, but they can't keep them from blowing themselves apart. (engines trannies, overall quality is to blame)
BMW has a tried and true record with NA cars and they should stick to it.
#9
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so, it's going to be bi-turbocharged I-6, eh?
Link: http://www.greencarcongress.com/2006...veils_new.html
Link: http://www.greencarcongress.com/2006...veils_new.html
#11
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Since I grew with a BMW, I have known for a long time that that could be supercharged and turbocharged, but just never understood what type of market BMW was aimin g it.
Even if they did a biturbo...great...it will make that much easier to go single, big turbo with the internals already in place.
Even if they did a biturbo...great...it will make that much easier to go single, big turbo with the internals already in place.
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Yeah BMW has produced high-powered N/A I-6 engines before, but they've either been...
- ridiculously long high displacement I-6 engines (won't fit in a lot of cars), or
- ridiculously inefficient smaller displacement 8k redline ones (E46 M3)
A smaller displacement engine with lag free VTG turbos with good low-end torque characteristics are a great way to get both high power and torque, and excellent fuel efficiency also. It makes more sense than an even longer I-6, or a less efficient "rev-up" version. Yeah, complexity and reliability concerns though. You have new turbo technology that is not street proven, and you have two of them, and BMWs are not engineered for reliability. Will be mighty expensive too. So yeah, there are trade-offs.
- ridiculously long high displacement I-6 engines (won't fit in a lot of cars), or
- ridiculously inefficient smaller displacement 8k redline ones (E46 M3)
A smaller displacement engine with lag free VTG turbos with good low-end torque characteristics are a great way to get both high power and torque, and excellent fuel efficiency also. It makes more sense than an even longer I-6, or a less efficient "rev-up" version. Yeah, complexity and reliability concerns though. You have new turbo technology that is not street proven, and you have two of them, and BMWs are not engineered for reliability. Will be mighty expensive too. So yeah, there are trade-offs.
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