Here's a gallery of pics of the M3 itself and a lot of its motor, which is basically 4/5ths of an M5's V10. I especially like this one on the dyno, hope the M3 has lots of heat shielding in the engine bay.

General Specs:

• Displacement: 4.0l
• HP: 420 @ 8,300rpm
• Trq: 295 @ ?, 85% available at 2,000rpm.

Neat features:

• equal length headers
• individual thottles
• bed plate block design
• fully machined combustion chambers
• semi-dry sump lubrication

Apparantly a pretty light motor, just over 445lbs, 33 less than the base I6 motor, itself no heavyweight.

 

Impressive.

 

A few more details, gleaned from Left Lane News:

• 420 hp from 4.0 litres.
• Maximum torque of 400 Newton-metres (295 lb-ft) at 3, 900 rpm,
  85 per cent of maximum torque over a speed range of 6,500 rpm.
• 340 Newton-metres or 251 lb-ft available from just 2,000 rpm.
• Maximum engine speed 8,300 rpm.
• Consistent lightweight construction of engine and ancillary units,
  new V8 power unit one of the lightest eight-cylinders in the world,
  lighter than the straight-six power unit in the former model.
• Variable camshaft control, low-pressure double-VANOS for an
  optimum charge cycle, system offering full power and performance even with normal engine oil pressure.
• Eight individual throttle butterflies for spontaneous engine response.
• Consistent and reliable oil supply with longitudinal and lateral acceleration up to 1.4 g ensured by two oil pumps and wet sump oil lubrication.
• Exhaust system optimizing cylinder charge, optimized for weight and function by means of internal high-pressure remoulding, exhaust emissions fulfil EU4 and LEV 2 standards.
• Upgraded MSS60 engine control unit for optimum coordination of all engine functions with the various control systems in the car.
• Ion flow technology recognising and distinguishing engine knocking phenomena as well as misfiring and miscombustion by measurement of ion flow in the combustion chambers.
• Brake Energy Regeneration with intelligent alternator control.

Whatever else one might think of BMW, they sure can build a helluva motor.

 

I would gladly trade 20 ponies for that number in torque, but still...that is a motor.

 

Yeah, somewhat dissapoints me that Ford's Colonge operation hasn't translated into a few jewels like this. While Jag/Volvo/AM have good engines, they still look uphill at the likes of this.

 

True. But it also = extra shop time.

 

I wholeheartedly agree with you, it did seem kind of low to me. Either way though, I find myself rather satisfied with it. I haven't yet driven a V8 BMW, but if the feel and quality is anything like their venerable L6's, then I'm sure its a great motor.

I've come to be rather fond of Bimmers recently (though not of their recent offerings lol) and they are definately my preference over Mercedes

 

I'd be quite happy with the numbers as is. The HP number actually represents the actual ultimate energy/power the motor is delivering and thus, it's ultimate performance potential.

That energy can be effectively leveraged into rear wheel torque through their excellent multicog gearboxes and the sophisticated suspension's and diff's ability to actual put that power to the ground in a wide range of driving situations and conditions.

As for torque, I could generate a heaping 500 lb/ft of torque with my pinky, given a long enough lever or gear multiplication, but due to my pinkie's lack of hp, that wouldn't make any car go terribly fast. So I'll take that high HP number and translate it into sufficient rear wheel torque with the tranny and drivetrain.

 

While I'm normally on that side of the argument (as I tire of the "torque is better than horsepower" chant so common in this forum), #135 is quite a disparity, and no matter how fun revving high may may be, I doubt buyers will see all of those ponies more than once a week. Peak power at 8300 rpm is absurd.

 

Gloriously absurd, as is the car if you really think about it. But isn't driver involvement in such a well engineered performance piece what it's all about. If all I'm interested in is a lazy, easily accessible powerband to lug around in, I'll buy a diesel. I'm sure hitting 8300 in this car is a pure aural joy, something to be savored, not cringe at (we're not talking a buzzy and truly gutless 1.8L four banger here). How many complain about taking, say, a Ferrari 430 deep into the 8's on the tach, poor souls who have to endure that chore.

And 295 lb/ft out of 4 liters ain't bad at all. While down 25 or so from a Stang, the M3 has 120 extra hp (please save the "for the money saved, I could bolt on eight superchargers to my Stang). Sure, a torquey motor does have some nice subjective qualities, but ultimately, the objective bottom line for performance is hp.

 

I think you'll find many - and not just on this forum - who would dispute that assessment.

It's the proportional relationship between the two numbers that matters the most.

This new M3 will be like all BMWs >> beautifully made, engineered to the Nth degree, joyous to handle, filled with every state-of-the-art gizmo yet developed...and expensive as HELL to maintain, which will be comparitively often, if past history is any indication.

 

Hey check the exhaust, looks like it has an X-pipe

 

Do you know what HP is? It's nothing. Dynos measure torque. HP is then calculated from the measured torque across the engine operating range.

HP = Torque x RPM / 5252

Judging from the new V8's peak torque of 295, it has to spin to around 7,500 RPM before 420HP is hit.

Let's say peak torque is hit at 3900 RPM. At that RPM, the M3 engine's HP is 219. Not very impressive. It's going to need a lot of gear to pull hard from there. You'll have to downshift 2 gears to get it to jump. I bet this thing will feel good from 5,000 - redline. Still, it will be a fast car.

 

This things beautiful, and undoubtedly worth every penny. If I had the cash, I'd be right on this thing. But as my mechanic says "BMW stands for BIG MONEY WHEWWWWWW".