Engine Oscars: BMW Group Booked on Winning

Stuttgart. The BMW Group has won three out of a total of twelve prizes
awarded at today's renowned 'International Engine of the Year Award'
event. Winning engine Oscars number 16, 17 and 18, the BMW Group has
become a true serial winner of the industry's most significant award
for engines. The 3.2-l six-cylinder engine of the BMW M3, the 2.5-l
six-cylinder engine of the BMW Z4 roadster, and the 1.6-l four-cylinder
engine of the MINI Cooper S have all been awarded the title 'Engine of
the year 2003' in their respective displacement classes. Having started
in 1999, forty acclaimed motor journalists from 18 different countries
choose the most outstanding engines of the year during the 'Testing
& Engine Expo' trade fair in Stuttgart; so far, they have most
frequently voted for BMW's four, six, eight and twelve-cylinder
engines. It is largely thanks to the 3.2-l six-cylinder in-line engine
of the BMW M3 - which has been awarded yet another prize - that BMW is
the most successful competitor by a wide margin. Having won the
especially coveted - because it includes all displacement classes -
'International Engine of the Year' award in 2001, this year's award in
its displacement class of 3 to 4 litres makes it the winner for the
third time running. By the way, the M3 engine won the class hat-trick
with nearly twice as many scores (or 202 points) as the Porsche 911 GT3
that came out second with 109 points. The winner is: BMW M3 The jury
states that the BMW six-cylinder engine owes its landslide victory - 33
out of 40 judges voted in favour of the engine - to the wealth of
technology behind it. And rightly so, as the four-valve engine with
dual variable camshaft control - the so-called 'M Bi-VANOS' -, separate
high-pressure oil supply, and its high-speed Formula-1 concept is a
true high-performance gem. 343bhp (252kW) at 7,900rpm make it one of
the world's most powerful NA engines in terms of specific output; it
nonchalantly exceeds the magic 100-bhp line per one litre of
displacement and boasts a maximum torque of 365Nm at 4,900rpm. This
power unit is second to none, catapulting the BMW M3 from standstill to
100kph in a mere 5.2 fleeting seconds. Says Irish motor journalist and
judge Padraic Deane of the Irish Auto Trade Journal by way of
explanation: 'Probably the best street-legal performance engine
around.' Tried and trusted in the 3 and 5-series, new in the Z4: the
2.5-l six-cylinder in-line engine. Even though the second winner from
Munich, the 2.5-l six-cylinder in-line engine, is older than the
contest itself, it comes along more modern and sportier than ever in
the new BMW Z4 roadster, and offers a convincing performance. Knowing
the engine from the BMW 325i and 525i models, the judges nevertheless
find it most convincing in the Z4 roadster where 'the engine's sporty
nature' can be seen at its best. With its 192bhp (141kW) at 6,000rpm
and 245Nm at 3,500rpm, the 2.5-l engine is yet another one of the
enthusiasm-inspiring sporty engines made by BMW. Speeding up from 0 to
100kph in only 7 seconds and boasting a top speed of 235kph, the
two-seater is easily the sportiest open-air festival of the year. In the
2 to 2.5-l displacement class, the Z4's engine could be found on almost
every other judge's score sheet - not least because its exemplary
environmental results are points in its favour: Complying with the
strictest exhaust emission regulations currently in force in Europe and
in the US, EU4 and ULEV, respectively, it proves that sheer driving
pleasure under blue skies does not necessarily have to leave dark
clouds of fumes in its wake. The Greatest Honour Bestowed upon the
Smallest: An Oscar for the MINI. The MINI team of the BMW Group can also
rejoice about a prize awarded to the engine of the MINI Cooper S. The
basic engine was developed in co-operation with Chrysler and is also
installed in the MINI One and the MINI Cooper; the MINI Cooper S
version has now been given a shot in the arm by the BMW Group's
engineers: Both the compressor and the intercooler helped the 1.6-l
four-cylinder engine of the MINI Cooper S win the 1.4 to 1.8-l category
with flying colours. A 16-valve engine propels the appealing subcompact
with its 163bhp (120kW) at 6,000rpm from 0 to 100 in 7.4 seconds, and
further on up to 218kph. Yet in spite of this fantastic forward pull,
the MINI's consumption averages no more than 8.4l of premium per 100
kilometres. However, the torque curve of the compact engine, which
offers a full 80 per cent of its maximum torque of 210Nm in the wide
range between 2,000 and 6,500rpm, impressed the judges even more.
According to their judgment, the MINI Cooper S owes its go-kart-like
handling to a combination of torque, engine output and its weight of
only about 1,140 kilograms that is optimally distributed over the front
and rear axles.