Quote:
Originally Posted by southlight
I don't want to fight with you, but let me say this:
You're somewhat right with you points about the HP competition, but don't forget the whole package. More HP results in more weight due to heavier brakes, drivetrain and other stuff. So it CAN be reasonable for a company not to follow in the "HP war" to keep the car's total weight down. I couldn't swear or proof that it's that way with the M3, but can you or anybody refute it?
We're talking about the first M3 with a V8. There are some indications that the next generation will also get the same engine in another expansion stage. I did read anywhere that the development costs for this engine are such high that it has to be used for atleast two model generations. Apart from some fine tuning there are other possibilities to increase the power of the V8, for example higher Revs or more displacement or Direct Injection. So in my oppinion the M3's V8 is far away from being exhausted.
Question left is what will BMW do with the CSL engine!?
Best regards, south
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No point in fighting about any of this. We should all be here to discuss and learn a few things...
Interesting point about more hp adds to the weight of other components. I haven't thought of it that way, and wouldn't refute it. It makes sense to me; it could be a possible strategy. But if that is really in their thinking, one would think they would have made it explicit.
Your second point: I guess that all has to do with one means by "exhausted". For an engineer who spends years on working on a cutting edge engine even a 1-2% gain could be very significant. To the consumer, maybe not, since the consumer is not familiar with what it takes to add 8 hp to an already well developed platform.
I am sure the BMW V8 will gain hp with time--the same way the Ferrari engine will gain hp. Engineers always seem to find a way to extract more power (Well never mind the limits put forward by thermodynamics. Actually many people don't understand those limits, thermal efficiency, etc. The game engineers are playing is not open-ended, and that's why the displacements keep going up). I think the real issue is, how much gain and how quickly. We are talking about 2-3 years for the CSL here. I don't think we'll be seeing 80hp gains or anything if displacement stays the same, but that's my opinion, and we'll all find out when the car comes out!
Regards,