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      01-21-2011, 11:50 PM   #170
newBMWownr
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Quote:
Originally Posted by noro View Post
What was crap about it? Sure it's was not a race unit but it felt very capable as a street engine... it was actually very smooth.
I was a bit harsh. My point was that BMW released the eta engine purely for economy reasons. It certainly was smooth, in the sense that it represented the inherent balance characteristics of the in-line 6 well but was it ever slow. It didn't rev (IIRC it had a redline below 5K), was geared like a diesel (if I wanted a diesel, I would have bought a 524td or a Lincoln with the same engine), and didn't really represent the marque very well. It certainly left me scratching my head. I recall that engine as a dark time in BMW's history where they tried to provide fuel economy at the expense of driving enjoyment. That, to me, was a poor engineering compromise.

Today, we have a similar situation with a different outcome: again, the impetus is to improve fuel economy/reduce carbon emissions, etc. Fortunately, nearly 30 years of progress have yielded an engine that will deliver good fuel economy, excellent power and torque for it's size, meet all current and most future emissions regulations and still represent the essential characteristics of what a BMW is all about.

I'll be curious to see how they address the questions of NVH. The small displacement (relatively speaking for a modern 4 cylinder engine) should keep second-order shaking forces in check and I would be stunned if the engine didn't incorporate balance shafts. Other hopeful items would be magnetorheologic engine mounts (manufactured by Delphi and used by Porsche) that allow for changes in durometer based on engine speed. BMW also was very proud of the acoustics on the magnesium/aluminum block so perhaps some of that technology will make its way to the turbo 4. I would expect that the block in general will be very stiff and have a deep skirt design, as the N55 does, which will also control unintended NVH. Valvetronic and the lack of a throttle plate in the intake tract should allow them to tune induction noise in ways that make it sound pleasing to the ears. If not, perhaps electronic noise suppression (as Acura does) might allow for the tuning of undesirable frequencies.

My take is that it has the potential to not only be a great engine but also a great BMW engine: one that provides driving joy and Efficient Dynamics. Given the cost difference between a Hyundai and a BMW it darn well better sound and perform on a different level.
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