UPDATE: Pictures of the engine have been added!
Tonight, BMW dropped a bit of a bombshell, very discreetly and buried within a press release about a new edition to the BMW X1 family. BMW has as of now officially launched the
new BMW X1 xDrive28i, which uses a new 4-cylinder engine. For now this unit has been announced on the X1 only, but expect this motor to filter all throughout the BMW lineup, in its quest to satisfy fuel efficiency regulatory requirements.
This new engine is a
2.0L gas powered
4-Cylinder engine which uses BMWs
TwinPower turbo technology, good for
245HP and
350Nm of torque. This engine is closely modelled after its 6-cylinder brethern N54 and uses an
all-aluminium crankcase, precision direct fuel injection, with
VALVETRONIC.
The inevitable comparison: Audi
Comparing this engine to the 2.0T FSI used by Audi/VW, that engine produces 211HP. This translates to the BMW engine producing about
34 HP over the Audi and can propel the X1 to 60MPH in 6.1seconds while the 2.0T in a larger A4 can only achieve 6.4seconds,
a gain of 0.3s. On the face of it, this engine outdoes the VW sourced unit, and it seems that this motor is flexible enough to come in a range of displacements and tunes for increased horsepower if need be. We will also have to wait and see about turbo lag, but I expect it to be minimal.
Below is a table summarizing the important specifics surrounding this engine.
| Specifications | BMW TwinPower Inline-4 Engine |
| Engine | |
| Configuration | inline-4 |
| Valves per cylinder | 4 |
| Engine technology | BMW TwinPower Turbo technology with twin-scroll charging, High Precision Injection direct petrol injection, VALVETRONIC fully variable valve control, double-VANOS fully variable camshaft control |
| Turbocharger | Single Turbo - Twinscroll |
| Boost Pressure (bar / psi) | 1.2 / 17.4 |
| Effective capacity (ccm) | 1997 |
| Bore (mm) | 84.0 |
| Stroke (mm) | 90.1 |
| Compression Ratio | 10.0 |
| Redline (rpm) | 7000 |
| Fuel Grade | min RON 91 |
| Output (kw/bhp) | 180/245 |
| at (rpm) | 5000 |
| Torque (Nm) | 350 |
| at (rpm) | 1250 |
| Performance | |
| Power-to-weight (kg/kw) | 8.8 |
| Output per litre (kw/l) | 90.1 |
| 0-62mph (s) | 6.1 |
| 0-1000m | 26.4 |
| 80-120 kph (4th/5th) | 6.0 / 7.1 |
| Fuel Consumption (l/100km) | |
| Combined (mpg) | 35.7 |
| Combined (l/100km) | 7.9 |
| Urban (l/100km) | 9.9 |
| Extra-Urban (l/100km) | 6.7 |
| CO2 | 183 |
| Emission Rating | EU5 |
Here is BMW's official Press release about this engine.
PRESS RELEASE
+ Expand
The engine: new benchmark in efficiency and dynamism.
BMW X models offer their own distinctive interpretation of typical BMW driving pleasure. The BMW X1 xDrive28i combines this special driving experience with efficiency that is unrivalled in this power class. As a result, this new BMW X1 model offers sporty power delivery of a kind that was previouslyconfined to six-cylinder engines – but combines it with outstanding fuel consumption and emissions performance.
It’s all down to the latest-generation 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine, which sets new standards with its various innovative technologies. The BMW X1 xDrive28i’s powerplant achieves the twofold goal of BMW EfficientDynamics in impressive style: it continuously raises the bar on driving pleasure, while at the same time reducing fuel consumption and emissions.
With a displacement of 1,997 cc and world-exclusive BMW TwinPower Turbo technology, incorporating twin-scroll turbocharging, High Precision Injection,
double-VANOS and VALVETRONIC, it delivers maximum power of 180 kW/245 hp at 5,000 rpm – 55 kW more than the previous top-powered
BMW 2.0-litre petrol engine.
Debut: first application of BMW TwinPower Turbo in a four-cylinder engine.
BMW TwinPower Turbo technology gives the new four-cylinder enginethe sort of power which naturally aspirated engines can only achieve through
more cylinders and substantially larger displacement. The four-cylinder engine with its all-aluminium crankcase, including a motor sport-derived bedplate, is
lighter and more compact than a six-cylinder engine of equivalent power. This has direct benefits for the efficiency of the BMW X1 xDrive28i and also,
thanks to the reduced front axle load, for agility.
The new engine offers more torque, too, than the previous naturally aspirated engines. Rated torque of 350 Newton metres, which comes on stream at just
1,250 rpm, ensures very good low-end response. The vigorous power delivery, from only slightly above idling, is a very seductive feature of this new engine,
and the power climbs steadily all the way to the upper area of the load range. The new BMW X1 xDrive28i has a 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) sprint time of
6.1 seconds (6.5 seconds with automatic transmission). These times are an improvement of 0.7 seconds and 0.3 seconds respectively on those for the
previous model with six-speed automatic transmission. The new BMW X1 xDrive28i hits a top speed of 240 km/h (149 mph).
The turbocharger is a twin-scroll system. The exhaust streams leaving the two pairs of cylinders are kept completely separate as they flow through the
exhaust manifold and the turbocharger, taking a spiral path to the turbine wheel. This configuration results in very low exhaust back pressure at low
engine rpm, and allows the energy of the exhaust gas pulses to be optimally managed and translated into powerful rotation of the turbine blades, without a
response delay. The result is instant throttle reaction and typical BMW fastrevving performance.
More dynamic performance plus reduced emissions, thanks to VALVETRONIC, double-VANOS and direct injection.
The fully cylinder head-integrated VALVETRONIC variable valve control system, and the double-VANOS variable intake and exhaust camshaft timing, have a further positive impact on power development. The BMW X1 xDrive28i engine features assembled intake and exhaust camshafts and a latestgeneration VALVETRONIC system which is even faster-acting thanks to an
optimised stepper motor with integrated sensor.
The patented BMW VALVETRONIC system with seamlessly variable intake valve lift control dispenses with the throttle valve system typical of earlier engine generations. Instead, combustion air mass is controlled inside the engine, resulting in much faster response. Pumping losses are kept to a minimum, so making the engine more efficient.
The new engine’s unusually high efficiency, for a turbocharged unit, is also down to the High Precision Injection petrol direct-injection system. Centrally positioned between the valves, solenoid injectors with a maximum injection pressure of 200 bar precisely control the supply of fuel. The fuel is injected very close to the spark plug, resulting in clean and homogeneous combustion. The cooling effect of the injected fuel also results in a higher compression ratio than on turbocharged naturally aspirated engines. This results in further efficiency improvements.
The efficiency theme continues with a computer-controlled oil pump and an on-demand electric coolant pump. Also, the new BMW X1 xDrive28i is specified as standard with a six-speed manual transmission with Auto Start- Stop function. This system automatically switches off the engine when the vehicle stops at crossroads or is sitting in stationary traffic in order to prevent unnecessary idling and wasteful use of fuel.
The new engine technology and extensive, standard-fitted BMW EfficientDynamics features achieve an exceptionally good balance between performance and fuel consumption. The new BMW X1 xDrive28i has average fuel consumption in the EU test cycle of 7.9 litres /100 km (35.7 mpg imp), a 16 per cent improvement on the previous model. CO2 emissions are rated at 183 grams per km.