With automakers scrambling to meet stricter fuel economy and emissions standards, four-cylinder powerplants with turbocharging are becoming increasingly popular these days. Even BMW has jumped on the bandwagon with the release of a new 2.0-liter TwinPower Turbo 4-Cylinder unit that made its debut on the X1. Today, BMW announced that the Z4 hardtop-roadster will be the first U.S. model to receive the force-fed four-pot.
The 2.0-liter unit will power the Z4 sDrive 28i, which replaces the Z4 sDrive30i that’s motivated by BMW’s renowned 3.0-liter naturally aspirated straight-six. The four-cylinder engine combine highpressure direct-injection and BMW’s VALVETRONIC intake control with a forced induction system consisting of a single twin-scroll turbocharger for an output of 240HP at 5,500 rpm and 260 lb-ft of torque at 1,250 rpm.
In comparison, the inline-6 in the Z4 sDrive 30i delivers 255HP at 6,600 rpm and 220 lb-ft at 2,600 rpm.
The Bavarian company said it expects a fuel efficiency gain of approximately 20% over the naturally aspirated engine it replaces when combined with the 8-speed automatic transmission.
BMW said detailed performance and efficiency specifications on the new Z4 sDrive28i will be released at a later date.
2011 BMW Z3 sDrive30i & sDrive35is
