BMW M division’s future might look “greener”, as the high-performance brand is mulling the use of hybrid powertrains.
The brand’s intentions are not simply to lower the CO2 emissions and improve fuel economy, but also to adapt the hybrid tech to make its vehicles faster and more responsive, as AutoExpress reported, quoting Dirk Hacker, BMW’s VP for engineering.
“We will look at electrification – I think it could be inevitable – but it depends on the possibility of increasing performance“, said the company’s official last month, at the Detroit Auto Show.
Customers apparently do not want zero-emission vehicles or short full-electric range, as what they are interested in is improved performance, so a pure electric BMW M is out of the question (for now, at least): “We’ve found that our customers are not interested in driving without the combustion engine. They want to know if these changes will help with the performance“, added Hacker.
Since weight and a perfect balance are key elements for cars that wear the M badge, the automaker will not rush into things and employ battery technology until the systems could be properly integrated without affecting driving characteristics.
“The weight of the cars is very important. I don’t think it’s the best idea to get more and more power into these models. Our philosophy is to get the right balance between power and performance“, as Dirk Hacker believes.
Is hybrid technology what BMW’s M cars like the M3, M4 and M5 really need at this point? Tell us what you think in the comments.
Note: BMW M4 GTS pictured
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