BMW has revealed that both its quad-turbo diesel and flagship V12 engines will be killed off but the marque won’t abandon internal combustion engines for many decades.
During a recent interview with Auto News Europe, BMW research and development boss Klaus Froehlich revealed that the quad-turbo diesel, used in models such as the BMW 750d and BMW M550d, will be axed, as will the 1.5-liter three-cylinder diesel used by the likes of the Mini Cooper D and others.
On life Support: BMW Says It Doesn’t See A Future For Its V12 Engine
“On the diesel side, production of the 1.5-liter, three-cylinder entry engine will end and the 400-hp, six-cylinder won’t be replaced because it is too expensive and too complicated to build with its four turbos,” Froehlich said.
In terms of BMW’s flagship V12 engine, it also appears to be on the chopping block.
“The V-12 may not have a future given that we only produce a few thousand units each year and the several thousand euros of added cost it takes to make them compliant with stricter emissions rules,” Froehlich revealed.
While this is sad, it’s not surprising considering new emissions regulations and the industry’s ongoing trend of downsizing. However, the Bavarian car maker is expected to retain the V12 in its ranks at least until 2023, when the current M760Li is scheduled to be replaced. Froehlich added that it’s also difficult to create a strong business case for the company to keep its flagship twin-turbo V8 engine.
“When it comes to the V-8, it’s already difficult to create a strong business case to keep it alive given that we have a six-cylinder high-powered plug-in hybrid unit that delivers 441 kilowatts (600 hp) of power and enough torque to destroy many transmissions.”
Fortunately, BMW has no plans to ditch internal combustion engines anytime soon. “Our four- and six-cylinder diesels will remain for at least another 20 years and our gasoline units for at least 30 years,” Froechlich said.
