looks nice... how is it better than the current engine in the 335?  Is it purely the fuel economy?  because the power seems comparable.

I commend BMW for constantly developing new engines and transmissions.  Was there anything wrong with the latest twin turbo v6?  Not really, au contraire, still, they keep moving forward.  It's impressive.  Infiniti and Lexus should be ashamed, they insist on the same basic design for ages.  Not to mention Acura, but that's not a luxury brand, really.

My next car could well be a BMW, too bad somebody on the Sequoia forum is lemon lawing a 335i because they can't solve his turbo and fuel pump issues.  .  My wife got stranded on a bridge with a Jeep once, at night.  It scared her no end.  It's the worst thing it can happen to you.  She never drove the car again, we've since bought the FX, not a single issue in two years.

I wonder if they can give up some of their v8 in favor of a straight six.  A straight six is inherently balanced, you could have a 10L engine, 6 cyl, no problem.  It would be a long engine though, and I suspect not rev happy?  Would they just increase a 3 series engine boost?  That would be odd, you could buy a chip and get a 550i equiv. for the price of a 535i equiv.  OTHO would a 4.5/5.0 turbo straight six be too long?    Are we going to see a 750i turbo?  Hummm...

4.4L is TT now, but it's not an inline 6, but a v8.  My point is, are we going to see the i-6 on the bigger, top of the line cars, replacing the v8, as the article suggests?


I'm not sure I'd buy this magical chip thing (otherwise they'd be doing it right now).


No chip on this one?


v6?

What about the M5?  any rumors about (the end of) the v10?

huh?

[/quote]BMW has unveiled two new turbocharged straight-six engines that it expects to gradually replace V8 engines for most of its customers.[/quote] (see your own post)

There. So it's not about just replacing the current 6, the really interesting and challenging part is "replacing the v8 for most customers" (v8 customers, most of them on the 550).  One would think only the M's would keep the v8, and the i6 would also go to, say, the 750i, or the 550i etc. 

The reason they aren't coming "chipped" from the factory is because it would be a big NO-NO for the cheaper, lesser model to out power the "better" "upscale" V8 model.  They do command a tad more respect (or I would anyway) when it comes to warm up and cool down due to added boost/temps but thats why there is R&D...