List of BMW engines explained

BMW has been producing engines for automobiles, motorcycles and aircraft since 1917, when the company began production of an inline-six aircraft engine. They have been producing automobile engines since 1933.

Motorcycle engines

See main article: History of BMW motorcycles.

Automotive petrol engines

BMW is well known for its history of inline-six (straight-six) engines, a layout it continues to use to this day despite most other manufacturers switching to a V6 layout. The more common inline-four and V8 layouts are also produced by BMW, and at times the company has produced inline-three, V10 and V12 engines, BMW also engineered non-production customised engines especially for motorsports which include the M12/13 1.5-Liter straight 4 piston turbocharged engine from 1982 to 1987 for Brabham, Arrows and Benetton Formula One teams, the E41/P83 3.0-Liter V10 from 2000 to 2005 for Williams F1 Team and the P86/8 2.4-Liter V8 for their own F1 team partnering with Sauber F1 from 2006 to 2009, with which the company enjoyed its first and best finish at the 2008 Canadian Grand Prix as a full works F1 manufacturer team, finishing the race with their winning driver Robert Kubica, and Nick Heidfeld in second place.

British super car manufacturer McLaren Automotive, a manufacturer of road-going sports cars based on Formula One technology, decided to work with BMW for the development of their first ever production car—the McLaren F1 in 1993 for the engineering and customization of its engine—the S70, which had a 6.0-Liter 60° V12 DOHC configuration. As only 1,510 units of the cars were produced by McLaren, the S70 engine holds the record of the lowest production engines by BMW to date.

Prototype V16 engines have been made despite not reaching production. These prototypes were the 1987 BMW Goldfisch V16 6.7 litre engine and the 2004 Rolls-Royce 100EX 9.0 litre engine.BMW has also made prototype V6 engines[1]

Automotive petrol engines!Engine code !! Configuration !! Years !! Displacement !! Fuel system
2013–present 1.2–1.5 L Direct injection
1960–1988 1.5–2.0 L Carburetor / Mechanical and electronic fuel injection
Inline-four N.A. 1986–1990 2.0–2.5 L
Inline-four N.A. 1987–1995 1.6–1.8 L Fuel injection
Inline-four N.A. 1989–1996 1.8 L Fuel injection
Inline-four N.A. 1991–2002 1.6–1.9 L Fuel injection / CNG
Inline-four N.A. 1996–2001 1.9 L
Inline-four N.A. 2001–2004 1.6 L
Inline-four N.A. 2001–2004 1.8–2.0 L
Inline-four N.A. 2004–2011 1.6-2.0 L
Inline-four N.A. 2004–2007 1.8–2.0 L Manifold injection
Inline-four N.A. 2007–2011 1.6–2.0 L Direct injection
Inline-four turbo 2011–2015 1.6 L Direct injection
Inline-four turbo 2011–2017 1.6–2.0 L Direct injection
Inline-four turbo 2015–present 1.6–2.0 L Direct injection
Straight-six N.A. 1933–1950 1.2-1.9 L
Straight-six N.A.1936–1940 2.0-2.1 L
Straight-six N.A. 1939–1941 3.5 L
Straight-six N.A. 1952–1958 2.0-2.1 L
Straight-six N.A. 1968–1994 2.5-3.5 L Carburetor / Fuel injection
Straight-six N.A. 1977–1993 2.0-2.7 L Carburetor / Fuel injection
Straight-six N.A. 1978–1989 3.5-3.8 L Fuel injection
Straight-six turbo 1980–1982 3.2 L Fuel injection
Straight-six turbo 1982–1986 3.4 L Fuel injection
Straight-six N.A. 1989–1996 2.0-2.5 L
Straight-six N.A. 1992–1999 3.0-3.2 L
Straight-six N.A. 1994–2000 2.0-2.8 L
Straight-six N.A. 1996–2000 3.2 L
Straight-six N.A. 2000–2006 2.2-3.0 L
Straight-six N.A. 2000–2008 3.2 L
Straight-six N.A. 2002–2006 2.5 L
Straight-six N.A. 2004–2015 2.5-3.0 L Port injection
Straight-six turbo 2006–2016 3.0 L Direct injection
Straight-six N.A. 2006–2013 2.5-3.0 L Direct injection
Straight-six turbo 2009–present 3.0 L Direct injection
Straight-six turbo 2014–2021 3.0 L Direct injection
Straight-six turbo 2015–present 3.0 L Direct injection
Straight-six turbo 2019–present 3.0 L Direct injection
V8 N.A. 1954–1965 2.6-3.2 L
V8 N.A. 1992–1996 3.0-4.0 L Fuel injection
V8 N.A. 1996–2005 3.5-4.8 L
V8 N.A. 1998–2006 4.9 L
V8 N.A. 2001–2010 3.6-4.8 L
V8 N.A. 2007–2013 4.0-4.4 L
V8 turbo 2008–present 4.4 L Direct injection
V8 turbo 2009–present 4.4 L
V8 turbo 2022–present 4.4 L
V8 turbo MHEV2021–present 4.6 L for Land Rover
E41/P80[2] V8 & V10 N.A. 2000–2009 2.4-3.0 L Fuel injection
V10 N.A. 2005–2010 5.0 L
V12 N.A. 1987–1996 5.0 L
BMW S70S70 V12 N.A. 1992–2000 5.6-6.1 L
V12 N.A. 1993–2002 5.4 L
V12 N.A. 2003–2016 6.0-6.75 L Direct injection
V12 turbo 2009–2022 6.0-6.75 L Direct injection

Timelines

Automotive diesel engines

Automotive diesel engines!Engine code !! Configuration !! Years !! Displacement
Inline-three turbo2012 1.5 L
Inline-four turbo1994–2000 1.7 L
Inline-four turbo 1998–2007 2.0 L
Inline-four turbo 2007–2014 2.0 L
Inline-four turbo 2013–present 2.0 L
Inline-six turbo* 1983–1993 2.4 L
Inline-six turbo 1991–2000 2.5 L
Inline-six turbo 1998–2013 2.5-3.0 L
Inline-six turbo 2008–2020 3.0 L
Inline-six turbo 2015–present 3.0 L
V8 turbo 1998–2009 3.9-4.4 L
* Also produced in a naturally aspirated configuration.

Timelines

Aircraft engines

Straight-six

V12

Radial

Jet

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Did You Know BMW Builds V6 Engines All The Time? . Jalopnik . 28 October 2021 . 2014-09-11 . Patrick . George . en-us.
  2. Web site: Engine BMW • STATS F1.