Coops

Anyone have any information related to the 5-series getting AWD? How about a 535 model with more HP?

Beemer

After what I?ve read the rumored 3.5 inline twin-turbo engine will not make it. This engine is rumored to have been evaluated but BMW decided against.
The 3.5 litre V8 from the E65 735i in the E60 is also not not likely since BMW is developing more powerful inline six engines with valvetronic.
The new 6-cyl engines will probably not make it into the E60 before the launch of the new 3-series.
Upcoming engines in the E60 in the near future is probably a smaller diesel engine than the 530d for the european market.

RichReg

And furthermore, launch of the next 3 Series is not expected until sometime in the 1st Quarter of 2005. Thats just great, huh?

http://members.roadfly.com/richreg/Bmw.jpg

It is possible that the engines will be ready before then, but no one can really say for sure....

coops

Thanks for the info on the larger mid-size engine on the 5-series. What about AWD? Anyone hear anything?

TAKHS

As for a new engine, I'm speculating that BMW may come out with a slightly bigger 3.0 six cylinder, say 3.2-3.3 liters using their new lightweight composite magnesium/aluminum technology for the crankcase. Along with valvetronic and fully variable intake manifold as in the new 4.4 (the current sixes have a two-stage manifold), they should be able to get 15% more power and we'd have a very sweet 260 HP engine.

In a recent article detailing this technology for a six cylinder engine, BMW states that within two years they will be moving the process to Landshut for series production of the composite crancase.

I know this is wishful thinking, but who knows?

BTW, it may be possible to make some inferences about future engines based on increases in brake sizes but I haven't taken the time to look at it.