Just got my Automobile Magazine hot off the presses. In a sidebar on the 2006 7 series, they say:

"With Mercedes-Benz stuffing high-horsepower engines into virtually everything it makes, the 7-series will expand its V-8 from 4.4 to 4.8 liters for 440 hp. The 6.0 liter V-12 will rise from 438 hp to an M5 equaling 500 hp."

Sounds like the 545 could get a monster V8 in the near future!

I haven't seen the magazine but last night I posted this

It has to happen by Spring, or at the latest, Summer of '06.
It is obvious that MB is pissed off for being criticized when offering lower horsepower for more money.

Now, we have all heard & seen their new 24 valve V6, with just as much hp as the new BMW R6 engine.

The new S-Class is right around the corner.
There is no way that MB will offer that new bodystyle WITHOUT a new engine.
A 48-Valve V8 from MB (using their displacements of up to 5 to or 5.5 liters) could easily pump out close to 400 hp. I'm sure BMW will have to do something.

R.R.

yeah, i think we're starting to get the picture here,

I will attempt to locate some stories, as I read alot of german and french stuff too, but the consenus from what I read agrees with this story in the mag...everyone has to remember that the current 4.5 has been out since the 7er was redesigned so thats 4 years now, and I think that its reasonable that by MY06 for the 7er, and then MY07's the 6ers and 5ers would get the engine updates...

we'll have to wait until the facelift of the E65 in the spring to see if it coincides with a new engines... :thumbsup:

440bhp from a 4.8 V8 sounds abit high.

from what I read, the 4.8 will be ~400bhp.... :thumbsup:

from what I read, the 4.8 will be ~400bhp.... :thumbsup:
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No. that will be the new M3 bhp. and it is not 4.8 it is 4.0 i think. It is a diff engine compared to the new engine used for 745.

4.8L which is about 9% over the current 4.4L (325hp). So the new 4.8L will be roughly 350hp.

Currently 3.0L => 225hp
4.4L => 325hp
Therefore 4.8L => ~350hp.

440hp is not feasible unless BMW plans to use turbo, which is not BMW's preference.

Certainly 440 hp from a 4.8 liter is feasable for BMW in a normally aspirated engine. It would probably be an 'M' type engine though. The 5.0 liter M5 gets 507 hp, and the 4.4 liter M3 V8 will have 400 hp, so a 4.8 liter V8 in the same state of tune should get 440 hp.

I love these HP wars, we get to benefit.