BMW has unveiled its long-rumored four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine.
This four cylinder motor essentially replaces the firm's classic naturally aspirated 3.0-liter straight-six which is also seen in BMW models being sold in India and will soon find its way in a variety of models and will also come eventually to our shores too. At the moment, BMW is not revealing much details, one can expect to see the new unit, codenamed N20, on the 1-Series, X3, 3-Series, Z4 roadster and 5-Series models.
The N20 is the first four-cylinder petrol engine to employ BMW's TwinPower Turbo technology. It is closely modeled after the Bavarian firm's force-fed in-line six-cylinder units and features an all-aluminum crankcase, twin-scroll turbocharging system, direct injection, plus the latest version of the company's patented VALVETRONIC variable valve control system.
This new generation engine has a displacement of 2.0-liters, with an output of 245-horsepower at 5,000 rpm and a peak torque of 35.6 kg/m available at just 1,250 rpm. This new engine also betters its six-cylinder predecessor in fuel economy as well as emission department.
The new engine will see duty first in the X1’s xDrive28i version and will get its world premiere at the Geneva Salon in March and go on sale globally thereafter.