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BMW considers fewer cylinders for M models
By Yoann Besnard on 28 March 2008 | 
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BMW is seriously considering downsizing the M line to make it more environmentally friendly.
In an interview, BMW CEO Norbert Reithofer said that he would like to see fewer cylinders used in the German automaker's M line. Indeed, from the first M3 E30 in the 80s, the number of cylinders has jumped form 4 to 8 for the latest M3 E92. The same story applies to the M5 whose number of cylinders progressed from 6 to 10.
Reithofer said that BMW will now “ be focusing on its six-cylinder engines as it attempts to improve its emissions and fuel consumption levels in light of stricter regulations set to roll in over the next decade.” in an interview, head of development, Thomas Weber, said that Mercedes “will strongly force the trend in downsizing” – for both diesel and petrol models. Weber claims that the recent trend of using larger engines to power vehicles would be “sharply reversed,” and its V8 units are also under investigation for downsizing.