[BXM3W]

Here's our first chance to see which US model will get the new engine and whether the switchover schedule provided earlier this year is on target. The first events of the show start a week from today, April 21st.

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=515295

Here is the I4 switchover and end of production schedule:
E89 Z4 sDrive30i to switch to TwinPower I4 in September 2011
F10/F11 528i to switch to TwinPower I4 in September 2011
F25 X3 xDrive28i to switch to TwinPower I4 in 4th Quarter 2011
E81/E87 1 series to end production by August 2011 (new 1-series hatchback launched after Geneva - will herald complete petrol turbo-charged engine line up)
E82/E88 1 series to end production in 1st Quarter 2012
E90/E91 3 series and M3 to end production late 2011 or early 2012
E92/E93 3 series and M3 to end production sometime in 4th Quarter 2012

[flash3]

Isn't the 6 cyl 8 speed better than the twin turbo i4? Doesn't the Acura RDX have an I4?

[tuco44]

Originally Posted by flash3

Isn't the 6 cyl 8 speed better than the twin turbo i4? Doesn't the Acura RDX have an I4?

I think the benefit to the I4 is approx same power with better fuel economy. Yes, the RDX is a turbo 4.

[Beyu]

Originally Posted by flash3

Isn't the 6 cyl 8 speed better than the twin turbo i4? Doesn't the Acura RDX have an I4?

The inline 4 supposedly has 5 more HP, 37 ft more torque @ 1500 rpm sooner, and way better gas mileage.

PS: I'm being a little nit-picky but it's a single turbo not twin.

Comparison to two of Audi's inline 4s:

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=480204

[MikeTerp]

Originally Posted by tuco44

I think the benefit to the I4 is approx same power with better fuel economy. Yes, the RDX is a turbo 4.

Yes, but the 4 in the RDX has been roundly condemned for poor fuel economy, and I think I read that it is being deleted in favor of a six next year. I don't know too much about the Honda turbo 4 in the RDX, but apparently to get any performance out of it, you have to keep your right foot planted and this causes it to suck gas in an otherwise heavy vehicle. Hopefully, the technology in the new BMW turbo four will be much better and the overall 4 banger X3 will be much lighter.

[Alanintx]

Originally Posted by MikeTerp

Yes, but the 4 in the RDX has been roundly condemned for poor fuel economy, and I think I read that it is being deleted in favor of a six next year. I don't know too much about the Honda turbo 4 in the RDX, but apparently to get any performance out of it, you have to keep your right foot planted and this causes it to suck gas in an otherwise heavy vehicle. Hopefully, the technology in the new BMW turbo four will be much better and the overall 4 banger X3 will be much lighter.

Before I bought my X3, the Acura dealer let me take home an RDX for the weekend. Nice compact SUV with typical Acura quality, but the engine sounded like a lawnmower at high RPM's. Not surprising they are going to a six.

[Lucky13]

Comparing a 6-7 year old Honda non direct injection engine without variable value timing with the new BMW engine is crazy. BMW 4 16% better gas milage than the inline 6 and all the inline 6 horsepower comes on at the top of the rpm range around 6000 rpm. I had several X3's with the 3.0 and although it was a great engine above 70 miles an hour it was lacking greatly for low end grunt. I'm sure the new 8 speed auto helps some but that engine was best with a manual transmission so you could keep the rpm's way up.

[BXM3W]

Looks like Jason (admin) updated the NYIAS thread. The Z4 sDrive 28i is the first to get the i4. Here's the press release he posted...

PRESS RELEASE

The new BMW Z4 sDrive28i Roadster will be the first model in the U.S. to feature the company’s new powerful, efficient and clean TwinPower Turbo 4-cylinder engine. It also marks the return of BMW 4 cylinder power to the United States for the first time in over a decade.

This newest engine, another part of the company’s on-going development of BMW EfficientDynamics, is the latest to combine twin-scroll turbocharging technology with high-precision direct injection and BMW’s Valvetronic throttle-less control system. Taken together, these technologies improve performance while at the same time reducing emissions and lowering consumption.

With 240 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque, this new engine offers similar power to the normally aspirated 3.0-liter inline six currently offered in the Z4 Roadster and more torque.. Maximum output of 240 horsepower is achieved at 5,000 rpm, 1,500 rpm lower than in the normally-aspirated 3.0-liter inline six. The peak torque of 260 lb-ft comes on stream at just 1,250 rpm. Not only is that nearly 20 percent more torque than the aforementioned inline six, it also peaks 1,500 rpm earlier. The new BMW Z4 sDrive28i will arrive in US showrooms this fall.

http://e89.zpost.com/forums/showthread.php?t=515295

[Sabian]

Originally Posted by BXM3W

... The new BMW Z4 sDrive28i will arrive in US showrooms this fall.

So since the first I4 turbo engine will arrive in the US this fall, any speculation as to when the X3 I4 option will be available in the US?

[jlr_1304]

Is this the same 4 cyl than in the X1?

[fedinand]

Originally Posted by MikeTerp

Yes, but the 4 in the RDX has been roundly condemned for poor fuel economy, and I think I read that it is being deleted in favor of a six next year. I don't know too much about the Honda turbo 4 in the RDX, but apparently to get any performance out of it, you have to keep your right foot planted and this causes it to suck gas in an otherwise heavy vehicle. Hopefully, the technology in the new BMW turbo four will be much better and the overall 4 banger X3 will be much lighter.

I think that Acura's 5 speed auto had more to do with the horrible gas mileage than the turbo 4 in the RDX. The Audi 4 cylinder turbos are a better comparison and they are used in a few heavy vehicles and still deliver great fuel mileage.

[bdardashti]

Originally Posted by jlr_1304

Is this the same 4 cyl than in the X1?

Yes.

[jlr_1304]

I test drove the X1 with that 4 cyl. engine. Very noisy and less performant than the 35i, but better than the 28i.

6 cyl sound is much more appealing.

[raleedy]

This should help sales of the 35i quite a bit.

[Jasonskitchen]

I drive an RDX right now as my 28 should be coming out of production at any moment!! RDX is pretty quick, averages about 18 miles per gallon, and fun w/ the paddle shifters as well..but looking forward to a more torquey engine in the X3...

[BXM3W]

Jason posted the Motor Trend First Drive article of the N20 in the X1. I think it tracks close to my own impression that it's not for the enthusiast but good as an everyday vehicle, and if you're an X3 buyer looking for more punch you'll opt for the 35i.

Of the real world feel of the N20, MT says:

Quote:
The real-world result is, quite predictably, that the turbo four feels more powerful off the line and while accelerating in gear from low RPM. Both in town and on the highway, the new four-cylinder feels faster than the old six-cylinder without giving up any of the smoothness. The power and delivery are very well-matched to the vehicle and make it a great daily driver. For the average driver, it's perfect, but for the enthusiast, it's a bit of a letdown. Winding out the inline-six made the X1 nearly as fun to drive as a lower-trim 3 Series. But then, enthusiasts won't be angling for an X1 -- they'll just buy the 3 Series, so it's a moot point. The six-speed manual is nice, too, but as I'm sure you've already guessed, we won't be getting that in America. We didn't drive the eight-speed automatic model, but experience with other BMWs tells us it's a fine transmission and we don't expect any issues.

Catch the entire review at Motor Trend http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/...ive/index.html

http://e84.xbimmers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=517212