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BMW and Mercedes to build 3-cylinder cars

Posted by Hootan Mahallati | July 22, 2009 | In bmw founder's thoughts green mercedes-benz news

Yesterday, I was reading an article that made me think the automotive end times are here: BMW and Mercedes-Benz are working on three-cylinder cars to be released in the next five years. And no, we are not just talking cars like the above Smart.

Now, anyone who has driven a Smart surely knows how rough and harsh-sounding three-cylinder engines can be. Their only saving grace is fuel-economy, which is obvious. Mercedes-Benz does not seem to care, given that it already makes a three-cylinder junker for the Smart, and apparently thinks that a C-Class and a three-cylinder would go well together.

“Logically, if we go from eight to six cylinders with the same output to help economy, and we go from six to four cylinders, then four has to go somewhere too,” says company strategist Johannes Reisenrath.

“Now we can do a 1.2-litre three-cylinder, so we can have 168bhp with a turbo, plus 150-185lb ft, which is enough to drive a mid-sized car like the C-class very well."

BMW, who also has experience with three-cylinder engines from its motorcycle operations, acknowledges the engine's poor noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) characteristics and has apparently engineered the next 1-Series to cope with a three-cylinder's 'unique' nature.

This push for more fuel-efficient cars is understandable, perhaps spelling the end for Germany's ueber-horsepower engine wars. But for heaven's sake, don't let the solution be three-cylinder engines! It will be a sad day when BMW once again sells cars with scooter engines (remember this)?

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