Quote:
Originally Posted by NYC6
Forged is always better. You can try to put an unrealistic, head in sand spin on it but it just doesnt cut it. Stronger and more expensive to produce. The first one is a win for anybody who knows engine dynamics. The latter is the likely reason they decided not to go forged for the 55.
6,7, 800hp! I've seen and heard about many twisted and broken cranks well under your pulled out of hat #'s! A simple ten minute flash in a N54 is giving cars an additional 100+ hp/tq figures. Thats a big bump for a 300 hp engine right there. Sure the guys who have done so feel a little better having a beefier bottom end.
As for the new M3, that was my point. Speculation and guarantees of what engine will be underhood arent realistic at this time. Just like all the N55 guys with 'insider info' assured us that they were at the meeting where the 55 was certainly going into the 1M! 
Did this 'insider' also tell you a surplus of 54's were gotten rid of in the 335is and the 1M? You're saying BMW actually used an inferior left over, antiquated inferior engine for its newest M vehicle? Dont think so.
How do you know they still dont have a huge warehouse full of these 54's collecting dust that they're going to unload on us for the new FI M3? You cant, you dont have a clue why the company is doing what it does. Just throwing mud on the wall hoping it will stick. It doesnt.
With the introduction of the N55 BMW made it very clear in its own literature that the engine is more fuel efficient and cleaner than the the N54. The times are changing. Cleaner, greener are the new buzzwords that will sell cars.
Just like the monster American powerplants of the 60's went away with fuel price and pollution concerns in favor of lesser engines. This is a similar occurance happening here. BMW slightly took the edge off a sharp knife to conform to the times. CAFE regs and pollution are a concern for all automakers and they make adjustments. |
Let’s address all your points, 1 by 1:
As I previously described, anything below the 6, 7, 800whp is irrelevant when it comes to forged cranks. I don’t know about you, but I have had my share of turbocharged applications, none of which had forged cranks, and one of which was a 450whp daily driver and it never skipped a beat. I have been into forced inducted applications for about 10 years now, and I have yet to see a properly tuned and modified car fail yet on a non-forged bottom end. The occurrences you describe mostly take into account people who just crave power and being faster at any expense, and end up running leaner setups that detonate like there is no tomorrow. Anyhow, I am not here to educate you, I am here to share my real life experiences. You claim I pulled my information out of a hat, I claim you pulled yours out of your ass.
The new M3. I think I was clear when I said there is always too much speculation in terms of what BMW puts out, however, so far the little information available points at a variation of the N55. I don’t know who you are referring to, but the insider I was speaking of informed me and many others of the N54 going into the 1M, not the N55...once again, it was correct information. I’ll point out that you must have a high reading deficiency, I believe I was clear when I gave the engine its merits, and by no means implied that it was inferior in performance; it is however on its way out. Apparently the only one swimming in mud here is you.
The only part that you seem to have a slight clue about is the efficiency part. However, BMW was able to put out a more efficient engine without taking a hit on the performance side. Are there more options available to enhance output on the N54 than on the N55? Absolutely. The engine has been out for 4 years, I wouldn’t expect any less. The N55 is still being researched in terms of power adders, given that it offers a much more intricate system combining forced induction with valvetronic - these two technologies are not considered “new” independently, but mated together create a rather complex combination that are giving tuners a good run for their money. Give it time, and mods offering similar gains will surface.