First of all, anyone who thinks the BMW M is all about the motor is obviously from the E92 M3 generation of buyers-- relative newbies to the brand
BMW M has always been about the cohesion between engine, chassis and driver, that includes cars like the M5 and M6.
In case you missed it, there was a horsepower/displacement war between MB, BMW and Audi in the late '90s and thats why we have such ridiculous displacement cars in the current generation of M vehicles, which actually most M enthusiasts thought was overboard and just too much engine for the cars (too american in ethos). This is not the norm and those days are over.
Now that things are coming back to the way they should be, it is funny to read these comments, from people who sound like they should be mustang owners at heart
Forget about the fact that the car has turbos, sit behind the wheel, drive the car, feel the power and throttle response, feel the way the car responds to your command, then judge if you like the motor or not. Sitting here on a forum whining about a car thats possibly going to be the most balanced M car in the last 10 years (short of the GTS?) only makes you look foolish.
After you drive the car, if the engine falls short of expectations for an M car, then we have legitimate gripes, but right now, which one of us can really talk--- only the guys who went to the special invite pre-drive event. And big surprise, they all seem to love the engine, chassis and car as a unit, who can dispute them here?
I ask all you complainers this, if a turbo I-6 engine isn't good enough for an M car, what must you think of an inline 4 cylinder engine in the E30 M3? (did you even know there was a 4 cylinder engine in one of the greatest M cars of all time, probably not-- try driving it, the car is certainly NOT focused around the engine, its focused around the driver).
If you do believe a true M car should have only a V8, then an E92 M3 or next generation M5 will surely fit your bill, if you want BMW to offer you a NA I6 1M sitting next to the turbo 335is, then you are foolish. Simple as that.