BMW commits to new generation of petrol and diesel engines – report

As the global automotive industry prepares to shift to electric cars, German car giant BMW has indicated to keeping the traditional internal-combustion engine alive – and that it's not abandoning the powerful V8.

Speaking with German publication Auto Motor und Sport, BMW development boss Frank Weber confirmed the company will develop a new generation of petrol and diesel engines to comply with future rounds of strict emissions regulations – including new six-cylinder and V8 engines for the marque's largest and most powerful cars.

BMW is likely to be the last of the 'big three' German luxury brands to switch exclusively to electric power, with the company planning to continue offering buyers a choice between petrol, diesel, hybrid and electric power – a departure from the electric-only targets announced by its rivals.

Whereas Audi will switch to electric power only outside of China in 2033, and Mercedes-Benz will be "ready" to go all-electric in 2030 in "where market conditions allow", only 50 per cent of BMW, Mini and Rolls-Royce sales are planned to be electric by 2030.

It's also set to be one of the last major brands offering V8 power; Mercedes-Benz is in the process of phasing out eight-cylinders in its mid-size models (starting with the iconic C-Class), while Audi has ceased development of new combustion engines – making the petrol V8s in its current large S and RS performance cars its last.

"One thing is certain for us: we still need the state-of-the-art combustion engine for a few years to effectively reduce CO2 emissions in the passenger car sector globally. That's why we're working on a new generation of engines: petrol, diesel, six-cylinder, eight-cylinder," Weber told Auto Motor und Sport.

"They will then also be technologically prepared for the coming emission standards. With the six-cylinder engine alone, we are reducing CO2 emissions more massively than has ever been the case with a generation change. We are helped here by the fact that legislation is beginning to be standardized around the world."

BMW's next-generation petrol V8 – codenamed S68 – is rumoured to be no more than a few months away from production, with the engine tipped to debut in the new 7 Series limousine in mid-2022, and a plug-in hybrid version to follow towards the end of the year in the XM super SUV.

There's no word on what the new six-cylinder petrol and diesel engines will be called – or when they will debut – however the current-generation 'S58' twin-turbo petrol inline-six in the M3 and M4 performance cars is rumoured to receive upgrades to meet stringent Euro 7 regulations, due in 2025.

When quizzed on how the new six-cylinder engine family will differ from its predecessors, Weber said: "Nothing is really like it was before. There's something completely new in the cylinder head. And with that, we'll go even further when it comes to efficiency."

For the immediate future, BMW's electric-car rollout will see the company introduce electric versions of its petrol-powered cars – starting with the mid-size i4 and iX3, with the flagship i7 sedan and small iX1 due this year, and the large i5 sedan in 2023.

In 2025, BMW will debut the 'Neue Klasse', a new architecture designed primarily for electric cars – though petrol and diesel engines will still be supported – that is expected to spread across much of the brand's line-up.

The first model on the 'Neue Klasse' platform is rumoured to be an electric companion to the next-generation 3 Series sedan or X3 SUV.

BMW plans to offer an electric vehicle in 90 per cent of its current model segments by 2023 – for a total of 12 electric cars – ahead of a total of two million electric vehicles sold by 2025, once the Neue Klasse family begins arriving in showrooms.

New European Union regulations set to come in force in BMW's home region are likely to see BMW phase out petrol and diesel engines in Europe by 2035 – but combustion power is likely to live on elsewhere.

"Because regardless of whether it is a combustion engine or electric, the overall reduction in CO2 is crucial in the fight against climate change. What the customer wants is just as important. And we have to meet the wishes and requirements accordingly," Weber added.