40% of BMW’s MY2008 Line-Up Will Meet or Exceed European Target of 140 gCO2/km
27 June 2007
BMW announced that by autumn 2007, 22 models in the BMW Group (BMW, MINI, Rolls Royce) for model year 2008—about 40%—will meet or exceed the European voluntary CO2 target of 140 g/km. Three of these 22 vehicles are MINIs and two belong to an additional BMW model line.
The increase in the number of more fuel-efficient models is due to a number of factors, including the introduction of a number of new, smaller vehicles, the development of new four-cylinder gasoline and diesel engines (earlier post), and the deployment of micro-hybrid functionality (start/stop and regenerative braking) (earlier post).
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| Overview of BMW models meeting or exceeding the 140g/km target for 2008. Click to enlarge. |
BMW is applying start/stop functionality as standard in all models with 4-cylinder engine (gasoline and diesel) and manual transmission in the 3 Series and 1 Series. All models of the 6, 5, 3 and 1 Series as well as the BMW X5 will feature regenerative braking, according to BMW.
Other features applied in different models across the line-up to enhance fuel economy include the needs-oriented control of ancillary units, the use of electrical steering and a Varioserv steering pump and the decoupling of the air conditioning compressor.
For example, needs-oriented control of the coolant pump uses significantly less energy than conventional systems which run permanently at full capacity. The servomotor of the electric steering is only activated when steering boost is required or desired by the driver.
With the Varioserv steering pump, the cam ring is adjusted in relation to pressure and volumetric flow so as to avoid the loss of drive train power as the engine speed increases.
The power dissipation of conventional air conditioning compressors can also be reduced by means of intelligent regulation. In the new BMW models, the compressor is separated from the belt drive by means of a magnetic coupling as soon as the air conditioning system is out of operation. These measures reduce the amount of electrical energy required, and as a result the generator has to convert significantly less primary energy into electrical current.
A special low viscosity transmission oil contributes to the reduction of frictional loss. Optimized heat management for the rear-axle drive ensures that frictional resistance is reduced more quickly after starting.
BMW is also using reduced rolling resistance tires as standard in select 5 Series models and in all models of the 3 Series and 1 Series. Active aerodynamics (cooling air flaps which open or close depending on the driving situation and which are actively controlled in some models) also contributes to the reduction of aerodynamic resistance.
The driver also receives support in the choice of the most economical driving style from the gear shift indicator. This system uses data provided by the engine control unit to calculate in each situation the most favorable point at which to shift down or up from the point of view of economical fuel consumption.
For model year 2008, 4-cylinder gasoline engines with second-generation High Precision Injection in lean combustion operation are used in all versions of the BMW 3 Series and the BMW 1 Series. In addition to the two engines already introduced with a capacity of 2.0 liters each, a new 1.6 liter gasoline direct injection engine in the new BMW 116i is now premiering. Compared to the predecessor engine in each case, the three new 4-cylinders feature increased output of between 5 and 15 kW, but decreased fuel consumption of up to 23%.
The 4-cylinder diesels now include the variable twin turbo unit. For MY 2008, the 2.0-liter lightweight aluminium units are available in up to three output levels for the BMW 5 Series, the BMW 3 Series and the BMW 1 Series as well as the BMW X3.
BMWs are great cars for performance and I never really saw myself driving one, but I am starting to be swayed now.
Too bad the 1 series only has a 2.8L V-6 or the 3.0L twin turbo unit in the US. I would have really loved to get the new Turbo Mini Cooper S motor into a 1 series as that would be great for power & efficiency...300hp in a smallish coupe is not really necessary (I don't go to the dragstrip and therefore I would never even come close to using all that power).
Hmmm...GM Volt or BMW 1 series? Which will come out first in a configuration I would like to buy?
Posted by: Patrick | 27 June 2007 at 09:23 AM
It is great to see a company known for building "drivers" cars also working to optimize fuel efficiency with several small advances that add up...nice work.
Posted by: BillW | 27 June 2007 at 09:41 AM
Patrick,
Is the BMW 1 series avail in US? I thought US only had from 3 series on up? I would love to get a 1 series - it would be a very nice mix - like you mentioned.
Thanks.
Posted by: Mike L | 27 June 2007 at 09:49 AM
None of the models mentioned above are offered in the US. These seems to be a Europe only affair.
Posted by: SM | 27 June 2007 at 10:00 AM
The 1 Series will be a 2008 model year vehicle available in the US; only with the 2.8L V-6 and twin turbo 3.0L six. ~230hp or ~300hp in a sub 3000lb vehicle with estimated MSRP starting at $25,000 for the 128i (I think somewhere around $30,000 for the 135i).
3-door hatchback version should be available(unlike the Audi A3 which is only available in a 5 door version that is less attractive to me).
Posted by: Patrick | 27 June 2007 at 11:36 AM
Notice 13 of the 17 vehicles listed are clean diesels. The only gasoline models that make the cut (just barely) are the 1-series models with the smallest gasoline engines (that will never make their way to the US market. Even as clean diesels become available in the US- they will be the larger 3.0 liter mills. While they will be an improvement over their gasoline counterparts- will not significantly reduce CO2 emmissions to the sub 140g/km levels noted here.
Realistically, none of these vehicle/powertrain combinations wil be available in the US market. So why bother?
Posted by: DieselHybrid | 27 June 2007 at 12:33 PM
By the way, BMW don't make V6's.
Posted by: James | 27 June 2007 at 03:57 PM
Thanks Patrick for that update. Too bad that the marketing depts of BMW is still shooting for luxury performance vehicle vs. luxury "every-day" vehicle. We would then see the possibility of a ~22K 1 series with 35+ mpg that would trump any car in its class.
One day...
Posted by: Mike L | 27 June 2007 at 08:12 PM
Hmmn,
Every one of these vehicles is not legal in the US because they are polluting pigs. The Diesels are only "clean diesel" to EU fanatics, and really very dirty, in reality. The 4 gasoline vehicles are con formant to EU 4 standards, which make them unsuitable and illegal as gasoline polluters in at least 11 states, and probably all 50.
None of these vehicles will meet all the Safety regs either; that will add a few hundred pounds of safety equipment as well, based on American certified BMW models compared to their EU versions. Seat belts, airbags, side impact, and frontal impact standards as well as, additional pollution equipment, like larger catalytic converters, particle traps, SCT equipment, which all will add weight.
Then none will meet the CO2/km standards either.
Lots of wishful thinking, and PR hand waving. You wouldn't accept this from a Detroit automaker, nor should you for the foreigners. When foreign automakers do it, so many of you fall all over bowing and scraping in adulation, for a big steaming pile of bovine pasture patty.
Posted by: Stan Peterson | 28 June 2007 at 01:16 PM
Oh wow! Stan is right!
The 335i is 50lbs lighter in the UK compared to the USA. That 50lbs of airbags, side impact, front and rear impact sure are killers on the "svelte-ness" of the BMW 3 series.
Sorry Stan, but your posturing is for naught but developing hypertension. They still have safety regs overseas that just happen to be slightly different (in fact they are more stringent in "pedestrian impact" regulations than we are whereby their hoods have to be stiffer to take the impact of a pedestrian better so the pedestrian is not smashing his head against an engine block instead of a big flat and somewhat flexible sheet of steel/aluminum.)
Posted by: Patrick | 28 June 2007 at 02:15 PM
Stan,
As you may already know European Union has a more balanced approach concerning emission regulations and energy security. The ICE (Petrol or Diesel) emits a large gamut of substances witch some are considered harmful for us or the environment. Not all these emission are regulated and that does not mean that they are not harmful. The mix of emission between Diesel and Petrol is different. In some classes of emissions diesels are better, in other classes petrol engines are better. As an example, petrol engines emits 10X more benzene (a very strong carcinogen) not to mention others like alkenes (e.g., ethene), carbonyls (e.g., formaldehyde), and semivolatiles like polyaromatic hydrocarbons.
Calling the cars in this list polluting pigs is a little bit farfetched and unfair.
I don't know what you drive, but you should pay more attention to what is coming out from your tail pipe. Maybe beneath your hood you may find another kind of hog.
Posted by: MH | 29 June 2007 at 04:37 AM
To each his own.
But in general, the EU pollution standards are some ten and almost twenty years behind US anti-pollution standards. When the EU gets around to adopting EU 5 standards, (2014?), it will than be roughly equivalent to what CARB promulgated in the late '80s. When the EU gets around to adopting EU 6 for its diesels, currently 2017, and sliding to (2020?), it will equal T2 B5, already in effect for the US.
Frontal, side, crush and rollover standards are more primitive. The pedestrian impact standards are good and the one area, ahead of the US. The lighting standards used to be better bu now they are equivalent. There are no EU standards, even proposed, for mandatory ABS and Active Stability control systems, that the US has promulgated for 2012.
Without the idiocy of Ralph Nader and Joanie Westbrook practicing Engineering with out a license, and killing a bunch of kids and little old ladies, the EU was ahead temporarily, in airbag standards.
The EU has had the correct blowup charges in their airbags from the start, as designed by Detroit.
Except for some excessively charged older vehicles, soon to reach the auto crusher, Detroit knew that was stupid.
Detroit designed their airbags to take both the correct charge, which they installed in all overseas vehicles, and the substitutable overcharged explosive, that the lawyers Nader and Westbrook mandated in the US. That way they could correct the problem as soon as it blew up in their faces of the kids, little old ladies, and Ralph and Joannie...
(Why doesn't some ambulance chaser sue those killers for every dime they ever made, for willful malice and hubris in trying to create a seatbelt-less air bag? It went against the combined engineering advice of every auto manufacturer's safety engineers, in the world?
I believe one safety engineer actually committed suicide after being berated on TV, humiliated before his family, by a congressional committee of Ralph's Demo stooges; as an uncaring wanton killer, denying the salvation of Ralphie's airbags. For merely warning what would happen, if you could not position the occupant via seatbelt, to receive an over-explosive inflation.)
Posted by: Stan Peterson | 29 June 2007 at 11:50 AM
I made an additional set of errors other than calling the engine a V-6.
The 128i will be a naturally aspirated 3.0L I-6 with ~230hp [I am not 100% positive but I believe this will be a valvetronic engine]. The 135i will use the twin turbocharged 3.0L direct injected I-6 that produces 300hp.
It seems the car will be offered in 2-door coupe form (not hatchback for the USA).
Posted by: Patrick | 29 June 2007 at 12:16 PM