Rumors of BMW's M division moving away from its high-revving, naturally aspirated powerplants and towards turbocharged motors have been swirling for some time now, but unlike previous reports, the first model to get such an engine has recently been revealed to be the M-tuned X6, dubbed the xDrive M.
As expected, the reasoning behind the divergence from its traditional engine lineup is a result of increased pressure to improve fuel economy and emission standards. Also playing a role are growing automotive manufacturing costs.
The upcoming xDrive M is expected to utilize a twin turbocharged V-8 making at least 500 hp -- or roughly the same amount of power as the current M5's 5.0L V-10 with better fuel economy and more torque. It's still unclear as to when both the current M3's 4.0L V-8 and its bigger M5 brother will be powered by turbocharged powertrains, but we wouldn't be surprised if it happens fairly soon in their product cycles.
Also in the works at BMW's M performance division are auto start/stop, brake energy regeneration, and hybrid systems designed to bump fuel efficiency ratings.
Source: Autocar