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By Benjamin Hunting
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September 23, 2011
Share with GM: EV for Diesel
A BMW Volt? As unlikely as that sounds, the German automaker might soon be stuffing General Motors-derived electric vehicle technology under the hood of some of its own vehicles, according to a report in Spiegel Online. The trade-off for GM is access to some of BMW’s expertise in the realm of diesel and gasoline engine design.
BMW’s willingness to build engines and share technology with other brands is already well established, especially in the high performance, high technology realm. GM will soon be offering turbodiesel engines for the first time in decades in some of its U.S.-market passenger cars, which has had the brand on the lookout for potential partners that could help it avoid the debacle that was its first – and last – attempt at convincing American drivers to purchase diesel-powered sedans in the 1980s.
Specifically, BMW has expressed interest in getting a closer look at the technology behind the Opel Ampera, which is the name of the Euro-only edition of the Chevrolet Volt extended range hybrid. With BMW on the verge of i3 and i8 battery-powered automobile sales around the world, the company is looking to cover its bases when it comes to potentially beneficial technologies that could help it reign in the costs associated with its hybrid and pure electric projects. The automaker is also hoping to learn more about GM fuel cell design.
Smaller, More-Efficient V-6 On the WayA fresh range of GM-derived hybrid cars wasn’t the only drivetrain-related news to come out of Munich this past week. Bimmerpost has relayed information concerning a newly discovered patent (filed by the German car company last year) that covers a twin-turbo, V-6 engine design. Although V-6 engines are the bread and butter of many vehicle manufacturers around the world, BMW has resolutely stuck to its tried-and-true inline six-cylinder motor as its core power plant. Available in both naturally-aspirated and turbocharged editions, the inline six has come under fire at BMW in recent years due to concerns about packaging (longer engine blocks mean longer hoods and no front-wheel drive layouts) as well as fuel efficiency.
On the surface, the move by BMW to switch from inline engines to a V-6 architecture is a reasonable one. From a historical perspective, and in the eyes of enthusiasts, this type of sea change could represent the final cutting of ties between the performance-oriented BMW of old and the new version of the company which is dedicated to maintaining its independence and growing its global sales figures. V-6 engines, fuel cells and battery-powered cars might not have much in common with the original BMW models that helped the company make in-roads in the United States, but they could very well represent the bridge between the automaker’s present and a successful future.