The examples being lets say BMW E46 M3 and the new BMW G80 M3. The E46 has a 3.2 i6 NA that makes 338hp, the G80 M3 has a 3.0 i6 twin turbo that makes 510hp.
What technological advancements have been made, other than the turbos and 20 years, that separate these 2 cars?
If you know something really technical feel free to share.
You must log in or register to comment.
Turbos and maybe direct injection
The turbos… mainly.
Direct injection is more efficient too. Combine that with tuning and stock motors can instantly make noticeably more power, IE N54/55.
Turbos, direct injection, variable valve timing/lift, materials, engine management systems (ecu software), compression ratios, cooling.
Turbos and direct injection are probably the primary drivers in power, but improvement over time comes from many small improvements in all areas.
As others have noted, modern cars are massively more _efficient_ than older cars. That doesn’t necessarily mean they consume less fuel - it means fuel/power conversion is improved, so your engine does more work for the same capacity.
Yeah, all of this.
I used to have a Skyline with a built RB25, made 450-500hp, and beyond that it was either too laggy or too peaky. Just using a modern turbo and E85, it’d be just as drivable and make 550-600hp now, quite easily.
Nowadays, my stock M3 makes 450bhp, and with not much work will make 550bhp… times have changed
Other than turbos basically non.
If you compare M44 and N46, N46 even worse than M44 in terms of power (140hp vs 129hp) but much more complicated and less reliable.
A small, but not insignificant, boost has come from decreasing parasitic draw. EPS and EWP means not running pumps off the drive belt, and intelligent charging means alternators can declutch. It might only be 20-50hp, but it adds up.
Now whether that changes the “marketing” horsepower of a car, or just the “butt dyno” and whp ratings, I’m not sure.
Stience !
Most of the improvement come from computer based simulation and calculation.
You can have a virtual engine running in a simulation within a few percent of it’s actual real life counterpart. You can simulate dozen of designs at once in different scenarios and only build real life prototypes of the better ones. Saving time and money on iterations. Designs use less material where not needed, reducing cost and improving resistance where needed.
I recall reading somewhere that BMW understates their HP.
Dont confuse HP with torque.
Lets not forget that driving is not about going fastest in a straight line on a flat surface at sea level.