Even before the event we knew that the engine would, in time, serve as the entry-level offering for the 1 Series (in both rear- and front-drive versions) and also in the new MINI range, but what everyone wanted to know was whether it would be fitted to other cars in the line-up and more specifically the best-selling 3 Series.
The BMW engineers and representatives remained coy about the possibility throughout the event merely stating that they 'could not' answer our questions. However, armed with BMW's own 'optimal weight parameters' for the new engine CompleteCar.ie tried a different tack.
BMW has determined that cars weighing between 1,200- and 1,500kg offer the optimal weight-to-power ratio for the new engine and when questioned, Manfred Poschenrieder, Corporate Communications for EfficientDynamics, confirmed that the current 3 Series easily fits within these parameters. Interestingly, Poschenrieder also said that, in its lightest form (the 520i) the current 5 Series also fits in.
Is the world ready for a three-cylinder BMW 3- or 5 Series? BMW will use the 1 Series as a test bed for the technology to gauge customer reaction. With targets of between 5- and 15 per cent better fuel economy and emissions over a comparable four-cylinder unit, the new engine, on paper at least, makes a lot of sense.
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