Quote:
Originally Posted by Karmic Man
Quote:
Originally Posted by XRAVE
Didn't they switch to the S55 purely because the N55 no longer met European standards for emission and it was easier to detune that engine than rework the N55 for a third time? I'm sure emission standards are released years in advance so they tested the S55 early knowing it would eventually replace the N55. The S55 started out as the amazing N55 engine and while it was great on paper they realized it wasn't what people wanted for the M2. They took what worked on the S55, forged crank and rods, new piston rings, etc, and brought it back the N55 and left the rest out.
I think BMW was forced to make the change and everyone would have preferred an M2C that had maybe 10-15 more HP on the N55, new wheels, adaptive suspension, better cooling and a new styling. The S55 is a great engine but sound and power delivery is a huge part of the experience. Look at the current used market for the M4, you can find some cheaper than you can get an E92 with similar miles. I believe mostly impart to the weight, engine and lack of soul.
I bought the M2 because I wanted a small car with great handling that sounded amazing. At no time did I think, "I wish they would put a heavier, terrible sounding engine in here with more power". For those that did want more 40-50 more HP, a weight free tune could have accomplished that without changing the sound the car produces.
I'm sorry but BMW had their hands tied behind their back on this one.
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The N55 is not for me.
I have always wanted the S55 in the M2 and that's why now I have the M2C. The N55 sound better? To me it sounds more refined but lacks aggression where as the S55 is all angry and taut.
You can't tune the N55 with 40-50 more hp because of the smallish turbo. May be you can get a single run with 20 more hp after tuning but after 2-3 runs the turbo will heat soak and power drops drastically. |
I should change my wording, most, not everyone. Maybe you think the S55 sounds better but most don't. I would say if you found key words on the internet for the M3/M4 it would be bad sound. With a simple JB4, you can add 60 HP to the wheels with no other mods. I agree heat soak may become a problem but more so on a drag strip than on a track. A FMIC would fix that if power was really what your looking for.
My main point was I think BMW had to go with the S55 from a finical perspective and if they had their choice would have stuck with the N55. Usually when the make a comp model, they keep the same engine and add little to no extra power. Why would the spend money to rework the N55 again rather than stick the S55 in from the beginning? They could hav easily detuned it further and removed some of the cooling to be around 370-380. I don't agree it's not to compete with the M3/M4 because it already competes with the N55 in it.
Engines and specifically sound I think are a big selling point of a car. Look at the E92 vs the F80. There are a lot of factors but I'd say a majority say, the 8400 RPM V8.