The sporty model packs a 1.6 - liter four -
cylinder unit able to develop 121 horsepower and 154 Nm of torque, enough power to expect improved figures over the 8,4 seconds acceleration time (0 - 100 km / h) of the standard model.
Not exact matches
It's unlikely the car will be
able to travel for long at this speed before the combustion engine (likely Mini's existing turbocharged, 1.5 - litre three -
cylinder unit) kicks in - and heavier uses of the throttle pedal will also see the engine start up, just as it does in plug - in hybrids from BMW.
The other choice is a 1.2 - litre, four -
cylinder unit, turbocharged and
able to run on the Atkinson cycle — delayed closing of the inlet valves — when not working hard.
The core of the M3 would be its engine, but rather than choosing a more powerful six -
cylinder unit as a starting point, Paul Rosche, then technical director of BMW M GmbH, opted for a high - output four -
cylinder, not only to save weight, but also because it would be
able to rev higher (the six -
cylinder engine's crank suffered from vibrations sooner).
The combination of BMW Twin Turbo Technology and High Precision Injection offers a level of performance a naturally - aspirated power
unit would only be
able to provide with a larger number of
cylinders and extra displacement, meaning far higher weight and significantly greater fuel consumption.
The five -
cylinder unit fitted with the seven - speed dual - clutch transmission is
able to accelerate from 0 to 100 km / h in 4,3 seconds and returns an average fuel consumption of 8,5 liters / 100 km.