BMW will keep V8 models because Americans love big engines
Despite the trend towards electrification and the reduction of internal combustion engines, BMW has no plans to say goodbye to the V8. This was assured by Frank Weber, head of the company's development department, in an interview with Automotive News. According to him, buyers in the United States and the Middle East are simply not ready to replace voluminous petrol engines for hybrid inline sixes, even if they provide similar performance and dynamics.
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But it's not just about customer desires. In the United States and the Middle East, environmental regulations are much more lenient than in Europe. Therefore, BMW may reach a situation where its big models will only get V8s outside the EU. By the way, this is already happening: the 760i is not available in Europe, unless you take the armoured version of the 7 Series Protection.
Weber didn't specify which cars will definitely retain eight-cylinder engines, but there are obvious candidates. According to recent reports, BMW is preparing updates to the X5, X6 and X7, and they'll likely retain the V8 in the US. The 4.4-litre twin-turbo engine will also continue in markets with less stringent emissions requirements.
Source: Automotive News
