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Turbocharged BMW coming

It is the first time that BMW has launched a production turbo-four since the 2002 of 1974.

BMW in the US yesterday unveiled its new turbocharged 2-litre petrol engine that is claimed to have the performance of a six with the economy of a ... well, four.

Proposed initially for the X1 - and to be badged xDrive28i - in Europe later this year, the turbo is also bound for the entry-level Z4 and selected 1-Series and 3-Series vehicles.

BMW Australia spokesman Piers Scott says it's coming, but it is still being determined when it arrives and in what model.

"It may not be the X1 that's first in Australia with this engine," he says. "Production scheduling could see the four-cylinder Z4 getting here first."

The twin-scroll turbo four pumps 180kW and 353Nm of torque - more torque than the company's 3-litre atmo six that has 190kW/310Nm.

It is the first time that BMW has launched a production turbo-four since the 2002 of 1974.

The engine delivers its power at 5000rpm, 1500rpm lower than the peak power of the six, and the 353Nm of torque hits at 1250rpm - again, 1500rpm earlier than the six.

BMW says the four-cylinder engine has an aluminum crankcase so is lighter and smaller than the 3-litre six. Its compact size will allow it to be placed at the back of the engine bay to improve chassis balance.

The result of increased performance also comes with lower fuel consumption and emissions, though BMW is yet to release details.

Neil Dowling
Contributing Journalist
GoAutoMedia Cars have been the corner stone to Neil’s passion, beginning at pre-school age, through school but then pushed sideways while he studied accounting. It was rekindled when he started contributing to magazines including Bushdriver and then when he started a motoring section in Perth’s The Western Mail. He was then appointed as a finance writer for the evening Daily News, supplemented by writing its motoring column. He moved to The Sunday Times as finance editor and after a nine-year term, finally drove back into motoring when in 1998 he was asked to rebrand and restyle the newspaper’s motoring section, expanding it over 12 years from a two-page section to a 36-page lift-out. In 2010 he was selected to join News Ltd’s national motoring group Carsguide and covered national and international events, launches, news conferences and Car of the Year awards until November 2014 when he moved into freelancing, working for GoAuto, The West Australian, Western 4WDriver magazine, Bauer Media and as an online content writer for one of Australia’s biggest car groups. He has involved himself in all aspects including motorsport where he has competed in everything from motocross to motorkhanas and rallies including Targa West and the ARC Forest Rally. He loves all facets of the car industry, from design, manufacture, testing, marketing and even business structures and believes cars are one of the few high-volume consumables to combine a very high degree of engineering enlivened with an even higher degree of emotion from its consumers.
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