Quote:
Originally Posted by snaimpally
The 1.5l turbo engine used in the Mini is the same one used to power the rear wheels in the i8. Basically, its half of an N55. :-)
Forced induction provides more hp and better gas mileage so everyone is going forced induction these days. I know many miss NA, but look at some of the prodigious power outputs that are available, e.g., M3/4, Hellcat, etc. This type of power (e.g., north of 500hp), once reserved for supercars, is now available at much lower prices.
So, yes its sad there are few N/A engines, but the performance provided by a turbo (or S/C) has made it a great time to own a car because of the power output available.
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FI, specifically turbocharging offers more usable power for daily use due to its more useful torque curve. One of the most fun cars I've ever driven was a Honda S2000 back in my college days. I loved driving that car but I know if I had one for daily use I'd be tempted to rev it to 9000 RPM after every stop. In the 335i, I can barely hit the gas to get more power than the S2000 could ever bring, but just hearing that engine and exhaust note as well as the night and day difference between the cam profiles courtesy of its aggressive VTEC configuration offered an experience that was something special.
It's why people with the E9x M3 love that engine so much. It offers similar driving excitement but makes less torque than an N55 or N54.