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Updated Sept 29, 2016 with statements from the 2016 Paris Auto Show:
Ian Robertson, member of the board of Management at BMW AG, told the press at today's Paris auto show that BMW is open to implementing electric technology into M models.
"BMW M is enjoying its most successful period in history, it has got the broadest range of cars, they are sold out around the world and ultimately I see [electrification] technology that can move in both directions here." Robertson said.
As the Autoexpress article below discusses, electrification would likely take the form of a hybrid set up where the goal isn't simply to lower CO2 emissions and improve fuel economy, but also to make M cars faster, more responsive and even more involving.
As for autonomous technologies, Robertson doesn't think that performance cars and autonomous driving technology are mutually exclusive.
"I think the two things can go together. I am driving the new 7 series, it’s semi-autonomous, I drive the first 25 km on the autobahn unrestricted. I drive at over 250km/h, it makes me feel good in the morning and evening – but the last 10km is always in bumper to bumper traffic. I stick it in a mode that allows me semi-autonomous, I don’t use my feet anymore, can take my hands off the wheel and can take my eyes off the road briefly. That for me is marrying the autonomous world with sheer driving pleasure, because not all of it in an urban environment is that much fun."
Electrification and autonomous tech would be integrated in a way as to preserve BMW's core DNA of driving fun, however. "We will still have sheer driving pleasure, the ultimate driving machine at the core of our DNA because that’s what we are."
Original post - Feb 4, 2016
http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/bmw/94262/bmw-m-cars-will-be-hybrid-powered-in-the-future
BMW admits that hybrid versions of M cars like the M3, M4 and M5 are inevitable and electric assistance will make them even faster
The future of BMW’s high-performance M cars is hybrid, according to the brand’s vice-president for engineering, Dirk Hacker.
Rather than use plug-in and hybrid tech to simply lower CO2 emissions and improve fuel economy, BMW will adapt these systems to make its cars faster, more responsive and even more involving.
Speaking at last month’s Detroit Motor Show, Hacker told Auto Express: “We will look at electrification – I think it could be inevitable – but it depends on the possibility of increasing performance.”
We asked him about customer desires, and whether M car buyers cared for zero-emission capability or a 25-mile EV range.
“We’ve found that our customers are not interested in driving without the combustion engine,” he said. “They want to know if these changes will help with performance.”
So this rules out a pure electric M car, plus Hacker hinted that the brand was in no rush to employ battery technology, insisting it was happy to wait until the systems could be properly integrated with no adverse effect on the car’s driving characteristics.
“We’ll need to look at the weight implications of electrification,” he added. “What is the compromise? Are we ready now or do we need to take a look at some special structural solutions for the future?”
Hacker believes that, ultimately, balance is the most important factor in producing an accomplished sports car, and isn’t prepared to sacrifice driver enjoyment for a performance and economy boost.
“The weight of the cars is very important,” he explained. “I don’t think it’s the best idea to get more and more power into these models. Our philosophy is to get the right balance between power and performance.”
Updated Sept 29, 2016 with statements from the 2016 Paris Auto Show:
Ian Robertson, member of the board of Management at BMW AG, told the press at today's Paris auto show that BMW is open to implementing electric technology into M models.
"BMW M is enjoying its most successful period in history, it has got the broadest range of cars, they are sold out around the world and ultimately I see [electrification] technology that can move in both directions here." Robertson said.
As the Autoexpress article below discusses, electrification would likely take the form of a hybrid set up where the goal isn't simply to lower CO2 emissions and improve fuel economy, but also to make M cars faster, more responsive and even more involving.
As for autonomous technologies, Robertson doesn't think that performance cars and autonomous driving technology are mutually exclusive.
"I think the two things can go together. I am driving the new 7 series, it’s semi-autonomous, I drive the first 25 km on the autobahn unrestricted. I drive at over 250km/h, it makes me feel good in the morning and evening – but the last 10km is always in bumper to bumper traffic. I stick it in a mode that allows me semi-autonomous, I don’t use my feet anymore, can take my hands off the wheel and can take my eyes off the road briefly. That for me is marrying the autonomous world with sheer driving pleasure, because not all of it in an urban environment is that much fun."
Electrification and autonomous tech would be integrated in a way as to preserve BMW's core DNA of driving fun, however. "We will still have sheer driving pleasure, the ultimate driving machine at the core of our DNA because that’s what we are."
Original post - Feb 4, 2016
http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/bmw/94262/bmw-m-cars-will-be-hybrid-powered-in-the-future
BMW admits that hybrid versions of M cars like the M3, M4 and M5 are inevitable and electric assistance will make them even faster
The future of BMW’s high-performance M cars is hybrid, according to the brand’s vice-president for engineering, Dirk Hacker.
Rather than use plug-in and hybrid tech to simply lower CO2 emissions and improve fuel economy, BMW will adapt these systems to make its cars faster, more responsive and even more involving.
Speaking at last month’s Detroit Motor Show, Hacker told Auto Express: “We will look at electrification – I think it could be inevitable – but it depends on the possibility of increasing performance.”
We asked him about customer desires, and whether M car buyers cared for zero-emission capability or a 25-mile EV range.
“We’ve found that our customers are not interested in driving without the combustion engine,” he said. “They want to know if these changes will help with performance.”
So this rules out a pure electric M car, plus Hacker hinted that the brand was in no rush to employ battery technology, insisting it was happy to wait until the systems could be properly integrated with no adverse effect on the car’s driving characteristics.
“We’ll need to look at the weight implications of electrification,” he added. “What is the compromise? Are we ready now or do we need to take a look at some special structural solutions for the future?”
Hacker believes that, ultimately, balance is the most important factor in producing an accomplished sports car, and isn’t prepared to sacrifice driver enjoyment for a performance and economy boost.
“The weight of the cars is very important,” he explained. “I don’t think it’s the best idea to get more and more power into these models. Our philosophy is to get the right balance between power and performance.”
