When you think of BMW engines, “six cylinders” is probably one of the first identifying features that comes to mind. And even if you’re not a die-hard Bimmer fan, you might know enough to assume that those six cylinders would be aligned in a straight line rather than in a “V” arrangement like those found under the hood of some other automakers. But BMW M actually seriously considered putting a V6 under the hood of one of its most famous models – the BMW M5.
V6 power in the BMW M5? It was possible
BMW M is, as the one-letter name suggests, the motorsport branch of BMW. So it stands to reason that an M V6 – a departure from the inline-six engine with which the brand is most familiar – offered a potential competitive advantage. In 1993 or 1994, Paul Rosche reportedly saw an evolution of the V6 in more than just the next-generation M5 powerplant. In case you don’t know, Rosche worked for BMW in various roles between 1957 and 1999. He has been involved in everything that makes the brand what it is today – from the legendary BMW M1 to the exotic V12 LMR to the ubiquitous BMW M3. In the 1990s he was technical managing director of BMW M.
However, when BMW M began work on the new E39 BMW M5, the V6 came into conversation. Although we’ve previously reported that BMW was considering a V6 engine for the car, the “why” was never entirely clear. A driving reason for BMW M to invest in a V6 was apparently its use in motorsport. Inline or “inline” six-cylinder engines are much longer than engines mounted in a “V” configuration. The V6 would have been an attractive solution for the DTM racing series, where an in-line six-cylinder was not optimal for either balance or packaging reasons.
The Motorsport V6: The missing link
BMW M never implemented the V6. What’s notable is that the brand completely withdrew from the DTM when the E36 M3 was launched – which happened almost at the same time that the brand was looking into this V6 engine. Also interesting is the fact that from this point on almost all motorsport engines were either four-cylinder or larger V8 or V10 engines.
Had the V6 come to fruition, BMW M would have had a low bar for production and sales volume. The E34 M5, the predecessor of the E39, sold very slowly in the US, so BMW M expected “2,000 or 3,000 cars” per year. Ultimately, the real prize was to develop a V6 that was competitive enough for motorsport use. Instead, BMW switched to the 5.0-liter S62 V8 engine, and we’re glad they did. After all, it was only through the S62 that we finally got the incredible S85 V10. Many thanks to Steve Saxty for his help in gathering some information for this story. Check out his BMW books for more behind-the-scenes insights into the BMW brand.
