For all engines, Munich produces – from the screaming S14 of the E30 M3 to the Torquey Brute Force of the S85 V10 – not with the myth, technical purity or the historical meaning of the car developed for a car, which does not even bear a round: the V12 in the heart of the McLaren F1.
Yes, the largest BMW engine that has ever been produced is the one who was not designed for a 5 or an M car, but for a British hypercar with a low volume that was redefined, which could be in the nineties. The engine of the F1 was not just a masterpiece – it was the soul of a car that still views many as the largest street car ever. And that’s no coincidence.
The history of origin
The McLaren F1 project began with an uncompromising view of Gordon Murray: a light street car with a central seat with Formula 1 engineering unit. But when it was time to choose an engine, nobody could make the letter. Honda said no. So every other big player. It was BMW Motorsport – especially Paul Rosche, the legendary engineer behind the M88 and countless other masterpieces – the promotion and said: “Yes. But only if we can do it right.”
The result was motor code S70/2. A naturally sucked 6.1 liter V12, the 618 HP and 479 LB-FT torque-produces-in the eye that still pull up the eyebrows. But it wasn’t just about top performance. The engine was a technical flex, a study in balance, reaction and durability. It could suffer like a luxury sedan, but screamed to a redline north of 7,500 rpm with a sound that belongs to a museum. In the best possible way, it was very over-emphasized that it ran dry swamp and managed two ECUs with twelve individual throttle flaps. Murray wanted a light, high -ranking engine with immediate reaction and without forced induction. BMW gave him exactly that.
Built differently
We throw the term “racing engine for the street” far too often. But the S70/2 was exactly that from the motorsport know-how and tailor-made to the restraint of real user-friendliness. It was easier than most V8 of its time, but had more cylinders and more sophistication. And his cooling system was so effective that even if it had been driven at Le Mans, no mechanical changes were required to prepare for the standard endurance.
This was not a development of production S70B56 in the 850csi. It shared a name – and not much else. The McLaren V12 was a tailor -made creation. It looked beautiful cosmetically. Functionally, it was exaggerated as best as possible. And in contrast to most BMW Motors, the S70/2 was never softened, died or massaged to achieve a wider product range. There was a car and a purpose.
BMW S70/2 against S70B56: A story of two V12S
Everything raises the question of what it shares with other BMW V12 of the period. Of all production V12, it is the E31 850csi S70B56 that comes closest. The moment you look at the data, you really see the differences. From the number of valves to the 12 individual throttle valves, there is clearly a different intention and a degree of sophistication between the two.
| FEat | S70/2 – McLaren F1 | S70B56 – BMW 850csi |
|---|---|---|
| shift | 6064 ccm) | 5576 ccm) |
| layout | 60 ° V12, dohc, 48 valves | 60 ° V12, Sohc, 24 valves |
| output | 618 PS @ 7400 u / min | 375 PS @ 5300 u / min |
| Torque | 479 LB-FT @ 5600 rpm | 406 LB-FT @ 4000 rpm |
| Throttle | 12 individuals | Single -gas body |
| ECU | Dual Ecus (Tag Electronics) | Bosch Motronic 1.7 |
| Redline | ~ 7500 rpm | ~ 6000 rpm |
| induction | Of course sucked out | Of course sucked out |
| Fuel system | Sequential injection | Conventional injection |
| Dry swamp | Yes | NO |
| Production of production | Once, derived from motorsport | Street car reinforcement |
| Weight | ~ 265 kg (584 lbs) | ~ 240 kg (530 lbs) |
How compares the S70/2 with the prototype E31 M8?
Things become more interesting when we look at the Totborn E31 M8 prototype, and it is V12 code-named the S70/1. Interestingly, the engine of the McLaren F1 was derived from the Motord design of the BMW M8 prototype – which was on the drawing board before McLaren BMW approached. They are identical to the general design concept and even the size. The S70/1 even produced about 550 hp and closes the 627 hp from the F1. However, BMW was always clear to point out that the S70/1 served as a foundation from which the S70/2 was born.
The inheritance
There is a reason why the McLaren F1 still has the title for the fastest, naturally sucked car that has ever been built. In 1998 it hit 240.1 miles per hour, with the REV -Limiter removed – more than two decades before Ferrari, Porsche or even Bugatti were caught up. And in the center of this recording? A BMW-built V12.
The influence of the engine did not echo directly through BMWS mainstream line -up – but it didn’t have to. His legacy lies in his singularity. It was an uncompromising engine that was built for a car without colleagues. No other production BMW engine can claim the same measure of tailor -made craftsmanship, historical effects and mechanical perfection.
Why is it still important
In a world that quickly moves towards electrification and has charged all turbos, the BMW V12 of the McLaren F1 feels like a postcard from another time – a memory of what technical passion and courage can produce. It is a monument to the Motorsport Division of BMW on its absolute summit when “The Ultimate Driving Machine” was not a slogan – it was an ethos. Interesting, it also seems to be a blueprint for the future. With Murry Automotive, Bugatti and Aston Martin, the recently high -ranking engines, which is naturally shot by nature, it seems that there have been some magic in the formula of BMW.
Is the S70/2 of the McLaren F1 the best BMW engine of all time?
Without question. Not only because it is in the heart of the best analog car of all time and even won Lemans twice. Because it records everything that BMW M has stood for since it was founded.
