CarExpert recently had a chat with the CEO of BMW M, Franciscus ‘Frank’ van Meel in regards to the way forward for the high-performance brand and the way it’s transitioning from its current line-up to the electrical age.
Frank van Meel has been with BMW since 2015. In that point, he has seen the event of diverse M vehicles that defied the norm and went against tradition, corresponding to the all-wheel drive M5, while continuing to advocate for the manual transmission, which makes up a considerable portion of sales for cars just like the M2.
With the recent launch of the ostentatious BMW XM SUV, van Meel was also accountable for bringing hybrid power to an M badge, which is heading to the next-generation M5.
“We never do drive changes for only one automotive,” Mr van Meel told CarExpert when asked if hybrid power from the XM is anticipated to make its solution to other M models.
“So for us, it was also let’s say the modern recent drivetrain concept for M, in order that’s something we’re going to see in other cars as well. And I feel it’s an open secret that you will discover that within the upcoming recent M5 next yr.”
The BMW XM is powered by a 4.4-litre twin-turbocharged V8 plug-in hybrid powertrain mating a 145kW/280Nm electric motor and 360kW/650Nm petrol engine for total system outputs of 480kW and 800Nm.
That is prone to get an additional increase when it finds its way into the brand new M5.
In the event you’re expecting BMW to adopt the identical approach as Mercedes-AMG and begin to downsize its internal-combustion engines and compensate with larger batteries, Mr van Meel has good (and bad) news for you as that shouldn’t be the approach BMW is taking.
“That’s not the way in which we see it because we wish to have a powerful base engine anyway. So, for us, going to smaller combustion engines together with larger batteries wouldn’t be the appropriate way,” he said.
“For us, then the step shall be to go purely electric instantly [instead of downsizing the engines]. And do this in a correct way.”
Speaking of electrification, BMW M is investing heavily in not only electrifying its entire M range, which it has already done with hybrids and full-blown EV M Performance cars (those made for the road just like the i50 M60, relatively than for the track just like the M3/M4/M5), but can be creating track-focused pure electric models as well.
Nonetheless, Mr van Meel thinks the technology for a correct BMW M track automotive made on the track for the track shouldn’t be yet ready for a pure EV.
“There may be proper [EV] technology that we’re currently developing. But because it’s not available in the market yet, that already shows that it shouldn’t be completely ready straight away. But we’re working on that,” he said.
“For future generations of M. Especially within the performance segment, we’re already there, starting with the i5, which actually is our best-selling vehicle and the entire M line-up straight away… but after all, it’s not a high-performance automotive yet.
“Because high performance means developing on the track for the track and which means continuous power output in a big way. And likewise, every high performance automotive we make have to be higher than its own predecessor.
“In the event you have a look at the M3 Touring, or the M3, these are the benchmark straight away, which actually is our own benchmark as well with reference to the following generation. So if that is electrical, it must be higher than the present one. In order that’s the rationale why it’s not there yet. But we’re working on that.”
BMW M has track-focused pure EV prototype models running around at this very moment, making use of 4 electric motors. Mr van Meel says these are being co-developed for actual racing as well, which has very different requirements to an ordinary road automotive with certain levels of necessities.
“There may be the continual output that must be there so long as possible, after all, which suggests not only 10 seconds or one minute,” he said.
“And with reference to Nurburgring Nordschleife, it has to do one or two laps at full speed, actually, then with the battery if you happen to go, let’s say over 250 kilometres per hour, you won’t get any much further anyway. In order that’s currently the restriction.
“I feel that may be very essential to have a sustainable power output from starting to finish. And likewise to have sufficient range within the automotive. But after all, the bottom, the core DNA, is to have the standard agility, dynamics and precision that an M has and that comes from racing… and that’s why we’re also working along with some regulators within the racing industry to search out out which is the appropriate concept for an electrical GT racing automotive. Because we’re developing that at the identical time straight away.”
Asked if there had been any lessons learnt from the launch of the Mercedes-AMG C63 which replaced its much-loved turbocharged V8 with a four-cylinder hybrid system, Mr van Meel said while they’ve a healthy respect for competitors, it won’t affect what they do.
“I’m born and raised within the Netherlands, and there may be a saying, which says, if you happen to are on the ocean never orient yourself on the beacons of other ships, have a look at the celebrities,” he said.
“After all, we’re taking a look at competitors. But that doesn’t change our strategy towards the longer term. And our strategy is sort of clear. We’re very famous with our six-cylinder inline engine, which is an icon and likewise, our V8 engines are really popular.
“So we attempt to persist with those so long as possible, including the hybrid drivetrains, after which we’ll change to electric drive, it’s quite easy.”
Asked whether BMW M can maintain its soul and character because it shifts towards electrification, Mr van Meel says the brand has made substantial changes in its history and every time they were initially met with trepidation but eventually proved to be the appropriate call.
“What is actually essential, but about M is the general impression and the sensation that you just get if you drive the cars… what you’re feeling if you’re driving and automotive actually is that precision, that dynamics and that agility, even if you happen to’re not on a track, if you happen to drive, if you happen to’re in inner city driving, if you happen to turn the steering wheel, the automotive actually is sort of a razor blade, it drives where you wish it to and that already causes a number of joy,” he said.
“In the event you have a look at the M3, we all the time have discussions, when we alter the drivetrain, we had a four-cylinder after we began, then we had a six-cylinder, eight-cylinder high-revving engine, each time there was an enormous outcry, ‘you possibly can’t do this the engine is getting heavier, you may have a distinct weight distribution’.
“Then we modified to a six within the turbocharged engine, same discussion, ‘if you happen to’re not naturally aspirated [no one will buy it], you may have lag, let’s say a terrible hole somewhere in the highest. It will never be racing again’.
“But each time the brand new automotive was higher than the previous one and everybody is actually comfortable. And that shall be the story with the electrical, with the electrification as well.”
As for what role the ‘engine sound’ will play in the longer term generation of pure electric Ms, Mr van Meel insists it has to stay an integral a part of the experience, no matter its authenticity.
“After all sound will play a job in that. But it surely’s not a make-or-break thing. It must be there because you wish it on this feedback loop that you furthermore may have in a race automotive,” he said.
“Once you’re on the track, you don’t have the time to take a look at your speedometer. The one thing you see from the corner of your eyes are the shifting lights. After which you already know which gear you’re in and also you hear the remaining. And you’re feeling the vibration so you already know how briskly you truly are…
“We’d like a feedback loop that features all these haptic or acoustic feelings. In order that shall be in our cars as well. But it surely shouldn’t be the fundamental thing. The fundamental thing is it has to feel it, it has to drive like an M automotive and that’s what our customers told us over the past years.”
Absolutely the majority of BMW M customers, Mr van Meel says, don’t actually care what drivetrain is their vehicle, as long as the experience is what they expect.
“We’ve been asking them the identical query for a very long time during our driving experiences, driver training sessions, etc and the general public, I feel that 95 per cent of all of our customers said, ‘I don’t care what sort of drive train is within the automotive, so long as it appears like an M, and you may have to deliver that as M’,” he said.
“After all, there are some individuals who say ‘if there’s not a V8 or six-cylinder inline engine within the automotive, I won’t buy it’. But most of our customers, and that’s greater than 95 per cent, at the very least those we questioned, say so long as the [car] drives like an M, appears like an M I don’t actually care.”
Australia is the fifth largest marketplace for BMW M, which Mr van Meel jokingly called ‘crazy’ given the population size, and the feedback of consumers here has also had an impact on the production of future M vehicles.
Only time will tell if BMW M can match its current crop of benchmark performance cars because it moves towards further hybridisation after which eventual full electrification.
Tell us within the comments below if you happen to’re certainly one of the 95 per cent who don’t care in regards to the drivetrain or the (very) loud five percent who do.
This Article First Appeared At www.carexpert.com.au
