Question about SuperTouring BMWs

[Azumanga Davo]

Just wanted to know what engine was in the 318i cars? The designation would otherwise indicate it weren't a 2-litre inside, but did BMW put one in anyway?

[BDunnell]

Interesting question. I'm sure it was a two-litre unit used, but in that case, as you say, why the designation? Iain normally knows this sort of thing...

[peewhee]

Wasn't it something silly like: the only 2litre engine bmw had at the time was a six-cylinder, which they could not use, so they called it a 318?
Even though the four cylinder engine was bored to 2 litre?

[VkmSpouge]

I've checked in my 1993 Silverstone finale program which helpfully has some specifications for the works teams' cars. It lists the BMW 318i as having a 2000cc 4 cylinder in line engine.

[BDunnell]

Wasn't it something silly like: the only 2litre engine bmw had at the time was a six-cylinder, which they could not use, so they called it a 318?
Even though the four cylinder engine was bored to 2 litre?

I'm not sure that the 320i was a six-cylinder, but if it was, this seems like a plausible explanation. There was clearly something about the 320i that made it unacceptable as the base model.

[Iain]

That's right. The 2.0 E36 was a 6 cylinder model. They did eventually change the car to a 320i in the entry list for 1995 when Super Touring came along. Although it was still that same bored out 1.8 engine which originated in the 2.0 E30 M3 in the early days of the 2.0 class era.

I think I'm right in saying that the current E90 3 Series is the first to have a 2.0 4 cylinder engine since the first generation of that car.

[BDunnell]

Knew you'd know! My memory for cars must be failing me.

[Rollo]

I think I'm right in saying that the current E90 3 Series is the first to have a 2.0 4 cylinder engine since the first generation of that car.

The BMW M10B20 was an inline 4 used in the 3 series for both the E21 and the E30 variants of the 3-series, so it saw two generations.

What makes this interesting is that the M10 when developed into the M12/M13 engine won the World Drivers Championship in 1983 with Nelson Piquet's Brabham.

[Brown, Jon Brow]

Did the 320i road car not have an engine that was bigger than 2000cc?

[Rollo]

The 323 and the 325 have frequently have engines bigger than their alloted code might tell but the only 320i which has been bigger was the E46 which sported an M54B22 at 2171cc.

Is that answer question?

[Robinho]

also 318's have in the past been a 2000cc engine IIRC, so likely that the supertouring BMW's were based one the 2l 318

[kmchow]

In Canada, the E36 came in 1.8 and briefly 1.9L for 1yr, max 2 yrs I believe.